Obituary: Betty Macia Newell

Betty Macia Newell

Betty Macia Newell

Betty Macia Newell went peacefully from her home in Prescott, Arizona, to her new home in heaven on Sunday, July 24. She was born in Tombstone, Arizona, on Flag Day 1918, the daughter of Harry E. and Edith Robertson Macia.

She attended public schools in Tombstone, and in Los Angeles and Ontario, California; graduating from Stanford University in 1938. She was employed as a medical technologist in Los Angeles and Riverside, California, and the Panama Canal Zone. She was married to LT COL, USAF (Ret) Edward W. Newell and lived in Panama Canal Zone, California, London (England), Maine and Virginia.

After the births of her three children, she earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Maine, with a concentration in Mathematics. For 12 years she taught science and mathematics in Maine and Virginia. Her favorite teaching subjects were Earth Science and Algebra I and she also loved sixth graders.

Since 1990, she has been a resident of Prescott, Arizona, where she is a member of the Solid Rock Christian Fellowship Church. Betty was a volunteer for many years at the Whipple VA Hospital and the Prescott Public Library. She was a long-time participant in the Community Bible Study group.

In her long life, Betty experienced many things. She was exposed as an infant to the Spanish flu, saw women’s suffrage, she attended the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and was once called upon to draw a blood sample from a recalcitrant Howard Hughes. But her joys were simple: studying God’s Word, playing piano duets with friends, solving crossword puzzles, working jigsaw puzzles, riding her exercise bicycle and going to breakfast at Waffles ‘N’ More. Ultimately Betty’s greatest gift was her love for people. She was everyone’s cheerleader and played an important role in many lives. She is survived by her children, CDR, NOAA Corps (Ret) Ginny (Steve) Jackson from Prescott; LCDR, USN (Ret) Chris (Marcie) Newell from Washington DC, and MAJ, USAF (Ret) Jim (Janet) Newell from Broomfield, CO. ; grandchildren Dr. Stephanie (Dr. Mike) Pascoe from Lafayette, CO and MSGT, USAFR David Newell from Lexington, TX; great-grandchildren Teegyn and Brody Newell and Avery and Kayla Pascoe.

She donated her remains to Research for Life. Celebration for Life will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, August 13, at Solid Rock Christian Fellowship in Prescott with fellowship lunch following.

Information provided by the family.


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