NEWTON, Frederick A. 1917-2012

NEWTON, HALLER, BERGSTROM

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 1/25/2012 at 12:57:12

Fred A. Newton

Birth: December 18, 1917
Death: January 22, 2012

Fred A. Newton, 94, of Charles City, died Sunday, January 22, 2012, at Cedar Health Residential Homes.

Memorial services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 28, 2012, at Messiah Lutheran Church with Pastor Jane Keel officiating. There will be a flag presentation by the Charles City Ceremonial Unit. Inurnment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Charles City, at a later date. Friends may greet the family from 9-11 a.m. Saturday before the service at the church.

Frederick A. Newton was born December 18, 1917, in Mobridge, South Dakota, the son of A.B. "Ted" and Julia (Haller) Newton. The middle child of seven, he grew up in Hackensack, Minn., where his way of life was fishing and hunting to provide for his family. This was the era of the Great Depression, and because he was the best shot in the family, he earned his nickname "Buckshot."

He spent many summers in Charles City with his grandparents and working in the Kicherer Truck Gardens earning 10 cents per hour. After graduation from High School, he worked full time at Schmurr Dry Cleaners in Charles City. He met Viola Bergstrom, and they married on December 14, 1940. They started their own dry cleaning business, known as Bandbox Cleaners on Ferguson Street in Charles City. Band Box Cleaners grew to be a major player in the industry and operated for over 70 years.

He served as a Sargeant in the United States Army, and was honorably discharged on November 15, 1945. He and Viola had three Children; John, Virginia, and Barbara. He was a charter member of Messiah Lutheran Church, the Chamber of Commerce, and wore the red coat of the Chamber Ambassadors. He was a lifelong member of the Charles City Elks and held the office of Exalted Ruler. Being a natural storyteller, he was also an author of several books. Most of them dealt with hunting, fishing, his childhood, and the out-of-doors. Fred loved nature and the outdoors and worked diligently in land and wildlife conservation. He was given two of the Governor of Iowa's Environmental Excellence Awards for Water Quality and Habitat Restoration. He loved his family, Charles City, and his cabin on the Cedar River.

Living family members include his son, John (Jean) Newton of Charles City; two daughters, Virginia (Ed) Bakke of St. Peter, Minn., and Barbara (Stephen) Gleason of Charles City; eight grandchildren, B.J. (Teresa) Newton of West Salem, Wis., Dustin (Tracy) Bakke of Princeton, Minn., Lynn (Terry) Bauer of Charles City, Jesse (Erin) Gleason of Cedar Falls, Sarah (Tom) Joyce of Seward, Nebr., Ben (Mandy) Gleason of Ankeny, David (Jessi Albrecht) Bakke of St. Francis, Minn., Beth (Dean) Stone of Cedar Falls; 13 great grandchildren, Ashley, Kayla, McKenna, Rachel, Sydney, Lillian, Megan, Blake, Alexander, Leah, Avery, Kiera, Mikey, and two more on the way; a sister, Joyce Bundy; a brother, Lorenz Newton; and many special nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of over 70 years, Viola in July of 2011; a brother, Carl Newton; and three sisters, Lydia Memmott, Ida Edwards, and Julia Davis.

Memorials may be directed to the Floyd County Conservation Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 495, Rockford, IA, 50468, and Messiah Lutheran Church, 705 3rd Avenue, Charles City, Iowa 50616.

[ Hauser Funeral Home obituary, 1/25/2012 ]