Covenant News

Memorial Service May 2 for Walter Newman

BUFFALO, NY (April 21, 2004) - A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 2, at the Evangelical Covenant Church of Buffalo for former Covenant pastor Walter Newman, who died Tuesday in Tonawanda.

Newman was 92 years old when he died. There will be a private family committal on Friday. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Lester H. Wedekindt Funeral Home, 3290 Delaware Avenue, Kenmore.

Born September 17, 1911, in Buffalo, Newman attended North Park Junior College from 1934-36 and North Park Theological Seminary from 1937-40 before being ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church in 1940. He served as pastor of Covenant Congregational Church in Waltham, Massachusetts, from 1940-43 before joining the U.S. Army.

During World War II, Newman became a chaplain for the 88th Infantry Division for three years (1943-46) and eventually earned a Bronze Star for his service. He married his wife, Ruth, on October 12, 1946, and continued in the Army reserves.

Having completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gordon College in Massachusetts while he was pastor of Covenant Congregational, Newman decided to become a teacher and later earned a master's degree in education from what is now the University of Buffalo.

Newman served as an English and social studies teacher at the junior high level in the Amherst School District near Buffalo for more than two decades before retiring in 1975. For one year, he served as an English teacher in Sweden on a Fulbright Scholarship. He kept his ministry skills honed in many ways as well.

On numerous occasions, Newman served as interim pastor for the Evangelical Covenant Church of Buffalo while living in that area. He also preached in many area churches as part of pulpit supply and the Wedekindt Funeral Home was grateful for his preaching during many memorial services and the other services he provided. So, too, were churches and organizations in the U.S. and Canada, according to one family member.

"For many years over the summer he would run the arts and crafts program at the local YMCA," said Walter's son, Ted. "He would be at local recreation areas and parks where they had activities. And for many years we'd have a cottage in Canada and he'd serve Cobourg, Ontario, directing their YMCA vacation program. He also served as an interim pastor for a group of three churches while their pastors were on vacations, sometimes for as long as three or four weeks."

Survivors include his wife, Ruth; sons Phil (Elizabeth) and Ted, and a grandson, Michael. The family suggests memorials be directed to the Evangelical Covenant Church of Buffalo, where both of Walter's sons grew up. For more information concerning the memorial service, call pastor Dan Ward at 716-835-1794.

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