CDR. Roy Irwin Newton USN, Ret.

Roy’s childhood years, where he was affectionately known as “Buzz” or “Buzzy,” were spent living around the world in the midst of WWII and the Korean War, as his decorated father played a central role in each of these conflicts in the Pacific theaters of war.

Roy excelled in school winning science awards and receiving engineering scholarships to Stanford University and Harvey Mudd College. With what may have been more than a slight nudge from his Naval Academy graduate dad, Roy decided to forego these other prestigious opportunities to continue a multi-generational family legacy of attending the United States Naval Academy, from which he later graduated in the class of 1962.

While home on his first winter break from the Naval Academy, Roy met Glenda, his beloved wife of nearly 59 years, in 1958 at a dance at the Hotel Del Coronado. Roy and Glenda married four years later in December 1962 in New London, Connecticut, following Roy’s graduation from the Naval Academy earlier that year and Glenda’s return from Paris where she had attended the University of Paris (the “Sorbonne”).

Roy began his naval career in the Submarine Force as a nuclear submariner, where he was stationed in California, Idaho and Hawaii. In 1969, Roy was sent to work at the University of California’s Lawrence Radiation Laboratory in Livermore, California, where various nuclear test programs were conducted in the 1960s. From Livermore, Roy went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received an advanced degree in Ocean Engineering and an MBA from the Sloan School of Management.

While attending MIT, Roy also developed his own technique, whether intentionally or by circumstance, for ice skating on an outdoor frozen pond while being pulled by the family’s large collie dog named Nelson.

After graduation from MIT, Roy served as a key contributor in the United States’ “Nuclear Navy,” with tours of duty at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, the Naval Base Point Loma, San Diego, California and Newport News Shipyard, Newport News, Virginia, where he served in the building and repairing of nuclear ships and submarines. He played key roles in the construction of the Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Carl Vinson, and the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Atlanta. Roy completed his naval career at Newport News in 1982, retiring with the rank of Commander.

In the interest of finding the best opportunity for his family, and specifically the best future opportunities for his three teenage boys, Roy and family moved to Sugar Land, Texas. There, Roy began his second career with the Civil Engineering division of Brown & Root serving for twenty years and ultimately becoming Vice President and head of the division.

Roy also dedicated his time to many charitable causes, such as serving as the Chairman of the Building Committee for the building of the St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas. Roy was a devoted family man, avid photographer and world traveler. He took particular joy during his days in Sugar Land spending time with Glenda and their many dear friends with whom he golfed, swam and enjoyed other regular outings such as a Mexican dinner night and many wine tasting gatherings.

In life, Roy was a dedicated and loving son, husband, brother, father, grandfather, friend, neighbor and parishioner. He will long be remembered as an honest, fun and good man who was dearly loved and respected by all who were blessed to be part of his life. He is survived by his wife Glenda; sister Eugenie; three sons, Michael, Robert and Christopher; three daughters-in-law, Katie, Jennifer and Kara; ten grandchildren, Wesley, Kristen, Haley, Drew, Dillon, Noble, Wyatt, Tess, Juliet and Christopher; two step grandsons, Austin and Bryce; and most fondly his beloved Wheaton Terrier/Collie and walking buddy, Brewster.