Gloria C. Newton

BERLIN – Gloria Newton, 94, a longtime resident of Highland Avenue, passed away of natural causes on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at Lincoln House with her family at her bedside.

Born April 27, 1926 in Fort Myers, Florida, she was the daughter of Walter Hosey and Hazel Marie (Duvall) Tew.   In her early childhood the family moved to Port Arthur, Texas and later to Houston where Gloria attended grade school and eventually to Fort Worth where she graduated from R. L. Paschal High School in 1943.

After graduating, Gloria worked for a Montgomery Ward mail order house as well as for Mary Flake in the stenography pool. Shortly after starting at Montgomery Wards, she was selected to be a private secretary to Parks Cope, the Industrial Engineer for Montgomery Ward. From there she worked as a secretary for the National Supply Company and later as a secretary/administrator for a local school district.

While working for the National Supply Company, Gloria became a hostess for the U.S.O., with her former boss, Mary Flake. Gloria travelled to many clubs and military bases as a U.S.O. hostess and it was at one of these dance events that she met her future husband, Wayne Newton.

On November 16, 1946, she and Wayne were married in Fort Worth, Texas. After their marriage, they moved to Barre, Vermont where they stayed for a short while before moving to Bethel, and back to Barre.   During this time, they purchased a camp at Nelson Pond, where they stayed during the summer months.   Wayne’s employer transferred him to Burlington in 1961 and then they purchased a camp at Iroquois Lake, which they renovated and thoroughly enjoyed from the last day of school until the start of school in September.

Gloria’s memberships included the First Congregational Church of Berlin, Hedding United Methodist Church of Barre, and a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) #57.

In her spare time, she enjoyed her time as a U.S.O. Hostess, singing with Harmony Incorporated and the Barre Tones for many years, as well as sewing, cooking, baking, and knitting – 100 pairs of mittens for children in kindergarten.

Survivors include her sons Douglas of South Barre, Brian of Randolph Center, and Stanley Carroll of Essex Jct., and their respective spouses Leslie, Marge and Mary; and Richard of Chandler, AZ, Deane of Brattleboro and Norman of East Bethel as well as numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Wayne in 1986, her granddaughter Kristin and her siblings Walter, Alfred, Hyacinth and her stepbrother James.

A graveside service to honor and celebrate her life will be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. in the Berlin Corner Cemetery in Berlin. There are no calling hours.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Congregational Church of Berlin, PO Box 1157, Montpelier, VT 05601.