Richard "Bert" Newman

Richard ""Bert"" Newman, Sr., surrounded by his family ""In God's Grace"", passed away peacefully at his home in Slidell, LA on August 25, 2011 at age 84 from complications of a stroke.
Our dad could teach golf, was a great storyteller, played the spoons like none other, never turned down a fishing trip and loved to dance with mom.
He was born on June 8, 1927, attended school in Fernwood, MS and Biloxi High School where he met and fell in love with Frances Saucier on the basketball court. He attended Perkinston Jr. College on a football scholarship and joined the U.S. Army where he served as a Tech Sergeant from 1946-1948. Married our mom and began working at Keesler AFB as an electrical lineman for 16 years. During those years dad was awarded 3 separate commendations for saving live, some of his most proud moments.
Dad was a real jock; he loved and played football, basketball, boxing and of course his real love was golf, he started caddying at the Edgewater Golf Club in Biloxi at the age of 15. He took the opportunity to become Club Pro at Lakeside Country Club in Gulfport at age 39. He continued his new career to the Broadwater Sun Course in Biloxi as the Club Pro. In 1970, dad was certified as a PGA Golf Professional and moved on as Golf Professional in Franklinton, LA, Picayune, MS, Vicksburg, MS, and Eden Isles Golf Club in Slidell, LA. After Eden Isles closed its doors, dad began exclusively teaching at Royal Golf Club in Slidell until June of 2010. Dad was a teacher and great steward of the game of golf.
Dad was very proud of winning the Gulf States Section PGA Senior Championship for 4 years, and winning the PGA Gulf States Section Teacher of the Year in 1990 but his greatest accomplishment in the golf work, he would say was teaching youth the fame of golf and watching them go on to win golf scholarship's and pursue the game for their own career. Even one of dad's grandsons followed in his footsteps by becoming a Superintendent of a golf course, another of dad's titles.
Dad was baptized a Baptist and belonged to First Baptist Church in Slidell, LA. He was the 1955 Past Master of the Polar Star Lodge #021 in Handsboro, MS.
Bert Newman was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Ollie (Ladnier) Newman; and his sister, Ruth Newman Agnew of California.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances Saucier Newman; brother, Ralph (Ann) Newman of Ocala, FL, and Fred (Peggy) Newman of Gulfport; children, Nancy Newman D'Angelo of Pass Christian, Jan Newman Rasche of Grand Coteau, LA, and Richard (Marsha) Newman, Jr. of Franklinton, LA; four grandsons, Jim Rasche, Charlie (April) D'Angelo, Scott (Barron) Newman and Ricky Newman; five great-grandchildren, Brittany Rasche, Ashlynn D'Angelo, Kaylee D'Angelo, Brooks Newman and Natalie Newman; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and great friends.
The family wishes to express our heartfelt gratitude to St. Joseph Hospice in Slidell for taking such excellent care of dad, God smiles on each one of you.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Baptist Children's Village, P.O. Box 27, Clinton, MS, 39060-0027 or St. Joseph Hospice, 1400 Gause Ave., Suite 200, Slidell, LA 70458.
The graveside service will be held at 9:30 am Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport, MS, Tuesday, August 30, 2011.
The RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, Gulfport, is in charg of arrangements