Obituary for Donald McNew

Donald Gene McNew

November 1, 1940 – January 19, 2023

Don McNew, 82, lifelong resident of Ponca City, entered into Heaven surrounded by his wife and five daughters on January 19, 2023, at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. A memorial service to honor Don’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, January 23, 2023, at Northeast Baptist Church with Rev. Scott Melton officiating. Interment will immediately follow at Newkirk Cemetery, Newkirk, OK. Viewing will be held at Trout Funeral Home on Sunday, January 22 from 1-6 PM with the family present from 4 to 6 PM; and on Monday, January 23 from 9 AM -12 PM. The memorial service will be live streamed and can be viewed by going online to youtube.com@nebcponcalive. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505. W. Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK 74601

Donald Gene McNew was born on November 1, 1940 in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He was the son of Dwight Gladstone, Jr. (Mac) and Alice Myrtle (Kirchenbauer) McNew. He attended schools in Osage County and Ponca City; graduating from Ponca City High School in 1959. Don married Hazel (Elaine) Grimley on June 27, 1959 at First Baptist Church, Ponca City, OK. They celebrated over 63 years of marriage.

Don worked for Gertrude’s Antiques, Starr Brother’s Painting, and started his own Painting Contract business, “The New McNew” in 1980. He and his work crew painted the entire Conoco R&D West building as well as other buildings on the complex. He worked exclusively at Conoco from 1980 until retirement in 2003.

Don had a passion for nature and to be outdoors. He was an avid deer hunter from age 20 to 80. Rarely was there a black powder, rifle, or bow deer hunting season that he did not take his limit. In his twenties he loved annual deer and elk hunting trips to Colorado with his parents, brother, and other family members. He especially enjoyed hunting with his brother-in-law, Doyle Grimley and son-in-law, Kyle Benton. Don also enjoyed fishing with family, his daughters when they were young, and later on, his grandchildren. For many years Don and his family, along with his parents and brother’s family planted and harvested from acres of gardens to provide year-round vegetables for the family. Upon retirement he continued to garden, grow flowers, care for his fish ponds, and spoil his dogs. His dog Abby really misses him.

He was an excellent carpenter and loved to do woodworking projects his entire life. He helped build several houses from the foundation up in his younger years and helped to remodel many homes. In retirement, he continued to wood carve and started to teach himself to paint artistically. Don was known to be able to “fix anything” and was a talented inventor.

Don was deeply committed to his family and serving God; by serving others. Especially in his later years, Don’s relationship with God was very special to him and so he would share his faith everywhere he went, to anyone willing to listen.

After he met Elaine during church youth basketball games, he began attending church. Don soon became a Christian and was baptized at Liberty Baptist Church. During his lifetime, Don also was a member of Second Baptist and Sunset Baptist Churches. He has been a member of Northeast Baptist Church for the past 25 plus years; always busy serving. He had a soft spot in his heart for children and teenagers and worked with youth groups and children’s ministries until age 82. Don was an inspiration because in spite of health limitations, he was always helping others, always with a willing heart and smile; always willing to listen. He often said because he loved God he wanted to help and teach others every day, the best he could, until the day the Lord called him home.

Don had a special relationship with his grandchildren. His grandchildren remember that he loved them, always had a hug for them, and loved spending time with them. He helped them have fun, spent much time teaching them how to do things, helped plant a love of the outdoors in their hearts, took them camping (even backyard camp outs), and was an example of a hardworking, godly man. All the family will remember how much he loved to make homemade ice cream at holidays and their birthdays.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Nancy Carol Smith, and infant son, Kevin Dwight McNew.

Those left behind to cherish his memory are: his wife of the home, Elaine and his five daughters, Donna Ramey and husband, Tony, of Ponca City, Teresa Ramsey and husband, Dick, of El Campo, TX, Rhonda Benton and husband, Kyle, of Ponca City, Lisa McDonald and husband, Butch, of Ponca City, and Sandra Brooks of Ponca City; twelve cherished grandchildren; Daniel Ramey and wife, Katie, of Ponca City, Michael Ramey of Tulsa, OK, Sarah McDermott and husband, Alex, of Tulsa, OK, Ashley Puryear and husband, James, of Abilene, TX, Ryan Ramsey and wife, Sarah, of Victoria, TX, and Adriane Binder and husband Johnathon, of Sugar Land, TX, Joshua Benton of Ponca City, Jennifer Vallejo and husband, Joseph, of Denton, TX, Christopher Wilcoxson and Brandon Wilcoxson of Ponca City, Magen Brooks of Ponca City and Paul Brooks of Edmond, OK.; great-grandchildren are Joel Ramey of Ponca City, Luke and Wyatt Puryear of Abilene, TX, Dane Ramsey of Victoria, TX, Jack and Eli Binder of Sugar Land, TX, Millie Binder of Fulshear, TX, and Carson Wilcoxson of Ponca City. Don is also survived by his brothers, Jim McNew and wife, Iva of Ponca City and Pete McNew and wife, Betty of Wichita, KS; sisters, Lorraine McNew of Greensboro, NC and Maryanne Valdivia of Escondido, CA. Also, many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to Shriner’s Hospital, 2900 Rocky Point Drive,Tampa, FL 33607, St. Jude’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Dr, Suite 1300, Arlington, VA 22202. Please visit www.troutfuneralhome.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence.

Source: Trout Funeral Home