Billy Ray Newman

Billy Ray "PawPaw” Newman aged 86 of Montgomery, Texas was a gifted engineer and devoted husband, father, and grandfather who, surrounded by his family, passed away peacefully on April 28, 2025 of Parkinson’s Disease.

Billy is survived by his adoring wife, Janis, who was the love of his life. He is also survived by his beloved daughters Renee’ Newman (Mitch Perlow), Lisa Newman (Merrie Fox), and Kristin Benedetto (James Benedetto) and his grandchildren Jillian Newman, Aleah Petmecky (Rene Dominguez), Troy Petmecky, James Benedetto Jr., and John Benedetto as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Odessa Newman, and his brother, Bob Newman.

Newman began his career as a draftsman for Baker Oil Tools. As he learned his trade, he became a mechanical engineer and then graduated from Pepperdine University with an M.BA. He received multiple patents for designs that created safer and more efficient packers for drilling. Newman rose within the oil industry to Quality Assurance, followed by becoming Vice President of the Western Hemisphere, and then retiring from Schlumberger. Regardless of his position, his strength was in how he related to those who did the work. From softball games where he was a very biased umpire to loaning his truck to an employee whom he had just fired, his first priority was always people. And no, the truck never made it back to Bill.

As a husband, he and Janis created a love story that spanned 66 years of marriage. They traveled the world and created memories with life-long friends, but their hearts always remained at home with their family. As a father and grandfather, when he wasn’t playing jump-on-the-bed, superman, or doing his mischievous act of scaring us, he created a cocoon of unconditional love and gently whispered, “take the high road.”

A visitation for Billy will be held Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home & Cemetery, 18000 Interstate 45 S, The Woodlands, TX 77384 to be followed by a funeral service from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. A committal service will occur from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM.

Please join the family at Lupe Tortillas immediately following the service.

19437 I-45 South • Shenandoah, Texas 77385 Phone: 281-298-5274