“Dick” Richard Edward Newman
Richard (Dick) Newman passed to the heavenly realm on Friday, September 6th. On July 3, 1944, Dick was born to his overjoyed parents, Edward and Margie (Yates) Newman. He graduated from Geneva High School in 1962; received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, where he was named Football Player of the Year his senior season; and his master’s from South Dakota State University. He ultimately got a doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Dick spent his coaching career in both football and swimming, while teaching various college courses. For most of the years, he was in the middle part of the United States, with the exception of 6 years in California. He had a special fondness for Western State College in Gunnison, CO; Peru State College in Peru, NE (where Dick met his second wife, Julie); and Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. The years in South Carolina followed the completion of Dick’s doctorate, and he was Head of the Physical Education Department, where he oversaw other coach’s classes and taught theory classes himself. He spent 16 years serving in that capacity. In 2010, he was named Professor of the Year. Many of his past co-workers, players, students, and hometown friends have stayed in touch with him through the years, which is a testimony to their respect and gratitude for him.
His favorite pastimes were fishing and hunting, and he was definitely in his element while in Colorado. He loved sports: playing them, coaching them, refereeing them, and watching them. In fact, when he retired to Lincoln, NE, he enjoyed being a University of Nebraska event staff member for several sports.
Dick married Julie (Ryder) Antholz in 1988. He is survived by his daughter, Courtney Newman; stepchildren, Machaela (Antholz) and John Beltzer, and Martin Antholz; grandchildren, Chloe (Newman) and Jamie Bair, Kallyn (Antholz) and Wesley Higgins, Alan and Oliver Antholz; and great-granddaughter, 4 month old Emberly Jean Higgins. Preceding Dick in death were his parents, his daughter, Paige Newman; stepson, Alan Antholz; and brother, Steve Newman.
Grieving him are his stepmother, Dorothy Newman; sister-in-law, Mary Jo Newman; and his half-siblings, Melany (Newman) and Pat Fullencamp, Natalie (Newman) and Cordell Jordan, and Jordan (and Amy) Newman. “Uncle Dick” will be missed by several nieces and nephews, as well as by his neighbors and many friends. Dick made efforts throughout his life to stay in touch with the many people he cared about and made a special effort to say goodbye near the end.
A sincere thank you to his general practitioner, his cardiology doctors and nurses, and in his last weeks, the help of St. Croix Hospice personnel.
Mr. Newman has chosen to be cremated and wanted no service. A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The family would enjoy reading any thoughts and/or memories of him. Memorials may be sent, in his name, to Aspen Cremation and Burial Services for future allocations; 4822 Cleveland Ave., Lincoln NE 68504.
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Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
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Condolences for “Dick” Richard Edward Newman
Simply, Dick was one of the best people I have ever known or met. He was kind, compassionate, and truly cared for others. He had an incredible sense of humor and what most people don’t know is that he was a true academic. He read widely, wrote as well as anyone, and had despite his modesty, understood and was an excellent researcher. He loved his family and was so proud of his daughter Courtney. His friendship cannot be replaced. To his family and his family of former students and colleagues, we all grieve with you and raise our glass to celebrate an life well lived.
My the Lord Jesus Christ be with you in Heaven and look over your earthly family.
Coach Newman was my 3rd college swim coach while at Western St College in Gunnison.
I remember his tough 1st year, newly married, new baby, new swim team a real challenge for him. My heart goes out to his family and close friends. I will always be thankful to Coach for his generous work and integrity.
Cecil Townsend
Dick was a good friend of my brother Larry and being 7 years younger, I had a crush on him when he was in high school. I remember him well. He actually attended the Nebraska Hall of Fame ceremony for Larry a few years ago and I got to talk with him and tell him my memories. What an honor for us all to have him with us at this special occasion. He was a really good guy. My condolences to the family.
They say a good coach is hard to find but a great coach is unforgettable.
How true.
Thank you for touching our lives.
I first met Dick when I was campus police at Presbyterian College. We became instant friends, enjoying many days on our local golf course, and many a cold brewski on my deck. I cannot put into words what his friendship meant to me. When he moved from Clinton back to Nebraska, I had serious thoughts about kidnapping him, keeping him in my basement. But I knew, Miss Julie would hunt me down and reclaim him as her own!
We kept in touch by phone and e-mail, and always talked about him coming back to visit for a week or so, getting together with our other “bestie”, Ed Allen. We gave him the nickname “Dynamite Dick”, and it suited him to a T !
I am a much better person because of my friendship with Dick, and I miss him terribly.
