NEWLON, Blair Robert

NEWLON, RASMUSSEN, MUMMERT, HEUER, YAKTUS, FREEMAN, POWERS, MCDERMOTT

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 9/26/2006 at 11:23:48

BLAIR NEWLON

Memorial services for Blair Newlon, 50, of Red Wing, Minnesota, formerly of Aurelia, IA, will be 2:00 P.M. Saturday, January 22, 2005, at the Aurelia Community Center in Aurelia, with Pastor Bruce Rapp officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Aurelia. There will be no visitation. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of the arrangements.

Blair died Wednesday, December 1, 2004, at the Red Wing Health Center in Red Wing, MN, where he had been a resident for 14 years, of complications from a head injury sustained in a car accident in Bellingham, WA, on October 20, 1988.

Blair Robert Newlon was born October 7, 1954, the son of Robert C. Rasmussen and Donna Jeanne (Mummert) Rasmussen, in Cherokee, Iowa. Blair worked as a boat rite, as a carpenter.

Blair loved life, living his 33 years prior to the accident to the fullest. He rode his bicycle from Wisconsin to Bellingham in the late 70’s in search of adventure. He loved the outdoors, hiking and biking through the northwest. He cross-country skied in the winter, canoed in the summer, and fished in the fall. Volleyball was one of his many passions and he played on numerous local teams. He loved card games and played poker regularly with his buddies. Blair was a gifted and gentle soul. He learned sign language as a teen and made great use of the ability. His artistic abilities were used to design logos for volleyball teams and in his work as a cabinet maker. Blair owned and operated Dove-Tail Wood Designs, and left his touch throughout the Bellingham area and with several family members in various projects he completed. Although his life was much too short, Blair lived every day as if it were his last, touching lives from Wisconsin to Alaska. He had the knack of making each person feel that they were a special friend. Even though 16 years have passed since his accident he has never been forgotten by family and friends, his memory lives on in their hearts. Although it is sad that he has passed on, it is comforting to know that he is free at last.

Preceding Blair in death were his father, Robert C. Rasmussen, and his grandparents, Burt and Leone Mummert and Neils and Rosalie Rasmussen.

Survivors include his mother and step-father, Donna Jeanne and Jim Heuer of Beaver Dam, WI, his adoptive father, Robert and his wife Bonita Newlon of Sandy Creek, NC, four brothers, Randy and his wife Vicki Newlon of Aurelia, Kent Newlon of Beaver Dam, WI, Robert Rasmussen of Waterloo, IA, Kurt and his wife Michelle Rasmussen of Hiawatha, IA, three sisters: Gloria Rasmussen and partner Kelly Yaktus of Portage, WI, Eve and her husband Darin Freeman of Spencer, Sivi and her husband Rusty Powers of Hiawatha, IA. Also surviving are his nephews, Zack Newlon, Trevor, Derek, and Blake Freeman, Rob and Trevor Rasmussen, Dane Rasmussen, Donavon Powers, and Lawton, Logan, and Lennon McDermott, his nieces, Shannon McDermott, Lara McDermott, Shianne and Delaney Rasmussen, and Shaina and Dakota Powers, two uncles, Don and his wife Jeanette Mummert of Aurelia, and Herb and his wife Pat Rasmussen of Storm Lake, several cousins and numerous friends.