116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
George 'Russ' Newlin
Age: 77
City: Cedar Rapids
Funeral Date
2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories, Cedar Rapids
Funeral Home
Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
George 'Russ' Newlin
GEORGE RUSSELL "RUSS" NEWLIN
Cedar Rapids
George Russell "Russ" Newlin, 77, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, March 9, 2020, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, overlooking his beloved Iowa Hawkeyes football stadium. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories in Cedar Rapids. A visitation will begin at noon at the chapel.
Russ was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Sept. 2, 1942, to George and Elizabeth (Hesebeck) Newlin. He grew up in Marion, Iowa, and graduated from Linn-Mar High School in 1960. He went on to complete an undergraduate degree in political science and French from Upper Iowa University in 1964. He received his master's degree in student psychology and counseling from Arizona State University in 1969 and earned a master's degree in school administration from Northern Iowa University in 1974.
In the late 1960s, Russ taught French at WACO High School in Wayland and then at Bettendorf Middle School in Bettendorf, Iowa. He was then a guidance counselor at Monticello High School and then Hempstead High School in Dubuque. In 1974, he became associate principal of Mason City High School. From 1975 to 1982, he was associate principal of Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Ill.
In 1983, he started an agency with State Farm Insurance in the Chicago area, and upon his death still owned his agency in Winnetka, Ill.
Russ's grandchildren brought him the most joy, and he loved watching them grow. He volunteered his time with homeless and veterans' programs, and he was invested in their stories. He owned every piece of Iowa Hawkeyes fan gear and had a wicked sense of humor that embarrassed his children immensely. He loved history, war movies, reading and studying his genealogy.
He is survived by two brothers, Steve (Donna) Newlin of Reno, Nev., and Doug Newlin of Tucson, Ariz.; his children, Christine (David) Erntson of Minneapolis and Scott (Christine) Newlin of Cedar Rapids; former spouses, Letha (Orcutt) Newlin and Marilyn (Palermo) Newlin; stepchildren, Ron (Erin) Farina of Crystal Lake, Ill., and Renee (Damien) Fedo of Arlington Heights, Ill.; grandchildren, Christopher, Matthew, Kathryn, Owen, Cole and Ocean; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
The family is especially thankful to his friend and office manager of more than 30 years, LaDonna Covelle.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in his name to Upper Iowa University, Alumni Office, P.O. Box 1857, Fayette, IA 52142, uiu.edu/alumni/gift-form.html
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.cedarmemorial.com.