Bobby D. Newman

In Loving Memory of Bobby Newman- Born in Etowah Tennessee to Bruce and Gurtie Newman in 1940

Our family lost a pillar when Bobby Newman unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord. Our hearts are broken, but we are deeply grateful for the privilege of knowing and loving such an extraordinary man. His place in our family cannot be filled—partly because no one else knows where he kept all the tools, partly because no one else wakes up voluntarily before 4:00 a.m., and partly because there simply was no one else quite like Bobby.

Bobby was the kind of man who only seemed to get better with age. He had a quiet strength, an understated sense of humor, and the ability to repair just about anything. If something broke, you called Bobby. If Bobby could not fix it, it was probably time to throw it away.

He loved working with his hands, whether repairing something around the house, making Christmas gifts for his family, or fixing an object that everyone else had already declared completely beyond saving. Bobby did not believe in “beyond saving.” He believed in drapery cord , duck tape and God. 

He proudly served his country in the United States Navy, and his sense of duty, service, and love of country stayed with him throughout his life.

Bobby was the greatest storyteller. Growing up with fifteen siblings meant he never ran out of material. Between sixteen children, there was always an adventure, a disagreement, a mysterious injury, or something that absolutely was not supposed to happen.

He loved sharing stories of childhood mischief, family characters, and memories from years gone by. His stories connected the generations and reminded us where we came from. They also occasionally grew a little longer, a little funnier, and possibly a little less historically accurate with each retelling—but nobody was going to interrupt him and ruin a perfectly good story with facts.

Above all else, Bobby loved his family. He was a devoted husband and father, a beloved grandpa, and a treasured great-grandpa. Some of the most cherished memories his grandchildren share are of their long walks with him. No walk was too long, no adventure too complicated, and no little set of legs too slow. Bobby happily matched the pace of every grandchild and great-grandchild while filling the journey with stories, jokes, observations, and games invented along the way. A walk with Grandpa could become an expedition. You might return tired, hungry, and several hours older, but you would also come home with a story you remembered for the rest of your life.

Bobby found joy in life’s simple pleasures. He loved tracing the family’s history, holding every newborn baby, spending time with family and friends, and playing cards and dominoes. He was a loving and generous man, but all kindness and family loyalty were temporarily suspended once the dominoes came out. As Bobby liked to say, “Blood is thicker than water—except in dominoes.” 

As the last surviving sibling of his brothers and sisters, Bobby carried with him a lifetime of memories, history, wisdom, and information no one else could verify anymore. This officially made his version of every family story the correct one.

He took great pride in preserving our family’s history and making sure future generations knew about the people, sacrifices, and experiences that came before them.

One of the greatest gifts Bobby gave us was simply his presence. He lit up whenever the family gathered, and the joy on his face when everyone was together was impossible to miss. He loved being surrounded by his people, letting children run everywhere, or creating enough noise to make his years in the Navy seem peaceful.

Even in his final moments, we are told Bobby was making the doctors and technicians laugh. Nothing could have been more fitting. That was Bobby: finding humor, sharing stories, and bringing smiles to the people around him until the very end.

His quiet strength, unwavering love, playful humor, faith, and servant’s heart left an imprint on everyone fortunate enough to know him. His legacy lives on through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, and friends. 

Although we already miss him beyond words, we take comfort in God’s promise: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18

Thank you for the stories, the walks, the laughter, the games, the handmade gifts, the family history, the repaired belongings and the unconditional love. We will remember you whenever we hear a good story, take a long walk, hold a new baby, gather as a family, or sit down to play dominoes or hearts.  We will carry your legacy forward, tell your stories, and do our best to remember how you fixed everything—although realistically, we will probably just stare at it for a while and say, “We really need grandpa.”

You were truly one of a kind. You will be deeply loved, endlessly remembered, and forever missed.

Bobby is survived by his wife, Julie.

His children:

Darrel Newman (Ellen)

Robyn Toledo (Larry)

Denise Buchanan (Jack)

Mikey Newman

Michelle Newman Logan (Tom)

Kathy Haines (Derrick)

His grandchildren-

Joy McCoy (Michael)

Kara Duarte (Archie)

Ben Toledo (Annie)

Jordynne Grantham (Dusty)

Trice Newman

Bailey Sweeney (David)

Abby Buchanan

Owen Buchanan

Charley Newman

Tucker Newman

Lucas Newman

Noah Haines

Ethan Haines

Aurora Artman

Great grandchildren-

Riley McCoy

Emma McCoy

Olive McCoy 

Cooper Grantham

Maysen Grantham

Parker Grantham

Milo Duarte

Although his immediate family is listed here, Bobby also leaves behind a large and loving network of extended family members and friends. Each held a special place in his heart, and each carries a story, a lesson, a laugh..

Private Family Burial along with Military Honors will take place on Friday, August 28, 2026 at the Riverside National Cemetery. A Celebration of Bobby's Life will be held on the same day, Friday, August 28th at 1:30pm at the Journey of Faith Church in the Auditorium, 1243 Artesia Blvd., Manhattan Beach, Ca. 90266. Directly following the Celebration of Life will be a reception at the church for all who would like to attend and share stories.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bobby D. Newman, please visit our floral store.