GERALD "JERRY" THOMAS NEWMAN
July 2, 1942 - November 8, 2014
Jerry loved his children, sports, movies, and Ferraro’s pizza. He also loved being outdoors, hunting and shooting, and had an insatiable thirst for knowledge on many subjects including history, health, nutrition, religion, and genealogy. A practical mind in an unpractical world, Jerry was often perplexed at how things worked. He was ingenious at creating very practical tools out of a little duct tape and Paracord, or just about anything. More sentimental than he liked to let on, he had saved every letter and every card he ever received. A generous soul, Jerry was always willing to give whatever he could to those in need.
Jerry was born in Ventura, California and graduated from Oxnard High School in 1960. In 1962, he married his high-school sweetheart, Winny Knuppel, and had two children who survive him, Audrey Newman and Greg Newman. Jerry was blessed with athletic ability, especially as a pitcher. The Minnesota Twins professional baseball organization drafted Jerry out of Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California in 1963, where he attended on a baseball scholarship. Prior to that he played at Ventura College. The grueling pitching practices of the day eventually led to the overuse of his arm and, sadly, he had to let go of his dream of playing baseball.
Jerry and Winny divorced in 1975, and shortly after Jerry pursued a career as a chiropractor after working as an engineer at Vetco Offshore, Inc. in Ventura, California for twelve years. He married Janet Wainwright of Ventura, California in 1981 (divorced in 1994); attained his Doctor of Chiropractic from Palmer School of Chiropractic in Sunnyvale, California in 1988; and opened Newman Chiropractic in Anderson, California in 1990. He joked that chiropractic was not his get-rich-quick scheme, as he was most inclined to give services away for little or no cost to the uninsured. Jerry was truly interested in helping others achieve good health.
In 2005, Jerry retired from chiropractic due to a chronic heart condition and moved to Santa Paula, California, where he lived until he peacefully passed away in his home at the age of 72. During the last years of his life you would have found Jerry riding his bike around Santa Paula or volunteering as a tutor at the Santa Paula Community Library's FLAIR program.
Jerry is survived by his brother Jackie Newman, of Henderson, Nevada; sister Margaret Haney, of Tacoma, Washington; many loving nieces and nephews; daughter-in-law Robin Tate; and two granddaughters, Meaghan and Juliana. He is preceded in death by his parents, Amy Fay Newman and Thomas Marshall Newman of Oxnard, California; sister Joyce Tewes of Port Hueneme, California; and brother Buddy Newman of Nevada City, Nevada.
Gratitude to Loyd "Woody" Wood, and to all those who cared for Jerry during hospital stays, rehabilitation, and home care.
“Life has meaning only in the struggle, triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods... So let us celebrate the struggle.” - Swahili warrior song
Private Arrangements are under the direction of JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.