James Harold Newman Sr

Celebration of Life for Harold Newman

After several postponements, we are overjoyed to finally honor our dad's amazing life.
We hope you can join us on, Saturday, November 20th to celebrate a life well lived!

Visitation, 10:00 a.m. prior to the service
Memorial service: 11:00 a.m. Sat. Nov. 20th
Smithfield United Methodist Church
6701 Smithfield Rd, North Richland Hills 76182

James Harold Newman Sr., 86, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. James Harold Newman was born on August 25, 1933 in Fort Worth, Texas to parents Earl and Ada Newman. He graduated from Birdville High School in 1951. He was married to the love of his life, Shirley Louise Newman, for 63 years on May 28, 1955, until her death in August 2019. Their union brought them three children, Cindy (1956), Joanne (1958) and Jimmy (1962).

Harold had his own gravel truck when he and Shirley married. He worked for Abbott and Newman Concrete and stayed on as a supervisor when Abbott and Newman sold the business to Gifford-Hill Concrete. Harold, with his three brothers, Charlie, Bill, and Ronnie, and their dad, Earl Newman, started Newman Brothers Materials in 1961 which operated rock crushers, producing crushed stone and other road building materials. In 1965, they also started Newman Brothers Trucking, which they owned until 1985.

After the trucking company was sold, Harold retired. However, when his brother Ronnie, and Ronnie’s son David, went back into the trucking business three years later, Harold bought a truck and worked for them for seven years. He was a member of the National Guard from 1951 to 1957. He also served on the North Richland Hills City Council from 1982-1986. He and Shirley were lucky enough to spend many of their later years travelling around the US and Europe.

In 1994, they started spending their summers up in London, Ontario, Canada with their daughter, son-in-law and three of their grandchildren. Harold loved his eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren very much. He was such an involved Papa, who always wanted to capture the precious moments they all shared. He documented many of their memories in a handwritten notebook. He enjoyed the great outdoors, hunting and fishing with his son, brothers and grandchildren. He was an avid card and dominoes player and always took pleasure in sitting down with friends and family for a game. The last few years of his life, he was dedicated to taking care of his wife, Shirley, during her battle with Alzheimer’s.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Ada Newman; wife, Shirley Louise Newman; brothers, Charlie Newman, Bill Newman and brother-in-law, Eddie Alread. Survivors: Children, Cindy Clines (Charley Simpson), Joanne MacPherson (Gordon), James Harold Newman Jr. (Julie); grandchildren, Haley Howard and Lucas Clines, Jessie, Abby and Tyler MacPherson, Thomas and Emily Erwin, James Harold Newman III (Trey); great grandchildren, Cooper and Brooks Howard; brother, Ronnie Newman (Julia), sisters-in-law, Gail Newman, Carole Newman and Linda Kay Alread; and a host of extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Smithfield United Methodist Church 6701 Smithfield Rd, North Richland Hills 76182.