In Loving Memory of Alton Jerome Newman

Alton Jerome Newman was born August 25, 1953, to his proud parents --- Joe Nathan & Eunice Rance Newman. He returned to his Creator and to the company of his parents on Sunday, March 30, 2025. He was clearly the "golden child and the apple of his parents eye" .  In spite of this fact, he was born in a household with four (4) older sisters.   His father was a peanut farmer and wanted desperately to have sons that would help him farm his 205 acres of land. He believed  his daughters should not be subjected to some of the extremely hard labor of farming peanuts, some cotton and corn, herding cows, hogs, mules, and occasionally goats. He believed that was too much for his four daughters.    At the age of 5, his father taught Alton how to drive his newly purchased 1957 Ford  tractor much to the dismay of his mother, Eunice. Alton was small framed like his mother who wanted to keep him near her as much as possible. He was skinny and asthmatic. But as it turned out, Alton was fascinated with anything with an engine. Tricycles and bicycles did not hold his attention. His father said he was good at taking them apart to see how they work but could not put them back together.  At the age of 14, his father bought him a Honda 150 motorcycle. It had an engine.

Alton had a great and adventurous childhood in the rural community called Klondyke. He was reared and  subsequently transitioned in his beloved community. Those childhood years were spent playing with his sisters, one brother, cousins, friends and school mates. His pockets were always full of "stuff" loadstones, marbles, magnets, flintstones, rocks, money. His mother constantly scolded him because she was constantly mending his pockets.  However, when it was time to plow the fields, plant  and harvest the crops  he was done with playing. That is when this small person on a tractor- with dust flying around him- had the time of his life. His sisters were not that happy during that time because their job was to hoe, chop, shake, and stack peanuts. So much for being exempt from hard labor.

Alton received his formal education from Pinckard Elementary, D.A. Smith and graduated from Carroll High School in 1971.  He was a captain in the Jr. ROTC at Carroll High, and was part of the drum and bugle corp. He attended Troy State for one year. At the age of 19, he announced to the family that he wanted to be an embalmer. He began his embalmer apprenticeship under his mentor Johnny L. Trawick, owner of Trawick-Ozark Funeral Home, Ozark, AL. In 1975, at the age of 22, he enlisted in the United States Army to further his training in mortuary science. He was stationed in Ft. Lee, VA.  In 1978, after serving his 3-year commitment, he returned to Klondyke and announced that he was "…never leaving home again."  That made his mother happy.

Alton's father strongly encouraged him and his  younger brother Malcolm to be self-employed. As a pre-teen and teen,  Alton sold Grit Magazine, watermelons, corn, and provided transportation to folks in need of a ride to either Judah or Pylant stores in Ewell. His taxi was the tractor with trailer. On occasion,  he drove the family pickup truck. When highway 231 was being constructed and cars got stuck in the mud, he and his father charged $5 to pull them out. He began working at Dale County Hospital as an orderly employee at the age of 15. He enjoyed making money; loaning it; helping family and friends-- but not spending it on himself.  Alton was a quiet and soft-spoken person, and not quick to anger. He was passionate and very sentimental about his family, his friends,  his childhood, Klondyke, and the cows and horses. Although he did not talk much, except on occasion, he loved to entertain family and friends with a Friday or Saturday night card game,  oysters, crab legs and shrimp, and various spirits.

After the Army, he continued his apprenticeship at Trawick's Funeral Home and became a licensed embalmer and funeral director around 1982. He said his slogan would be, "The last person to let you down." He had a dry sense of humor also like his mother. His other businesses included: Newman's CB & Record Shop (on the Block in Ozark), Jacko's Lounge & Pool Hall, Newman's Dump Truck and Backhoe Service.  At 17, he became a school bus driver for Ozark City Schools and retired as a driver in the early 2000s. In 2015, he fulfilled his dream to own a funeral home and with his son Joseph,  established Newman Mortuary, Inc. at 114 Harper Drive, Ozark, AL.

He was a life-long member of Friendship A.M.E. Church, but as was the custom in Klondyke, he also attended Union Grove Baptist Church. In March of 1968, as a 9th grader, he was instrumental in tearing down the old wood-framed Friendship A.M.E. Church. He said he was tired of hearing about the building fund and changing the start date for the new church that would have indoor plumbing. He enlisted the labor of his sister Beck and brother Malcolm and gave them each a hammer and a crowbar to start removing the windows. Remember, his father said he could tear things down but not put them back together. The new church was dedicated the next year in 1969.

He was preceded in death by his parents Joe N. and Eunice Rance Newman; paternal grandparents William Monroe & Imonia Kennedy Newman, and maternal grandparents Eddie W. & Alvin Hollinger Rance. Also, his parents first-born, Joe Wilmer, who died as an infant. And a host of  maternal and paternal aunts and uncles and cousins (most recently Mary and Christine Harper Sanders).

Alton Jerome Newman's legacy and memory will be cherished by his devoted and loving wife of 40 years, Barbara; a devoted son and carbon-copy of his father, Joseph Monroe (Michelle); his two adorable, much-loved and long-awaited grandchildren, Nathaniel Jerome (age 2) and Amelia Grace (age 1). His older sisters:  Avis J. Autrey, Mavis Newman, Agnes Adamson and Altha ("Beck") Newman, and brother Malcolm Newman.  A special nephew and niece, Tauheed Abullah and Sonya Brooks; a special and devoted 1st cousin, Lydell Flowers; aunt, Odahlia Rance; a special sister-in-law, Martha Banks, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and life-long dear friends.

Thank you, All-Wise and Merciful God, for loaning us your servant Alton Jerome Newman. From You he came and to You is his return.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  Psalm 34:18