She was born in Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 1924, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Tracey.
She grew up in Philadelphia and her love of art began at an early age. After graduating from high school, she wanted to go to art school, but with World War II raging halfway around the globe, she decided to join the Navy instead, serving as a WAVE from 1944 to 1945. She was stationed in Washington, D.C., and drew maps for the war effort. Working with a small team of cartographers, she added the finishing touches to maps drawn from aerial photographs of the Pacific Islands, which she later found out were used in the invasion of Japan.
After the war, and with the benefit of the GI Bill, she attended the Philadelphia Museum School now known as the University of the Arts. She studied illustration and painting.
In 1951, she married Richard G. Newman, an engineer and the roommate of one of her friends from art school.
She exhibited paper mâché figures in Bergdorf Goodman window displays in New York and her paintings in galleries in Philadelphia including the Arnold Finkel Gallery in the 1960s. Her paintings were exhibited in many local galleries in South Jersey and in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. Her paintings are also included in many private collections.
She touched the lives of many of her friends, neighbors and caregivers with her good humor, sparkling laugh and generous spirit
She is survived by her daughter, Catherine, of New York City and a sister, Mary of West Chester PA. Her husband Richard died in 2007. Her son Richard Tracey died in 2005.
A memorial and celebration of her life will be held Friday, June 13th at 1:00PM in the Cheshire Room at Langdon Place of Keene, 136A Arch Street, Keene. Family and friends are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mrs. Newman’s memory to the Resident Activity Fund at Langdon Place of Keene, 136A Arch Street, Keene, NH 03431.
The Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene, NH is assisting the family with the arrangements.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.1