South Carolina General Assembly

119th Session, 2011-2012

H. 3365

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution

Sponsors: Reps. Simrill, Agnew, Alexander, Allen, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Battle, Bedingfield, Bikas, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Brady, Branham, Brannon, Brantley, G.A.Brown, H.B.Brown, R.L.Brown, Butler Garrick, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, CobbHunter, Cole, Cooper, Corbin, Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Edge, Erickson, Forrester, Frye, Funderburk, Gambrell, Gilliard, Govan, Hamilton, Hardwick, Harrell, Harrison, Hart, Hayes, Hearn, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D.C.Moss, V.S.Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, J.H.Neal, J.M.Neal, Neilson, Norman, Ott, Owens, Parker, Parks, Patrick, Pinson, Pitts, Pope, Quinn, Rutherford, Ryan, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Skelton, G.M.Smith, G.R.Smith, J.E.Smith, J.R.Smith, Sottile, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Tribble, Umphlett, Vick, Viers, Weeks, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Young

Document Path: l:\council\bills\gm\24614sd11.docx

Introduced in the House on January 19, 2011

Adopted by the House on January 19, 2011

Summary: Gene Newton

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

DateBodyAction Description with journal page number

1/19/2011HouseIntroduced and adopted (House Journalpage16)

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/19/2011

AHOUSE RESOLUTION

TO EXPRESS THE SINCERE SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE DEATH OF WORLD WAR II VETERAN AND PRISONER OF WAR GENE NEWTON OF ROCK HILL, AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS LOVING FAMILY AND TO HIS MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the passing of World War II veteran and prisoner of war Gene Newton in Rock Hill on January 7, 2011, at the age of eightysix; and

Whereas, a native of Shelby, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Lillian Eaker Newton and John Clinton Newton and graduated from the University of North Carolina where he was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity; and

Whereas, after his brother was drafted into the military during World War II, Gene Newton left his college studies and enlisted, much to the sorrow of his widowed mother; and

Whereas, after years of combat in Europe, Gene Newton was aboard a military plane that was hit by enemy fire, and all the soldiers on board bailed out over Germany, but the pilot managed to return the plane safely back across enemy lines; and

Whereas, all those who parachuted from the plane were captured by the Germans, and he remained a prisoner of war for three months, walking across part of Europe and enduring frostbite and hunger, until the Allies liberated him although none of his family knew of his survival; and

Whereas, in 1945, a bus dropped him late at night in the Shelby town square, but he waited there on a bench several hours for dawn before walking the two miles to his home so that his arrivalin the middle of the night would not be a severe shock to his mother; and

Whereas, he was awarded the distinguished Purple Heart for his brave sacrifice and service to his country; and

Whereas, he and his beloved wife, the late Jane Baucom Newton, reared five fine children: Sandy Newton, Sheila Newton Bolick, Linda Newton Aldworth, Vicki Newton Plumstead, and Beth Newton Albright, who blessed them with two adoring grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren; and

Whereas, an independent insurance broker formerly with Standard Life Insurance Company prior to opening his own agency, he earned membership in the insurance industry’s notable Million Dollar Roundtable; and

Whereas, after his retirement from the insurance business, he served other prisoners of war like himself, which included lengthy service as the commander of the South Carolina Chapter of ExPrisoners of War; and

Whereas, he served his God as a deacon and a Sunday school teacherat Oakland Baptist Church, and he served his community as a supporter and member of the YMCA; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for the lasting and noble legacy that Gene Newton has left to our State, to our nation, and to those who knew and loved this remarkable man. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, express their sincere sorrow upon the death of World War II veteran and prisoner of war Gene Newton of Rock Hill, and extend their deepest sympathy to his loving family and to his many friends.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Gene Newton.

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