Dr. Margaret Ann Newman

Margaret was born on October 10, 1933 in Memphis to parents Ivo M. and Mamie Love Newman. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Donald I. Newman and is survived by her sister-in-law, Bertha Mae Newman; her niece, Donna Newman Mehr and her husband Dr. Larry Mehr; great-niece Leigh Ann Carkeet and her husband Geoff Carkeet and their daughters, Kendall and Maddie Carkeet; and two cousins, Cecile Warrington of Memphis and Dorothy Shank of Meridian, MS.

Margaret graduated from Central High School in Memphis and received a B.A. from Baylor University in Waco, TX. After college, Margaret returned to Memphis, where she worked at Grace Chemical Co. and became the primary care-giver for her mother who had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gerig’s disease). Having learned from her mother that one can be healthy even in the face of disease, Margaret felt a call to nursing and entered nursing school at UT College of Nursing. After receiving her baccalaureate nursing degree, she entered graduate nursing studies at the University of California, San Francisco and received her master’s degree in 1964. Margaret returned to Memphis and served as UT Assistant Professor of Nursing and the UT Clinical Research Center Director of Nursing.

Margaret spent the next 10 years at New York University—first in doctoral studies, receiving her PhD in 1971, and then as faculty. While at NYU, she initiated a post-doctoral summer workshop on nursing theory development and co-authored A Sourcebook of Nursing Research (1973, 1977). Dr. Newman assumed the position of Professor in charge of Graduate Studies in Nursing at Penn State in 1977, at which time she also organized an international nursing theory think tank. She introduced her theory of health as expanding consciousness in 1978 and published the earliest primer on developing nursing theory: Theory Development in Nursing (1979). In 1984, she assumed a position as nurse theorist and professor at the University of Minnesota, where she furthered the development and testing of her theory, working closely with doctoral students. In the 1980s, she served as a civilian consultant to the U.S. Surgeon General for Nursing Research. Dr. Newman retired from teaching in 1999, yet remained active for another 17 years advancing nursing theory, education, research, and practice through her presentations and publications, including her 7th book, Transforming Presence: the Difference that Nursing Makes (2008). Dr. Newman’s theory of health has been widely embraced around the world and her life will be commemorated in many countries.

In 2008, the American Academy of Nursing named Margaret a “Living Legend.” Dr. Newman was a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was named outstanding alumnus by the University of Tennessee and New York University. The Zeta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International has established a Margaret Newman Scholars Award to support doctoral students whose research extends Dr. Newman’s theory.

Margaret returned to Memphis in 2004 and appreciated living downtown and subsequently at Trezevant Episcopal Home, where she enjoyed her friends and being with her family. The family wishes to thank the employees at Trezevant and Allen Morgan and Debra Rucker, her caregiver, for her faithful service during the past several years.

A memorial service will be held in the Chapel of Trezevant Manor on Thursday January 10 beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the MargaretNewman Endowed Chair at the UT College of Nursing. giving.uthsc.edu/Margaret Newman