Colonel Robert C. Newman, Jr. (USAF-Ret.)

Colonel Robert C. Newman, Jr. (USAF-Ret.) died on April 24, 2018 in Wilmington, N.C.  Born in Lynch Station, Virginia in 1924, he was the son of the late Robert C. Newman and Nadine Miles Newman. He served 30 years in the Air Force as a pilot, squadron and wing commander, and in a number of staff jobs.  He flew combat missions in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.  His twenty-two military decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals. He retired from the Air Force in 1973.

As a second career, he headed the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Southern High School, Graham, N.C. for 14 years. He and his wife moved to Wilmington from Burlington, N.C. in 1993.  He served in the Wrightsville Beach Flotilla of the Coast Guard Auxiliary for 11 years. He was a member of Wrightsville United Methodist Church, the Air Force Association, the Association of Naval Aviation, the Military Officer Association of America, the Quiet Birdmen and the Wilmington Senior Men’s Club.  He was a past member of Rotary International, Burlington, N.C. and was a Paul Harris Fellow.  He was a graduate of the University of Maryland, the Naval War College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Josephine, of the home; daughters Kathy Reed of Wilmington, and Elizabeth Brown and husband, Alan, of Richmond, Virginia.  He is also survived by a son, Dr. Robert J. Newman and wife, Anne, of Virginia Beach, Va.  Seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren also survive. He was preceded in death by a sister, Eleanor Newman Hall.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 30, 2018 at 11 am. at Wrightsville United Methodist Church with Pastor Doug Lain officiating.  Burial will be at Sea Lawn Memorial Park, Hampstead, N.C. at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Wrightsville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 748, Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480 and/or Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401.