Roy Thomas Newell Sr.

Roy Thomas Newell was born June 11, 1927 to John Thomas Newell and Jewel Lavinia Hicks Newell in Jones County, Texas, just north of Lueders. The first school Roy attended was Avoca. The family moved around a lot and the only school that Roy attended more than one year was Swenson School in the Ericksdahl Community just east of Stamford.
At age 16, Roy moved to Stamford and went to work for the J. C. Penny Co. Later Roy went to work for E. L. Wilson Bakery, a hometown bakery in Stamford. This is where he met the young lady that was to become his wife until death did them part. Her name was Gloria Maxine Yarbrough. They started dating in January of 1945. They were joined together in Holy Matrimony on April 14, 1945 at the tender ages of 13 for Maxine and 17 for Roy. People said it will never work, they are too young. When Maxine passed away on January 29, 2010, they had been together for 65 years. The only time they were apart was when Roy was in the Navy toward the end of World War II. Their 3 children were born in Stamford, Texas. Roy worked for Horace and Roy Arledge at the Arledge Ice Company before moving to El Paso, Texas for 4 years. They moved to Abilene, Texas in 1956 and Roy went to work for the McDaniel family at Texas Coco-Cola on September 10, 1956. He retired from the Coca-Cola Company in March 1992 after 35 years. During that period of time, Roy started a serious study of the Bible in 1963. Roy and Maxine were baptized on December 12, 1965. After 4 years, Roy was ordained as a deacon in the Church of God. After 8 years of studying, going to classes and spokesman clubs, Roy was ordained as a minister and Maxine as a deaconess on May 22, 1977. They served in that capacity until November 1992. They had church in their home until Maxine passed away on January 29, 2010.
Even though Roy never attended school in the Stamford school system, he still called Stamford his hometown. So many good things happened there. The Stamford Bulldogs were his favorite athletic team. Some of the nicest people he ever met were coaches of Stamford High School, they made him feel like part of the team.
Roy went to be with his darling Maxine on January 10, 2014. He was also preceded in death by his parents, 3 sisters, and 1 little brother that died at childbirth. He is survived by 1 son, Roy
Thomas Newell Jr. of Abilene, Texas, 2 daughters, Gloria Dawn Millich and husband Rand of Grain Valley, Missouri and Teresa Ann Newell of Abilene.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the Tankersley Funeral Home Chapel in Stamford with Pastor Rand Millich officiating. Burial will follow at the Spring Creek cemetery in Jones County under the direction of Tankersley Funeral Home of Stamford.
The family will be receiving friends at the funeral home on Monday, from 4 until 6 p.m.