Remembering Ernie….
Ernest M. Newell, 89, a lifelong resident of Damar, Kansas, died peacefully, May 26, 2020, at home, surrounded by his loving family. He was the oldest child of 13 children born to Armond Wilfred and Ruby Amanda (Thybault) Newell. As the children grew, Ernie helped with the younger ones. Norman, the youngest even called Ernie, “Dad." His parents spoke French in the home and the children learned English when they started to school.
Following high school graduation, he attended college at St. Benedicts, Atchison, Kansas. He was a veteran of the United States Army serving during the Korean Conflict. He was an MP during that time, serving as a POW Guard on Cheju-do Island. Interestingly, 50 years later, Ernie’s son Dan was also stationed in Korea, brought his dad a piece of barbed wire from the DMZ.
On May 11, 1954, Ernest and Delores (LaBarge) Newell were united in Holy Matrimony in St. Joseph’s Church, Damar. This is the church where Ernie was baptized, received the Holy Eucharist, served as an altar boy and attended throughout his entire life. Ernie frequently reminded his family that he was one of the altar boys who rang the church bell by manually pulling on a rope!
During their 66 years of marriage, Ernie and Delores were blessed with seven children: Melinda (Mindy, Debra, Steve, Greg, Joseph, Todd, and Dan, raised six to adulthood, welcomed 14 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. The love the two of them shared guided them through many good times and the bad times. In their later years, Ernie and Delores could be found every afternoon watching favorite TV shows, all the while holding hands!
Ernie was a very busy and diversified provider for his family. He was a farmer for 30 plus years, an oilfield driller, worked for Boeing, a drywaller, a grain and seed dealer, and a chef at the Damar Country Kitchen. His chicken fried steaks are remembered as legendary. He butchered and processed the meat raised and hunted for his family as well as for his neighbors. With his drywalling business and café, Ernie employed many of the local teenagers and taught them along the way. If you worked for Ernie it was said to be the best trade school education you could get!
Being a community minded citizen, Ernie was the Mayor of Damar for 20 years and served on the School Board. Ernie also had many hobbies and activities he enjoyed with his family. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved gardening, camping, gambling at casinos and travelling with the family. Ernie and Delores made a trip to Hawaii for their 64th Wedding Anniversary. During that trip, the oldest couple was honored at a luau, invited onto the stage for dancing! Ernie and Delores were the stars of the show by the time the evening was over. Ernie was preceded in death by his parents; sons: Steve and Joseph Eugene; brothers: Alvin Newell, Norman Newell, Donald Newell; sister, Mary Ann Dinkel; and grandchild Nicholas Frazier.
Leaving to mourn his passing are: his wife, Delores of Damar; daughters: Melinda “Mindy” Darnell (Thomas) of Damar, Debra Hallman of Plainville; sons: Greg Newell (Sammie Reid) of Osage Beach, Missouri, Todd Newell (Michelle) of Kansas City, Missouri, Dan Newell (Angel) of Montgomery, Alabama; brothers: Vincent Newell (Cindy) of Hays, Bernard Newell (Cynthia) of Concordia; sisters: Irma Laurin (Jerome) of Long Island, Eunice Hamel of Hays, Josephine Daugherty (Ronald) of Salina, Kathleen Krier (Gary) of Salina, Theresa Thompson of Beloit, Martha Nero of Thornton, Colorado; 13 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
The past few months have been very hard for Ernie as his health deteriorated. He still made sure he had his beloved Delores by him as they watched their shows. Delores once asked, “Who will hold my hand when you are gone?” His reply came quickly, “I will.” Their love never wavered.
Just a few days before his death, Ernie got his fishing gear ready and had it sitting beside the porch, prepared to go at a moment’s notice. That gear is still there. But rest in the belief that God has prepared for this man of Faith a great fishing spot for him in His Kingdom. Ernie truly is drinking from his saucer.
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