Mr. Duane Kent Newsome, 90, of Fernandina Beach, peacefully entered Eternal Life on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at the Warner Center of Caring.
Duane was born and raised in Junction City, Kansas. He was preceded by his parents, Wilbur and Emily Newsome. During his 4 years at Junction City High School, Duane excelled in academics, basketball, baseball, football and swimming. He was honored during his junior year by being selected to the Kansas Boys State, a selected education program of government instructions for outstanding young men.
Duane met his “Princess” at JCHS. While nursing a basketball injury, Venita approached him sitting in the gym and offered him some jellybeans. This began a love story that led to 59 years of marriage. Venita predeceased him in death in 2009.
An avid Jayhawk fan, Duane elected to attend Kansas University and majored in Political Science and Early American History. While at KU, he was invited to join the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity and was still a member at the time of his death. Duane joined the Navy during the Korean War and traveled to Guam, Japan and the Philippines. He and Venita and their 2 children at that time, were stationed in Alameda, California. Once honorably discharged from the Navy, an opportunity to move to Florida to work at the newly Cecil Field facility in Jacksonville was offered to him. A wrong turn led them to a sleepy little town on a very tiny Island. They fell in love with Fernandina and decided to make it home. Container Corporation of America offered Duane a job as the Manager of Customer Service and Sales. He retired from CCA in 1994.
During his years working for CCA, Duane got involved with the community of Fernandina. With seven children, he became deeply committed to the activities the children were involved with. He dedicated his time to Scouting, the arts, dance, band and sports. His philosophy was that every child should be nurtured and encouraged to become the best they could be. He believed that each child had talents, gifts and potential. He encouraged the hundreds of youths he mentored and coached. He never gave up on any child. He was blessed and thrilled to coach his own children, his grandchildren and the children of players he had coached. He coached for 36 years (Cubs).
The sports column “Notes from the Sidelines” in the weekly News leader, was written by Duane. He wrote that column for 10 years and made certain that all youth were mentioned, not only those that excelled. He hosted the FBHS TV show “Pirates Sidelines” and was a board member for Pop Warner football. He was inducted into the FBHS Hall of Fame, the Nassau County Hall of Fame, The FBHS Wrestling Hall of Fame, was a recipient of the Elsie Harper Volunteer Award and was the Jaycee’s Man of the Year. In 2016, the FBHS Baseball press box was dedicated to him and his longtime friend and announcer, Carey Braddock. Duane became known as the “Voice of the Pirates”. For 67 years, Duane announced many sporting events from Pop warner Football to FBHS Football, Basketball, Baseball, Wrestling and Boxing. When he retired from coaching the little league Cubs, he was recognized for his years of dedication to the baseball community with a plague on the building which is now known as the Babe Ruth field.
Duane’s hobbies were reading, working crossword puzzles, playing the piano and the bass. He was a fan of musicals, Big Band music, Swing music, Jazz, Blues, Concerto and Celtic to Patriotic music. He loved the Bag pipes and loved to read the history of Scotland. One of the highlights in his life was the trip that he and Venita made to Scotland. He was dashing and handsome in his Scottish Kilt and Tartan and was so happy when his children and grandchildren received their Tartan from him. The Chicago Cubs and the Florida State Seminoles were his favorite sports teams.
Duane was admired and respected in the community and glad he could touch so many lives. However, his most beloved legacy was his children and grandchildren. He was a patient, humble, loving, kind and honorable dad and grandfather and great grandfather. He took time to make sure he was involved in their lives and interested in the unique personalities of his children. His relationship with each child was different. He encouraged their dreams, made sure he understood their needs and loved them unconditionally. He taught his children to be kind, respectful and to have fun in their lives. He taught them how to camp, swim, share, laugh and love one another. His most important lesson to them was that they love the Lord, to stay faithful and put God first. He was a wonderful storyteller and has a contagious laughter and a wicked sense of humor.
He delighted in each of his 17 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren and was at his happiest when they could sit and visit with him. He was their “Papa Newsome” and they his Lads and Lassies.
Duane is survived by his children; Holly Taylor, Douglas (Denise) Newsome, David Newsome, Lori (Charles) Kennedy, Mary (Robert) Potochnik, Bradley (Randa) Newsome, Stuart (Lisa) Newsome and William O’Leary. He is also survived by his adored and deeply loved sister Jill and her husband Glenn Crouch, his sister-in-Law Lois Velcheck and her husband Bob, numerous nieces and nephews and their children. He was preceded by his brother Donald Newsome, his brother-in-law James Mowrey and his wife Amanda, his nephew Michael Velcheck and son in law, Steve Taylor.
Duane was a devout Catholic at St. Michael’s Catholic parish. He was a Lector for 25 years and a Eucharistic Minster for 8 years. Duane read his Bible and Magnificat daily, prayed daily and lived his life as a faithful servant to God.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael’s Catholic Church on Monday, March 28, 2022, at 11:00 AM. The family will receive friends at Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors on Sunday, March 27, 2022, from 3:00 until 5:00 PM. There will be a time for family and friends to speak and eulogize Mr. Newsome beginning at 4:00 PM during the visitation. A Rosary will be after the eulogies.
Pallbearers will be his eight Grandsons; Ryan, Brandon, Brett and Jason Taylor, Chris Kennedy, Scott and Austin Potochnik and Baylor Newsome. Honorary Pallearers will be David Dubose, Jon Shave, Joey Sweat, Troy Elliott, Robby Braddock, Ray Smith, Ken Roland and Jean LeBrun.
In lieu of flowers, donations maybe made to St. Michael’s Catholic Church at 201 N. 4th Street or to the St. Joseph’s Indian School at www.stjo.org.
“Tha goal againn ort”