Obituaries

William Eldon Newsom

Photo of William Eldon Newsom
William Eldon "Bill" Newsom, 81, of Russellville, who was editor of The Courier for 37 years, passed away at St. Mary's Hospital on Nov. 26, 2016. He was born Nov. 15, 1935, at Beebe, the son of Eldon Newsom and the former Mary Appoline Smoot. Newsom retired at the end of 1997, completing a 45-year career that included three years as editor of the weekly Morrilton Democrat and five years at the Paragould Daily Press where he started working part-time as a high school junior. He volunteered as a tutor with the Pope County Literacy Council, teaching English as a second language to natives of several countries around the world. He was a past chairman of the Pope County Literacy Council board of directors and the Pope County Library Board, and a past president of the Russellville Lions Club, of which he was a member for over thirty years. He was a member of the Hughes Center building committee. He served nine years in the Arkansas Army National Guard. Newsom was a member of the First United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of forty-four years, Joyce June Newsom. Survivors include his close and loving friend, Sue Robinson, a daughter and son-in-law Angela Kay and Gregory M. Hopkins of Little Rock and two grandchildren, Alison Michelle Hopkins and Gregory Michael Hopkins II, both of Dallas, Texas. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, at the Shinn Chapel by the Rev. Roy Smith. Burial will be at Rest Haven Memorial Park by Shinn Funeral Service. Honorary pallbearers will be former co-workers at The Courier. Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016 at Shinn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Manna House in care of First United Methodist Church, 304 S. Commerce Ave., Russellville, Ark., 72801. The online obituary and guestbook are available at www.shinnfuneral.com.

Published November 27, 2016

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