Nancy J. Newman Obituary

Nancy J. Newman 94 passed away on Thursday July 24th, 2025, at The Brook in Gladwin. She was born February 8th, 1931 in Minneapolis Minnesota, the daughter of William and Hilda (Beaverson) Sanzenbach. She graduated from Minneapolis Central High and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota. As an adventurous young woman, she moved to Seattle to work as an Occupational Therapist and joined the Tacoma Mountaineering Club. She earned her Six-Peaker-Pin after climbing Mount Adams, Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Saint Helens (when it was taller!), Mount Olympus, and Mount Rainer. In the summer of 1956, she met her future husband Ritchey Newman while he was spending the summer as part of a Stanford MBA program working as an economic analyst for Boeing Aircraft. They were married in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 28th, 1957. They moved to Midland Michigan when her husband Ritchey started working for Dow Chemical and Nancy worked for the Midland Public schools as an Occupational Therapist. In 1979 they began building their retirement home on Blue Lake in Gladwin. After retiring from the Midland Public Schools, she continued to work as an Occupational Therapist for the Visiting Nurse Association while living at Blue Lake. Her husband Ritchey passed away on February 3, 2011, but Nancy continued to live in the home she loved on the shores of Blue Lake. With the help of friends and neighbors she was able to stay in the home she loved and live her best life until at the age of 93. Nancy is survived by her two sons Kent Newman of Ypsilanti and Bill Newman of Minneapolis. She was preceded in death by her older sister Carol Ewens.

In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday August 9th, 2025, from 2-5 PM at the Lee-Ramsay Funeral Home-Gladwin with eulogy and sharing at 5 pm.