Richard A. Newton Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Richard A. Newton died on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. He was 86. Richard, also known as “Dick,” was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on August 2, 1935 to the late Catherine Strachan and John Newton. He lived in Pittsburgh until 1940 when his family moved to Tacoma, WA, where he attended elementary school. His family returned to Pennsylvania in 1946 to live in Upper Darby. He went on to attend Haverford High School and graduated from the William Penn Charter School in 1954. At age 19, he joined the Naval Reserves and served honorably for 8 years, 3 years active. One of his Navy highlights was sailing to Cuba early in Fidel Castro’s rule. Mr. Newton attended West Chester University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education. While in college he met his wife Nancy Newnam while working at a summer camp. They were married in 1957 and lived in Swarthmore, PA, spending summers and holidays in Oxford, where Nancy’s father’s family was from. Richard was a 7th grade biology teacher and coached football in Upper Darby School District in Pennsylvania. While teaching, Dick continued with his education earning a Masters of Administration and additionally a Masters plus 30 and a Masters plus 60, all from Temple University in Philadelphia. He became the Vice Principal of Concord High School in Wilmington, DE. He applied for and became the Principal of Interboro High School in Prospect Park, PA, and then became the Principal of Phoenixville High School in Phoenixville, PA. In the 1980’s he started his own fundraising business “Nancy Newton Fundraising,” and, along with his wife Nancy, worked together to raise money for schools across Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Dick retired in his seventies but remained very busy restoring the family house in Oxford and gardening. He was well known in Oxford for growing the best melons around and wore a “Melon King" shirt during harvesting season while dropping off his melons to friends and neighbors throughout town. He joined the Oxford Cemetery Board of Directors in 1993, became president in 1994, and served as such until 2007 when he became vice president until 2016. He was still a member of the Oxford Cemetery Board of Directors at the time of his death. He was very passionate about keeping the Oxford road free of litter and was recently given an award from the Oxford Town Commissioners for doing so. A member of the The Church of the Holy Trinity in Oxford, he enjoyed attending church and the coffee hour social afterwards. Mr. Newton is survived by three children: Richard (Randy) Newton Jr. (Cindy); William Newton (April), and Catharine Schmidt (Brian); a sister, Margaret Newton of Pennsylvania; a half-sister Barbara Nickel of North Carolina; several nieces and nephews, and eight grandchildren - Edward Newton, Jenna Newton, Jeffrey Newton, Gunnar Newton, Hannah Schmidt Furman, Natalie Schmidt, William Schmidt, and Joshua Schmidt. He was predeceased by his wife Nancy of 53 years and a granddaughter, Samantha Newton. A graveside service will be held at the Oxford Cemetery on Saturday June 18 at 2:30 p.m. The family is very grateful for Talbot County Hospice, and the support of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Oxford.

Richard A. Newton

August 2, 1935 - June 14, 2022