Wilma send me this email:
Hello JR,
My brother, James, died November 14. He was an avid checker player and was close to Master status. He played in many tournaments in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s until his health started failing. He and Gayle Helterbrand played thousands of games with each other. They played “minute” games”.
I think that is one reason Gayle always moves so fast.
All of my siblings except one played checkers with my dad and with each other while growing up. James and I and Carl were the ones who continued in the tournaments. Of our younger days learning checkers at home, my brother James said, “We just thought we were playing checkers!”
(attached is his funereal program)
Your checker friend,
Wilma
Wilma also shared this email from Al Newberry:
From:
newberryfamily@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newberryfamily@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Al Newberry
Sent: Wednesday, November 19,
2008 9:31 PM
To: Newberry Family Group
Subject: [newberryfamily] James
Floyd Newberry's Funeral
Hi Everyone
I just got back a short time from a trip to West Plains where I attended
the funeral of uncle James. I have scanned the program which was
distributed at the funeral home.
Thankfully the weather was absolutely perfect. It was sunny and the
temperature was very pleasant.
The service was very nicely organized and conducted. The singing by the
Curry Street folks was superb and bro. Bill Noblin did an excellent job.
Uncle James was buried at the Bakersfield Cemetery. This cemetery is
located just off highway 142 just north of Bakersfield. I went down to
Bakersfield to attend the grave side service.
Many of the Newberry family were there. I won't try to name everyone for
fear I would overlook someone. It was good to see everyone excepting the
circumstance. However, uncle James is now in a far better place. He
suffered a lot with his illnesses.
Uncles James was an exceptional man in many ways. He had a great aptitude
for mechanical and electronic devices. Grandpa (John A) discovered this
aptitude early on. Grandmother had an old gasoline powered washing machine
and James was allowed to stay at the house on wash day and keep the
machine running. I guess he was about the only one in the family who
could. James had a great sense of humor and enjoyed humor. His garage on
St Louis street was wall papered with funny signs. Uncle James was a
superb checker player and also really enjoyed chess. More importantly,
uncle James was an exceptional student of the Bible.
I was pleased to make the acquaintance of Kermit Bell at the funeral.
Kermit is a first cousin of my grandmother, Emma Jane Andrews Newberry
(wife of John Alfred) Kermit is 95 years old. He and his wife Georgia are
very nice folks and very nice to talk to. They live down in Salem
Arkansas.
I am sure all of our best wishes and prayers go out to aunt Violet and
cousin Alice
Al