Jackie Hurst Newmark

Jackie Hurst Newmark, age 81, of Marietta, GA, passed away on Monday, December 7, 2020 after a prolonged battle with COPD. She was born on July 28, 1939 in Luthersville, GA, to wonderful, caring parents Wayne Melton and Catherine Kilgore Hurst. She had a lovely and vivacious younger sister, Judy, who preceded her in death in 2019.

Jackie attended Newnan Highschool, where she was very active in all the clubs and social events of the day. 50 years after graduation, she and her former classmates began to have regular monthly meetings in the Newnan area just to continue to share in each other’s lives. The group hosted lively functions and organized campaigns for local charities for many years.

Jackie left Luthersville at the age of 18 and moved to Atlanta to interview for a job as executive secretary for then Davidson’s (later Macy’s) Department store. She got the job and became a dedicated and enthusiastic career woman from that point until retirement. Ray Newmark, a decorated World War II Air Force veteran from New York City was a buyer for Davidson’s various affiliates in the east and a best friend to Jackie’s boss. The couple inevitably met at parties and meetings. Once the dating began, they fell in love and married within the year. Jackie and Ray had 2 children, Victor and Jennifer. Vic is an attorney in the Atlanta area, married to Lissette and has a 24-year old son Nic. jennifer is married and lives with her husband Larry in the mountains of Virginia, and that couple work in the music industry, traveling and performing across the country and overseas.

After leaving the retail industry in the early 1980’s, Jackie trained to be a court reporter, and upon receiving certification and experience in the field, she opened her own court reporting agency, AAA Reporting, with the main office in downtown Atlanta. Jackie bid on and won all the major government contracts for legal proceeding take down and transcripts in the entire Southeastern region of the US. She employed dozens of reporters and she herself traveled extensively throughout the South for the reporting jobs. Husband Ray ran the home office and managed the agency’s accounting and business administration. The team were very successful and loved working together as business owners.

The Newmark raised their 2 children, both of whom graduated from college, the son going on to law school, and the daughter going on to receiving a master’s degree in French and becoming a high school teacher for several years. Ray and Jackie loved to travel, especially since Ray had been all over the world as an Air Force pilot. The couple immersed themselves in local culture throughout America and abroad, sometimes doing guided tours but more often renting their own vehicles and staying in apartments and bed and breakfasts and cottages and diving into real, authentic experiences. They enjoyed life to the fullest, they had FUN everywhere they went, and they made friends easily.

Ms. Newmark was a loving mother, grandmother and friend who will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Jackie is survived by her devoted children, Victor and his wife Lissette Newmark of Acworth, GA, Jennifer and her husband Larry Keel of Lexington, VA; grandson Nicolas Newmark of Acworth, GA; and a host of special friends.

A private service for Ms. Newmark will be held with Chaplain Don Daly officiating. Internment will take place at Luthersville City Cemetary in Luthersville, GA.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that donations be made to St. Judes Children’s Hospital in loving memory of Ms. Newmark.

To leave condolences for the family, please feel free to visit our website.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/kennesaw-ga/jackie-newmark-9935580

Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home in Kennesaw, GA is in charge of the arrangements.