SMSGT(RETIRED) DONALD FOSTER NEWBURN
July 11, 1930 ~ September 3, 2020
Donald Foster Newburn was born July 11, 1930 in St. Louis Missouri, one of six born to Israel and Ethel (Woodfin) Newburn. After a short illness, Don went home to be with the Lord on September 3, 2020 at 9:45am. At an early age, Don accepted Christ as his personal Savior. Don grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and later moved to San Antonio, TX where he received a BS from Palo Alto College.
Don entered the United States Air Force December 7, 1951. After eight weeks of basic training at Sheppard AFB, TX and successfully completing a Morse Systems Operator Course at Keesler AFB MS, Don shipped out on the USS Randall to Yokohama, Japan and served from February 1953 to July 1954. This began his 30-year long career in the United States Air Force in Security Service. This comprised of numerous tours of duty overseas including the Philippines, Japan, Germany, England, and service here in the United States at Texas and South Carolina air bases. Don gained the reputation as the “Headset Guy” after attending a General’s Staff Meeting. He was assigned to determine why the headsets were causing serious infections around the ears and temporal area. After numerous TDY (temporary duty travel) worldwide, Don and his team in conjunction with the Telex Earphone manufacturer identified and corrected the problem. Don was charged with making a video explaining the solution and it was dispensed to the command’s intercept units. His assignment to San Antonio resulted in him and his family putting down roots and buying a family home which served as their permanent residence. Like many Military families, Don’s assignments took him away from his family for long stretches at a time. Because he settled down in San Antonio, he was convinced his family was safe and secure. After over 30 years of uninterrupted honorable service, Don proudly retired December 31, 1981, as a Senior Master Sergeant in San Antonio, Texas.
After retirement, Don worked as an RV Salesman, the first black RV Salesman in San Antonio. If you knew Don, you would know that this job would highlight his excellent organizational, communication, writing, and people skills. After feeling content with his progress in such a challenging and grueling endeavor as RV sales, Don decided to shift gears and settled into the less demanding but just as serious world of school bus driving for the Northside Independent School District. After truly retiring, he and his dear wife Billie joined the RV community themselves, traveling around the United States in their RV. Don said he had served in so many places around the world that he wanted to see some of the wonders of the United States. And this he did.
Along with traveling, Don enjoyed fishing and building. As a self-taught carpenter, Don built numerous structures including decks, out buildings and construction upgrades for his friends and family members.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 40 years, Billie Jean Newburn, one of his five siblings, Pauline Thomas (Melvin), five daughters Denise Gobert, Christy Newburn, Avis Love (Floyd), Zana Hamilton (John the Baptist) and Celestine Shelton. Stepchildren Ray Washington, Ronnie Washington (Elisa), Deniece Cook (Ronny), Donell Washington (Demetria) and Michael Washington (Barbara). Grandchildren Alicia Gobert, Florian Love, Enjoli Miles, Reginald Miles, Jr., Brittany Beccia, and Elijah Shelton and numerous other grandchildren, and great grandchildren, along with a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, service will be private.
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To my beloved husband and friend of 40 years,
I will love and cherish the memories forever we had together. I had a beautiful life with you, will miss our travels and theater nights with friends. Would love to have a few more years, but God called you home first. Rest in peace, my love.
Your loving wife,
Billie Jean
Daddy said we were the greatest of all his accomplishments. Time and time over he would say, “I am so very proud of all of my girlsâ€. I am so very thankful for the times we had to laugh and for the times he felt the need to scold me. I will always remember his authoritative voice, his stern opinions, his towering stature and yes, he in his flight uniform.
May we also remember how he thoroughly enjoyed sitting down to converse and connect with people. May we now take this opportunity to connect and share in celebrating my dad’s long life, his great accomplishments, his adventurous travels, and the joyous occasions we each can cherish as memories.
He made the best hamburgers, fried rice and potato pancakes. His turkey had bacon across the top. He would come home, change into â€work†clothes, work in the garden and catch up with Mr. Davidson, Mr. Seay, Mr. Rice and Mr. Winters; as they were all in their yards tending to their gardens or backyard projects until it was time for dinner. We would eat at the dinner table, which had to be set; complete with the water bottle and the butter dish, and we could not leave until our plate was clean. I can remember him mopping the kitchen floor late at night for mama, because the kitchen was not clean until the floor was mopped; (he probably had just finished making one of specialties from the leftovers– fried rice or potato pancakes!) We were not allowed to eat in the car unless we were on a road trip or going to the Town Twin Drive-in movie; but when we went, it was so much fun. Mama and Daddy would make stove-top popped popcorn, hamburgers, red Kool-Aid, and whatever else we had in the house that we could eat for snacks while we watched the movie. We had a station wagon, so we could lay the seats down and lay down and go to sleep if we wanted to. When we took road trips, the rule was when the car stopped for gas, we went to the bathroom; provided it was clean and did not have a race-restriction on who could use it. When we got to New Orleans or St. Louis the party would begin! So much fun being with our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Backyard crawfish boils, fish fries or gumbo parties in New Orleans, and basement parties with all kinds of food, sodas and music in St. Louis. I believe I saw the largest mosquitoes I have ever seen on one of those St. Louis visits across the street from Aunt Pauline’s house. I can remember the way I loved how Uncle Cornell said “Mosquitoes!†Priceless memories with family. Family was important to Daddy. Uncle Bob fondly remembers Daddy arriving with presents for EVERYONE, when he came to visit New Orleans, I believe for the first time. I can remember him being sure to bring back special “gifts†for my grandpa and uncles when we came home from our tour in Germany. Our parents did the best they could to give us not only a good start in life, but also provided tools, discipline and direction to be able to be responsible, contributing adults.Â
In recent years, I can remember joyous occasions when Daddy accepted our invitations to remember the significance of Christ’s death with us at the Memorial. One time, he whispered in my ear, “you all always have had the best speakers.†He even told me how much he enjoyed singing with me during that celebration. I will remember that night always. He and Billie came to hear Elijah’s first Bible reading, and he emailed Florian’s first Public Talk to others to hear. He was proud of each of our accomplishments. The greatest compliment I received from him was earlier this year. He told me how proud he was of us staying together in marriage. He told me he liked what he saw about how we do things. He said,†I don’t know what goes on at home, but I like the way you two work together.†I let him know, we could only say we try to apply Bible principles in our lives. Jehovah is the most important one in our marriage. I will treasure his words always. He let me know how important staying together in marriage was to him.
Since his death, I have allowed myself to get to understand the “Man†he was even more. His time spent in the military was a third of his life. I am so happy he retired when he did, by choice, to acknowledge there were more important things in life than a career or title. I look forward to the day when I can forget the third day of September. That will happen when he wakes up in the New World to Come!
Revelation 21:3,4
Don, I just finished reading the words of your daughters and wife Billie. You, as a man was a treasure to them. To me, I remember you as a young man in the Philippines. While I wasted a lot of time you were busy making the most beautiful photo album I’ve ever seen. You continued to do great things throughout your years in the air force. I so looked forward to meeting you once again at our 29th RSM reunions. I said earlier you were a treasure to you daughters, I am proud to say you are a treasured friend of mine. Rest in peace me friend, I shall never forget you.
Bob Rennick
Our deepest condolences to the Newburn Family.Volker and Ples Etta Schnitzer.and Bailey family. Until the resurrection.