Janet Rae Newell 1933 - 2008

NEWELL, DALEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/26/2019 at 20:37:30

Sioux City Journal
25 May 2008

Janet Rae Newell of Sioux City died Tuesday, May 20, 2008, following a long and courageous battle with cancer. She passed away at home, peacefully, surrounded by her family.

Services will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Central Baptist Church in Sioux City, with Pastor Don Craig officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. Monday, with a 7 p.m. celebration of life service, at Becker-Hunt Funeral Home in South Sioux City.

Jan was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Dec. 20, 1933, to Shirley and Robert Daley. She graduated Central High School in 1952, where she demonstrated early confidence and flair for leadership. She was actively engaged in the drama department, commanding several leading roles.

She married Jim Newell in 1954, and began raising a family. Jan used many talents to help support the family while at home. She sewed prototypes of Ginny Doll TM costumes, working with her sister, Linda Prozell, who was a designer for Dakin Toy Company. She was a Girl Scout troop leader and later worked for the Siouxland Girl Scouts, helping leaders in five Iowa counties with ideas and organization tips. She also built a home-based ceramics studio, which became one of the larger facilities in Siouxland.

Jan served the community as well. While she was president of the Junior Women's Club, the Orpheum's original Wurlitzer organ was preserved and restored, saved from a planned demolition.
Both Jan and Jim were leaders in Sioux City's AA community. Together they helped co-found the Hawkeye Club in the late 1970s. By day it was a restaurant for downtown business people, but on evenings and weekends, the club was a gathering place for people recovering from addiction. The club served up meals, activities and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings seven nights a week. Activities ranged from talent shows to dances and guest speakers. Jan said the activities kept people sober, because they were having fun, especially the teenagers. AA meetings sometimes swelled with 250 attendants.

In 1981, Jan received a license in chemical addiction and dependency counseling from Richard Young and Eppley Treatment Center in Omaha, Neb. Her counseling took her to many places of need, including chemical dependency units in Sioux City, Elk Point, S.D., and the addiction program at the Winnebago Indian Reservation. Her Winnebago clients affectionately called her "Pink Auntie," but she said she learned much more from them then she could give back.

She later established and became the director of the outpatient treatment center at Norfolk (Neb.) Lutheran Community Hospital (presently Faith Regional). Jan cherished the relationships she developed with her clients and commented frequently on how great an impact they had on her. Perhaps this is why she never fully retired. She conducted private counseling for families and individuals.

For her 74th birthday last December, Jan received many cards from people in Sioux City and Norfolk, who thanked her for her life-changing services to them. Jan remained active to the end participating in "Red Hat" events, attending concerts, plays and local art productions. If you were to ask her fondest memories, Jan would likely tell you a story about family, which was the center of her life. She made every holiday a family celebration, especially Christmas. For 22 consecutive years, Jan arranged for Santa to visit her grandchildren on Christmas Eve.

Jim preceded Jan in death in 1993. She leaves behind a son, James Newell and his wife, Deb of Sioux City, daughter, Sue Zimmerman and her husband, Wayland "Sam" of Sioux City, son, Robert Newell and his wife, Trisha of Omaha. She will be missed by her seven grandchildren, Justin Hood, Taylor and wife, Melanie Hood, Megan, Mike and Michelle Zimmerman and James and Harper Newell.
Among her many treasured friends, the family acknowledges Dolores Sachau, Bev Conlow and Tom Donahue, a faithful companion and dear friend of the family for many years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, James; and her sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Helmut Prozell.

Pallbearers will be Justin Hood and Taylor Hood, Tom Sherlock, Bob Scott, Michael Zimmerman, Craig Deirup and James R. Newell. Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Donohue and Shorty Graim.