Published: August 11, 2008 02:28 pm      

June McGowan Newman

June McGowan Newman, 95, longtime resident of McAlester, died Wednesday, August 6, 2008, at Edmond Medical Center, Edmond, OK.

Graveside services will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 12, 2008, at Oak Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Rodney Briggs officiating. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Bishop Funeral Service of McAlester.

At the conclusion of the graveside services, there will be a reception for family and friends at Bishop Funeral Home, 110 S. 3rd, at 11:45 a.m.

June was born on July 28, 1913 the daughter of Wirt Edward and Ora Mittie Morrow McGowan who were pioneers in the early growth and development of Cowlington and LeFlore County and McAlester in Pittsburg County. The McGowans owned and operated McGowan Real Estate Company in McAlester for over two decades. She was named Wirt McGowan Junior after her father, and was called “Junior” until she was a teenager. She attended Washington Elementary School and then attended McAlester High School. It was there that one of her teachers started calling her “June” and she was known by that name the rest of her life.

She graduated from MHS in the Class of 1931 and began her business career as a cub reporter for the McAlester Democrat newspaper, covering local social events in McAlester. She married Lawrence I. Newman, an employee of Hall Hassel Grocery Company and they later had two daughters, Ora Ann and Helen Lucille Newman.

Her husband, Lawrence, died in June of 1960 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and she then moved back to McAlester with her daughters. She resumed her career, later holding positions with the Public Service Company, the City of McAlester and as a counselor with the Oklahoma Employment Service until her retirement in 1973.

Mrs. Newman was recognized for her success in placing people in new jobs and she specialized in finding jobs for the handicapped. She was appointed to the Governor’s Committee to hire the handicapped and later served on a Washington, D.C. presidential commission for hiring the handicapped.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of McAlester and was active in numerous community service organizations in McAlester and Pittsburg County. She was recognized for her community service by being named a McAlester “Woman of Action”. She was also a founding and charter member of the Kilhotti Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, precinct co-chairman for the Democratic party, and a member of the Choctaw Indian Nation.

Survivors include two daughters & a son-in-law, Helen Newman Roche & husband, Brigadier General, US Army (Ret) William H. Roche, of McLean, Virginia, and Ora Hare, of Edmond, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Richard Newman Hare, of Oklahoma City, Alan Maurice Hare, of Austin, Texas, and Judith Rae Hare Cherry & husband, Steven Cherry, of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Also, two great-grandchildren, Megan and Joshua Cherry, of Edmond, Oklahoma; two nephews & a niece, Wirt William Cain and wife, Ellen, of Santee, South Carolina, and Gene Newman & wife, Barbara, of Plano, Texas, and Jackie Kay Shields, of Edmond, Oklahoma.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her two sisters, Fowla (Cain) Cochran, of McAlester, and Winburn Shields, of Oklahoma City.

The family requests memorials be made to the Youth Emergency Shelter, 904 N. 9th, McAlester, OK 74501 (918) 423-8845, or the Boys Ranch Town, 5100 S.E. 33rd, Edmond, OK 73013.