Jesse Newton

Jesse L. Newton was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, on December 25, 1943, the youngest child of Ray Howard Newton and Mildred Ramona Willis Newton. Surrounded by family, Jesse passed peacefully from his earthly life into his heavenly home on October 30, 2024. Jesse was one of five children. He was preceded in death by his parents, oldest brother Felix Beecher May, sister Carol Faye Lipe, and brother Will Willis Newton. He is survived by one brother, Joe Ray Newton. Jesse met Jeanna Fay Jones in August of 1969. They married on February 27, 1970, in Owasso, Oklahoma. The parents of three children, Michelle Jeannette, Jeffrey Howard, and Jeanessa May, Jesse and Jeanna made their home in Catoosa, Oklahoma, where Jeanna still resides. A man of exceptional talents, Jesse built their house from the ground up, with help from his brother-in-law Mike Jones and other family members. The frame and trim carpentry, roofing, plumbing, and electrical work, were all done at the hands of Jesse, while Jeanna did the drywall, insulating, painting, decorating, and assisted in all other endeavors. Jesse’s excellent craftsmanship and eye for detail were evident as he busied himself over the years building an over-cab camper for his truck, a custom canoe, a hand-crafted mandolin, and restoring a 1932 Ford sedan. Jesse began his career in the aircraft simulation and training industry in the late 1960s when he became employed at Burtek Inc. in Tulsa, OK, as a cabinet maker. Over his tenure at Burtek, Jesse held several positions within the company, including shop supervisor, program manager, and engineer, refining designs for manufacturability. When Burtek closed its doors in 1996, Jesse was determined to succeed through self-employment. Using his retirement money, he built the first Newton Design building (Building 1) and, together with Mike Jones, began doing cabinet and remodel work to make ends meet. Newton Design now consists of 9 buildings, over 100,000 square feet of facility space, and nearly 80 employees. Jesse had a passion for music, playing Bluegrass and Gospel on his hand-crafted mandolin. He loved playing his mandolin and singing at his home church, Oak Grove Baptist in Catoosa, Oklahoma. A Godly man and generous supporter of the church, Jesse was one of its founding members and instrumental in acquiring the land on which the church resides. He also served as the construction superintendent, overseeing and participating in the initial construction and subsequent church expansions. Jesse’s love for the Colorado mountains and bow hunting was the driving force that fueled him throughout the year. He cherished his yearly visits to the mountains for family vacationing, and elk and deer hunting with his grandson Matthew. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren: Matthew Steven Barr, Joshua Andrew Barr, Luke Michael Barr, Alisha Lynn Admire, Jessica Lynn Newton, Kavern James Marler, and Kanton Zachary Marler, great-grandchildren: Briar Matthew Barr, Bodie Tucker Barr, Blakely Ann Barr, Angel Guerrero Curiel Jr., Joslyn Arzetta Barr, and Whiskey River Barr. Jesse was loved by everyone he met. His generosity and dynamic personality will be missed by all who knew and loved him. If you would like to make a donation to the Oklahoma Parkinson's Alliance in honor of Jesse, use this link: https://oklahomapa.org/donate/ Please check the box for “Dedicate this gift in honor or memory” then type Jesse Newton.

Tributes

Jesse Newton

December 25, 1943 - October 30, 2024