Charles "Chuck" F. Newman

Chuck Newman, 92, of Westminster, Colorado, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2025, as a result of cancer treatment complications over the years. 

He was born on January 9, 1933, on a farm close to Ozawkie, Kansas, to Archie Lawrence and Etta Faye Coursey Newman. 

After two years of living on a farm, Chuck’s father moved his family to Topeka, Kansas, to find different employment. While there, Chuck grew up in Topeka and graduated from Topeka High School in 1950. During his senior high school days and after graduation, Chuck worked for his mother at the Golden Arrow Supper Club until a flood wiped everything out. Thereafter, Chuck worked at various odd jobs until he found a job as a Shipping Packer at the Topeka Air Force Depot. In June 1951, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserves, where he did one exercise naval training cruise. In December 1952, Chuck received his draft notice and spent the next two years in the U.S. Navy serving aboard the USS Capricornus amphibious attack cargo ship during the end of the Korean conflict. 

After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy, he returned to Topeka and Topeka Air Force Depot, where he began a new career in the data processing field. He worked his way up to a Project Planner position. While working here, Chuck met his future wife, Bernice. Chuck and Bernice were married in August 1956, and they were blessed with 63 years of marriage.

A year later, in 1957, they were notified that the depot was to be shut down and there was a possibility that they would be transferred to an Air Material Area in Mobile, Alabama. Chuck received a job offer at Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the computer operation field. Since Bernice and Chuck liked the area, the family moved to Albuquerque, where they lived for the next 60 years. Later, Chuck became a computer programmer and was responsible for the computer software that monitored the assembly of major stockpile weapons. 

After eight years at Sandia Laboratory, Chuck took on a new job as a Computer Programmer/Analyst working with the Department of Defense (DOD) at the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) in the same general area. After some time at DNA, he became an Application System Manager responsible for the computer software that monitored the transition and status of major stockpile weapons in DOD custody for possible deployment. He stayed at this job for the next 24 years until he retired at the age of 58. After retiring, he continued his passion for playing tournament golf. When Bernice passed away in 2019, Chuck moved to Colorado to be closer to family in his final days.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Bernice; and his two sisters.

Chuck is survived by his four children: Arlene Bailey of Enterprise, Alabama, Dennis (Mary) Newman of Melissa, Texas, Charlotte (Jim) Brown of Phoenix, Arizona, and Alan (Shelley) Newman of Broomfield, Colorado; eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. 

A graveside service and inurnment will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine’s Cemetery (Fidelity, Kansas), 1948 Acorn Road, Sabetha, Kansas. After the service, a light reception will be provided. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the:

1.  American Heart Association at https://www.heart.org/

• 2.  American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org/