Mary Elizabeth Freeman Newman, of Leighton, was born Sunday, November 25, 1934 and died Friday, March 8, 2019 at the age of 84. Her family will receive friends for visitation at Colbert Memorial Chapel on Sunday, March 10, 2019 from 12-2pm. Her funeral service will begin at 2pm in the funeral home chapel with Bro.
Charles “Chip” Henley officiating. Burial will follow in Colbert Memorial Chapel. She is preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, John Lawson Newman; twin great-granddaughters, Annabelle and Erin Newton; her parents, four brothers, and one sister.
Mary is better known to her family and friends as “Libby”. She died from complications of Vascular Dementia at Helen Keller Hospital. Due to her dementia she had spent the past two years at Keller Landing.
Libby’s last cognizant years were spent caring for her husband as he battled colon cancer, attending church, and going on Mission trips. Her greatest talent was cooking. Not only did she feed her family and friends, Libby prepared many meals for church events and the Baptist Student Center at UNA.
One of her last mission trips was to New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. There she planned and prepared meals for some of the workers. For many years she ran a school lunchroom in Limestone County.
She cooked at a café and later owned the same café in Colbert County. Libby’s last cooking employment was preparing breakfast and plate lunches at the café located in Bradford Drugs, Russellville, AL. Mary is survived by her son, John Michael (Sherri) Newman, of Russellville, AL; daughters, Susie Newman and Wanda (Ron) Gillespie, all of Lexington, AL; grandsons, Brian (Tracy) Ridgeway, John (Amanda) Newton, and Dylan Ridgeway; granddaughters, Mandy (Zac) King, Danielle Green, Kimberly (Nick) Thompson, Cameron Ridgeway, and Danielle (Dillan) Hamby; great grandsons, Ian King, Wilson Hamby, Lawson Hamby, and Braxton Mayfield; great granddaughters, Mary Elizabeth Gray, Ava Grace Thompson, Alexandria Newton, Willa King, Charlee Green, Saylor Green, Brooklyn Massey, and Landyn Hamby; brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Brian Ridgeway, John Newton, Ian King, Dylan Ridgeway, Zac King, and Nick Thompson. Libby loved the Lord and put God, family and her church first in her life. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and babysitter.
The family will always have many happy memories of holidays spent at her house. You may sign the online register at colbertmemorial.com. The family request in lieu of flowers donations to St Jude’s Children Hospital.
Colbert Memorial Chapel is assisting the family.
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