Louane L. "Jerry" Newsome 1906-2004

FALL, LEECH, NEWSOME

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 5/21/2004 at 15:56:08

Louane L. "Jerry" Newsome, 97, of 701 Oaknoll Dr. died Friday, May 21, 2004 at Mercy Hospital, Iowa City following a brief illness.

Memorial services will be held Wednesday, May 26, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the Congregational United Church of Christ, 30 South Clinton St., Iowa City with the Reverend Bruce Fischer officiating. A reception will follow the services. Parking will be available on the north side of East Jefferson St. Louane’s body has been donated to the University of Iowa College of Medicine. Memorial donations may be made to the University of Iowa Foundation, Oaknoll Retirement Residence or to the Congregational United Church of Christ. Arrangements are with Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service.

Mrs. Newsome was born in Orange, California on September 8, 1906 to Alfred and Louane (Fall) Leech. She graduated from Orange High School. She received her bachelor's degree from Pomona College (Calif.) with distinction, and a degree in Library Science from the University of California at Berkeley. She was Director of the Public Library in Petaluma, California from 1930 to 1943. She was both an Army and a Navy librarian for three years during World War II, was Supervisor of School Libraries in River Forest, Illinois and for twenty years, she served as an Associate Professor of Library Science at the University of Iowa.

She served six years on the Iowa City Public Library Board of Trustees, the Mercy Hospital Foundation Board, the Board of Directors of the University Athletic Club and the Mississippi Valley Girl Scout Board. In 1970, Mrs. Newsome received the Santa Ana College Alumni Achievement Award. In 1994, she was named "A Woman of Distinction 1994" by the Johnson County Senior Center.

She married Ellis H. Newsome in Stockton, California, on December 22, 1938. He preceded her in death on March 12, 1967.

Mrs. Newsome was a member of the American Library Association, The Iowa Library Association, of which she served as president in 1963, and of the Iowa Educational Media Association, of which she was awarded for contributions in the field of Library Education in 1973-79. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Honorary Educational Sorority; Chapter E, PEO; Altrusa Club of Iowa City; the Congregational Church of Christ; Mercy Hospital Guild and University Athletic Club.

In 1973 the Louane L. Newsome Annual Lecture was established by the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science, a lecture which brings to the campus each year an author of children's books. In 1975, the Iowa City Public Library established the Newsome/Westgate Fund for the purchase of children's books.

Survivors include two nephews, William A. Merrick of Bozeman, Montana and Jerome L. Merrick of Palmer Lake, Colorado, and several grand nieces and nephews.

Louane was preceded in death by her parents, husband and three sisters.
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