Michael Newburger

Michael was born in New York City on September 17, 1947 to Morris Newburger and May Untermeyer Newburger. His father was a senior partner at the Wall Street brokerage firm Newburger, Loeb & Company. His father’s passions were sports and practical jokes; culminating in the infamous “Plainfield Teachers” hoax. Michael inherited his father’s sense of humor and his mother’s affinity for phone calls. Many will be missing his regular Sunday morning calls. Michael attended Collegiate School through eighth grade and graduated from McBurney High School, both in New York City.

Michael may have been born in New York, but his home was Parkville. He first saw Parkville in 1966 on a college visit with his father; his guidance counselor had added Park College to his tour simply because they had to change planes at the downtown Kansas City airport. At Park College, now Park University, Michael may have been a mediocre student, but he thrived on the entire college experience. To this day, many of Michael’s closest friends are fellow alums. While at Park, Michael formed two other lifelong passions: community theater and firefighting.

Michael was invited by Jenkin David, Bell Road Barn co-founder, to help out at the community theater, and by the way, earn an easy A in a summer school class. Michael was first on stage as one of the rustics in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a part he would reprise many times. Michael joined the Barn’s Board of Directors in the 1980’s, a position he held until his death.

Michael joined what would become the Southern Platte Fire Department October 1970. He served as a volunteer, EMT, Communication Officer, and Quartermaster until the department migrated to full-time paid status. In 1997, Michael was elected as one of three Directors of the department, a position he held until his death. Michael was proud of his status as a CPR instructor and of his national certification from the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Michael met his wife and soulmate, Susan Stone, when they were working at Worlds of Fun in 1978. He proposed on the beach in Bermuda, an island they visited on their honeymoon and nearly every year since. They married June 7, 1980 in the unairconditioned Graham Tyler Chapel, the same location as his services. It was a partnership of love, respect and unconditional support. They shared a love of public education; Michael was everyone’s favorite substitute teacher, and Susan was a high school language arts and journalism teacher at both Park Hill high schools until her retirement in 2008.

Whether cruising, chaperoning student tours, enjoying destination birthday trips with friends, or heading off on their own, Michael and Susan loved to travel. However, during these trips, Michael would always find a nearby fire station to swap stories and patches, even if he did not speak the local language.

They shared a love of classical music, especially the Kansas City Symphony, where they contributed their time and talents. Through the Michael and Susan Newburger Foundation, they supported their community in countless ways.

Michael loved his cats, his Volvos, his Harley and any dessert, especially anything chocolate, cheesecake or key lime pie. He never met a stranger.

Michael and Susan are especially grateful to the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Luke’s Hospital Mid-American Heart Institute and to the cardiac transplant team, especially Dr. Andrew Kao and Collen Knutson and Jody Linard. Grateful appreciation goes to the anonymous heart donor and family who enabled Michael to lead a healthy life after his heart transplant on May 11, 2008.

Michael is preceded in death by his parents and Australian foreign exchange student “son”

Scott Anderson.

He is survived by his wife Susan; his brother Maury Newburger of New York City; Susan’s parents Arnold and Jean Stone of Lee’s Summit, MO; her sister and her partner, Pamela Stone and Anthony Cicerchia of Dunedin, FL; and by many, many lifelong friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Bell Road Barn Players, c/o Park University, Box 1160, 8700 River Park Dr., Parkville, MO 64152 or the to the Kansas City Symphony, 1703 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, MO 64108.

Services will be held Saturday, March 2 at the Graham Tyler Chapel on the campus of Park University. Visitation will begin at 1 pm, with the memorial following at 3 pm.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, May 12 beginning at 2 pm in the Clubhouse at The National Golf Club.