Mike Carbonneau
I will always owe Dick for his warm welcome when I came to my first football practice at Geneva High School. He gave the matter serious thought for a couple of days before bestowing me with the appropriate nickname–Hermit. Nicknames were a big deal in Geneva and earning one from Chigger was a high honor indeed.
He later taught me by example how to survive and prosper as an undersized football player by roaming an opponent’s defensive backfield until he found a defender focused on events in a different part of the playing field. He’d hit them full force from the blindside, making up in ferocity what he lacked in physical stature. I’d lost track of Dick and found the story of his life and career to fit perfectly with the Chigger I knew in high school. One of a kind.
What a great guy “Sarge” was! Had that rough exterior as a football coach, but could break out of it at any moment.
Spent a great year at Peru State watching how he interacted with players of all types of backgrounds.
Anybody who knew him can tell a great story about him.
Dr./Coach Newman. Dick was a great scholar, Coach, and friend. I think one of his top characteristics was simply he cared about the people around him and had a positive presents.
You will be missed my friend. Rest in Peace. My prayers are with Julie, Courtney and family.
Coach Newman was not a tall man, shorter than most of his Western State swim team. But yet we all looked up to him. We were a pretty wild bunch, screwed up a few times. He disciplined us when needed, but yet supported us. We responded well. I believe all his swimmers became better men because of him. Life happens and we all went our own ways, but the camaraderie he instilled in us way back when still exists after 50 years. Coach Newman was one of the most important people in my life, and I’m proud to call him a friend. It was a real pleasure for Ken Pearson and me to see him in 2017 and to meet Julie, after not seeing him since 1974. Prayers to the families. RIP, Coach.
I remember fondly Nebraska football game days where my dad and Dick would be found faithfully wearing red. I loved having Dr Newman as a professor, and a friend of my family. We will miss him.
My sincere condolences.
My condolences go out to Julie and the rest of the family. It is heartbreaking to hear of Dick’s passing even knowing it was near. Dick and I became very good friends when we were graduate assistants at South Dakota State University. We stayed close over the years through phone and email, having seen each other only two times since our July 1967 graduation from state. We shared a love of football,fishing, cold beer and laughter. We earned a few dollars by refereeing high school football and basketball games in small towns in eastern South Dakota, sometimes having trouble finding the town. Sometimes we laughed so hard we cried, especially the time we were pulled over by the police heading to the river for fishing on a Friday night with a cold Bud successfully hidden down our blue jeans. We passed each other countless jokes and political messages over email, solved the world’s problems over the phone, and shared the ups and downs of coaching careers. We laughed long and hard about a player of mine that he recruited that did not have the academic prowess of Dr Newman, who happened to be the best student of our graduate class. Dick was an amazing friend to so many people and will be missed by everyone. Rest in peace, my friend.
I attended WSC 1978-83. I work for Coach Newman-teaching archery, tennis and badminton.
One great story, I was teaching archery and an idiot in class shot an arrow in the sky. It landed in mountaineer bowl.
I told Coach and he said, no one was killed were they? I coulda died right then.
Loved him. Great mentor!
So sorry.
My time at Western I would see Coach Newman doing many phases of teaching and coaching.
He was part of the coaching crew that had WSC dominate RMAC in Football and Swimming in the 70’s.
He is at peace and without pain..
RIP Coach Newman
I first me Coach Newman in the fall of 1969 when I joined the Western State Mountaineers football team; Coach Newman was my position coach. From that time on, he played a major role in my life. As a coach, he guided and developed me from a small high school athlete into a college football player. Coach Newman was demanding, but never demeaning. At times, I wasn’t sure that I could live up to his expectations but he believed in me more than I did and he guided me to success. After college, I became a high school football coach and I modeled myself in his image but he taught me that on order to be successful, each coach must be true to his own personality. Throughout my 33 year career we would periodically visit and he was an invaluable mentor to keep me current with the various trends in football. As both of us reached retirement, we became close friends and we would visit through email every few weeks. And, I wasn’t the only one of his former players who shared this special relationship: he stayed in touch with many of my Mountaineers teammates and visited with them as he did with me. We all shared a mutual love and respect.
A few years ago, my wife Leslie and I came to Lincoln and had a delightful lunch with Coach and Julie. I was so pleased to have Leslie meet them, because she could see how close our friendship was. Quite simply, Coach was one of the best friends I ever had. I will miss him terribly, but I am thankful that his suffering has ceased. RIP my friend.
Stonehead
Julie,
Peggy and I just heard of Dick’s passing. Please accept our condolences. He was very much respected and he helped me a great deal. He was someone you could talk to and give you great advice. We will be praying for you and the family.
Deepest sympathy,
Peggy and Gregg Nibert