Barbara Newton

Barbara (Carson) Newton

 November 27, 1934 – July 21, 2024

Barbara (Barb) Newton was born November 27, 1934, in Sparta, Wisconsin, to Lyla Hazel ( Bates) and Howard Madison Carson. 

Upon graduating with honors from Tomah High School, Barb attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (formerly Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire) graduating with honors and a Bachelor of Elementary Education degree. While a student at Eau Claire, she met Orville Reed Newton (Reed). Barb married Reed in 1956 and together they celebrated 55 happy years of marriage. 

Barb and Reed had many things in common, chief among them a strong commitment towards the education and betterment of children. Barb’s teaching career spanned 33 years in several school districts in northeastern Wisconsin. Her dedication to her calling was recognized by several awards, her colleagues, her students, and their families. 

After Reed’s death in 2011, Barb began funding the Reed and Barbara Newton Elementary Scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Over the years, many students with financial need have received tuition assistance through this scholarship. 

Barb enjoyed traveling. Together with Reed she took many trips within the U.S. including an Alaskan cruise. Their travels abroad included trips to Australia, New Zealand, China, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland. Barb was often asked to share her travel experience with various civic and educational groups, especially her China trip. 

Barb’s travel wasn’t solely for pleasure. She and Reed expressed their calling as Christians by joining mission trips through Habitat for Humanity to places as close as Minong, Wisconsin, and as far as North Carolina. Barb’s dedication to her faith was lived out in her many years of service as organist at Christ Congregational Church UCC, in Clintonville, Wisconsin. After Barb and Reed moved to Wausau, Wisconsin, they were active members at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ. 

Barb also served as an ombudsman at a local convalescent center where she became a welcomed friend of many residents. Barbara taught reading through the Literary Society, and she was an active member of Altrusa and Friends of the Library. Barb and Reed opened their Clintonville home to others as foster parents and were host parents to a high school student from Ghana, Africa, for a year through the AFS Intercultural Program. 

The game of Bridge was a favorite activity that Barb enjoyed most of her adult life. Her family fondly remembers her “missing” and away at Bridge or hosting the gathering at home. Those are the times her family recalls being told not to touch that delicious dessert because, “That’s for Bridge Club!”

Barb is survived by her four children: Bill (Katie), Maplewood, MN; Pete (Cathy), Wisconsin Dells, WI; Sara (Bill) Dingess, Kronenwetter, WI; and Randy (Marcia), Corcoran MN; nine grandchildren: Nicholas Colby-Newton, Madelaine (Phil) Johnston, Kristin Ruleau, Spencer (Danielle) Pluger, Lindsay Pluger, Matthew (Brittany) Newton, Marcus Newton, Ty and Maxx Newton, and four great-grandchildren: Ethan, Tia, Chloe and Isla. She is further survived by one nephew and several nieces.

Barb is preceded in death by husband Reed, her parents, her brother William Carson, her sister-in-law Barbara (Luhman) Carson, her father and mother-in-law Orville and Gladys Newton, her brothers-in-law John Newton and Bob Newton, and a niece. 

Services will be on October 5, 2024 at St. John’s United Church of Christ, (her son, Bill’s church), N5496 County Road QQ, Prescott, WI 54021. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the service to follow at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the O. Reed and Barbara Newton Education Scholarship at UW-Eau Claire. https://blugolds.uwec.edu>give Enter Newton to find the correct fund (Reed and Barbara Newton Elementary Education Fund) when asked what you would like to support. Or, consider a donation of your choosing in support of education. 

The family would like to thank all the individuals at Primrose Retirement Community and Aspirus Hospice Care for providing such loving care.