Frank S. Newberry

Frank Smith Newberry was born July 5, 1920 in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas. His father was William Luther Newberry, and his mother was Eula Lillian Shaw Newberry. Frank's father was a minister and farmer and his mother was a homemaker. His parents had seven children. Frank was the sixth child born in the family. Frank's brothers and sisters were Hilliard Alfred Newberry, Weldon Omar Newberry, Flora Elizabeth Newberry Cunningham, Harold Ottis Newberry, George Robert Newberry and Martha Jane Newberry Wurtzebach. Jane passed away February 2, 2014, this left Frank as the final living member of this family.

When Frank was seven years old, the family moved to Colorado. They first lived in Garden Home, Colorado where Frank attended grade school. Next, they moved to Golden, Colorado. They made their home in what used to be a stagecoach stop and got much of their food by the boys going out and killing rabbits, pigeons, rattlesnakes and doves. Frank went to school in Golden Elementary through ninth grade.

They moved to Englewood where Frank attended and graduated from Englewood High School. They lived in Englewood until Frank was inducted in the Army.

Frank began working when he was a teenager. He worked as Janitor in the Golden High School. He started working at Spragues’ Greenhouse after he graduated from high school. He learned much of what was to be his main life’s work there growing carnations.

World War II had been going on from 1937. However, it entered into Frank’s life in 1942. Frank served in the Army of the United States in World War II. Frank, Harold and Weldon were drafted into the Army. Frank’s rank was Tec 4. He was in the Signal Corp. He was a high-speed radio operator. He served in the 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion. Frank supervised eleven men in radio operations. He was responsible for keeping all records, logs and charts in the communications section. He operated all types of Army signal equipment. He served in battles and campaigns in New Guinea, Southern Philippines and Bismarck Archipelago. He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations for three years from 1942 to 1945. Frank received his Honorable Discharge November 1945.

After Frank was discharged from the Army and came home, he and his brother Harold purchased the Neff Greenhouse at 201 Garfield Street in Denver, Colorado. They purchased it at the end of 1945 or early in 1946. They named the greenhouse Newberry Brothers Greenhouse. Later their brother Weldon joined them in the ownership of the greenhouse. Weldon’s daughter, Paula, still operates the Newberry Brother’s Greenhouse.

Frank and his sister Jane took up skating. When the owner, Carl C. Johnson, moved the skating rink farther south on Broadway, it was still called Skateland. Frank began skating at the new Skateland in about 1947. That is when he met the girl he was to marry. He began skating with Flora May Vincent, and they became regular skating partners. Later they began dating. When Frank asked her to marry him, she said yes. They became engaged March 9, 1949. Frank and Flora were married on August 2, 1949. After the wedding they made their home in Denver.

In 1950 the Newberry Brothers decided to expand their greenhouses. They purchased the Courtright Greenhouse in Littleton, Colorado. On this property there was a greenhouse and a small house. This was a half of a block and was three-acres. Instead of having it as an addition to the Newberry Brothers Greenhouse, the other boys just decided to have Frank on his own. Frank named it Frank S. Newberry Greenhouse, and he grew Carnations there. Frank owned and operated his greenhouse for twenty-one years until a large greenhouse group gutted the market with carnations in 1971. Frank and Flora raised their family in this small home. They had three girls. The girls were Flora May Newberry, Linda Gail Newberry and Crystal Elaine Newberry. The girls attended Littleton Schools, where they all graduated from High School.

When Frank had to give up the greenhouse, he went to work for a painting company. Some of the painting they did was the green bridges over the highways, and many of them are still there with the same paint. Next Frank went to work for the Littleton Public Schools. He worked in elementary, middle and high schools. He was a maintenance custodian. He worked for the schools for twenty-five years, from 1972 to 1997. In 1979 Frank and Flora sold the three-acre property to the city of Littleton. In June 1979 they moved to a new two-story home at 7322 South Costilla Street in Littleton, Colorado. Frank would live in this home for the rest of his life.

He retired from the schools and went to work as a Security Guard for ten years, from 1997 to December 2007. When Frank retired from his Security Guard job, he went to work for friends doing yard work. He also began doing yard work and housework for his sister, Jane. Jane asked him to work for her. That job started in January of 2008 and continued until about 2011. Then he was working six days a week from Monday through Saturday, twenty-four hours a day taking care of his sister, Jane. Jane had dementia and had to have twenty-four hour a day care. Rather than have her have to go to a nursing home, Frank took care of her and only went home part of Saturday and Sunday. Part of Saturday and Sunday a lady took care of her. As of February 2013, Marilyn put Jane in a home called Heritage Place. Frank still visited his sister about two times a week until she passed away. Frank began his work years at the age of eighteen, and he finally retired at the age of ninety-three. That is a very long work record.

Frank and Flora joyously celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on August 2, 2019. They celebrated their long loving marriage with family.

On October 21, 2019 Frank passed away peacefully at his home with loved ones by his side. He was 99 years old. This brought to a close his long work record and his long eventful life.

Frank is survived by his wife of 70 years, Flora May (Vincent) Newberry, 3 daughters, Flora May (Brad) Coleman, Linda Gail (Jerry) Clark, Crystal Elaine (Paul) Cook, 7 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, 2 great -great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.