Randel Dean Newton

Randel Dean Newton was born on May 14, 1969, at the Wray Community Hospital to Carol and Dean Newton. Randel passed on February 2, 2013, at the age of 43.

Randy attended all twelve years of school in Wray graduating in 1987. While in high school he participated in football all four years.  He received honorable mention for football in 1986-87. Randy was Homecoming King his senior year.

While in high school he worked at Wray Super. The practical jokes that he and his coworkers played are too many to mention but, oh, what stories he told.

In the summers you would find him playing softball at Baker field. Randy loved this sport and had many fond memories of playing day and night.

In March of 1988 he married Cathi Henry and from this union two children were born: Nicholas Dean and Mellissa May Newton. Randy joined the US Army and attended boot camp at Ft. Dix, New Jersey.After basic training he and his family were stationed in Ft. Polk, Louisiana.

Randy left for Korea in August 1991for a year tour and returned home July 1992. Randy and his family were stationed in Ft. Hood, Texas, for two years. Randy was honorably discharged from the Army in 1993 with the rank of ES. While in the US Army Randy received several certificates of achievements and received the following medals: Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal,NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Driver and Mechanic Badge (Mechanic), and a Sharpshooting Expert Badge.

August of 1994 brought the family home to Wray. Randy and Cathi were divorced later that year . Randy was employed at Wray CO-OP and later worked in the oil fields.

Randy met Rhiannon (Annie) Gillett and to this union two children were born: Crystal Jade (age 7) and Heather Rayne (age 5). Randy, Annie,Crystal and Heather lived in Yuma, Colorado,at the time of his death.

Randy was preceded in death by his grandparents Helen Newton and Earl Newton and May and Homer Jones. Also preceding him in death were his Uncle Robert and Patty Newton, Uncle Wayne and Glenda Newton, Uncle Galen Jones, Cousin Gene Newton and niece Ana Maria Ortega.

Randy is survived by his wife Rhiannon (Annie) Gillett;his son Nicholas and wife Robin and their two children Kelsey and Karlee; and his daughters Mellissa, Crysta l, and Heather. Randy is survived by his parents Carol and Dean Newton, sister Amy and husband James Wells,their children Alexis, Dustin, and Trevor, and sister Kandi Ortega and her son Jonathan. Also surviving Randy is his mother-in­ law and father-in-law Sally and Gary Gillett, brother-in-law Mike Gillett and by many cousins, Aunts, Uncles and friends . Randy will be greatly missed.

Funeral services were held on Friday, February 8, 2013, 11:00 a.m. at the Wray United Methodist Church in Wray, Colorado with Rev. Norman Stott officiating. A Private Family Inurnment was held in the Grandview Cemetery in Wray, Colorado. Memorials may be made to the Randy Newton Memorial Fund, c/o First Pioneer National Bank, 143 W. 4th Street, P.O. Box 96, Wray, Colorado 80758.  Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.