Benjamin Newman

NEWMAN, Benjamin Luther "Stoney"

Benjamin Luther "Stoney" Newman, 95, of Brookville, Ohio, died peacefully at about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, at Hospice of Dayton in the company of his children. Stoney was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, on Oct. 1, 1928, in a three-bedroom house to George and Bessie (Gibson) Newman, the fourth of eight siblings all born in the same bed. He grew up a country boy, hunting, fishing and getting into all sorts of shenanigans. After eighth grade he worked on farms for a nickel to a dime an hour. At age 16, he got a job on a steam boat on the Ohio River, transporting coal for five months. He then returned to farm work for a year and a half at Lynd Fruit Farm in Pataskala, Ohio. He turned 18 in 1946 and soon met a group of guys at a bar who told him they were going to West Virginia to play music on the radio. At that time, he only played rhythm guitar and sang with his brother, George. His new bandmates told him Benny wasn't a good radio name, so they nicknamed him Stoney, and his brother became Rocky. Stoney went on to play pedal steel guitar in bands all over Ohio and West Virginia, while never actually learning to read music. He built friendships and played with many prominent country musicians like hall of famer Chubby Howard, whose radio show Stoney would often call to make requests. Stoney was drafted into the Korean War and became a mechanic. These skills served him well later in life when anyone had car trouble or needed something looked at. He bought his home between Trotwood and Brookville in the '50s and cultivated his few acres into a thriving homestead. After the war, he went to work at Delco as an assembler, working there until he retired in 1978 at the age of 50. "I had a hell of a good job and I got by with an awful lot," he said. He met Priscilla (Cummings) in 1964 and they married on July 20, 1974. Together they had two children, Christopher and Tracey. He spent family time on the house boat, coached Tracey's softball team, and supported both of his children's passions to pursue art as a career. Stoney and Priscilla had many longtime friends and the door was always open for a visit. Everyone was welcome to enjoy the music and laughter at the Newman Homestead. He implored people to stop by anytime they were in his neck of the woods. In retirement, when he wasn't working in his garden, practicing in his music room, tinkering in the barn or relaxing in the pool or on the porch swing, he played country music every Thursday at American Legion Post #322 in West Alexandria, Ohio. Stoney and Priscilla traveled to Hawaii, Mexico and Alaska, enjoyed watching TV together, and shared breakfast every morning. Westerns like "Gunsmoke" or "The Virginian" or old-time country music were always on the TV, getting increasingly louder as time went on. The kids and grandkids knew they could visit anytime, and if they brought their friends – even better. When he discovered the latest grandchild was named after him, the joy on his face was unmatched. Family was everything to him. While he was known by many names over the years – Ben, Benny, Bennie, Stoney and others – about 30 years ago one name became his favorite: Grandpa. Grandpa took his role very seriously – taking the grandkids on tractor rides, teaching them about the Grand Ole Opry, sneaking them sweets at every opportunity, and making sure they were the smartest, safest drivers on the road. Grandpa slipped you gas money like a drug deal and threatened you with possum soup from the latest roadkill. He loved sleepovers and having breakfast together in the morning. Whenever Grandpa started a story, and boy did he like to tell the stories he had from his 95 years, he would say, "when I had hair down to here and was as cute as I wanted to be." Every holiday would come with a story about a holiday from the past. One birthday, he alleges, he picked more bushels of apples than anyone before and more than anyone since. He told of the cold, snowy Christmas Eve he spent on a barge in the Ohio River protecting coal from robbers. He couldn't get a fire started, so in exchange for a canoe full of coal, a thief helped Grandpa build a fire. He would get up to put the turkey in the oven at 5 a.m. so Thanksgiving dinner would be ready at 11 a.m. Then he'd call the family and ask why we weren't there yet.

He is survived by his wife Priscilla; children Chris "Red" Newman and Tracey (Doug) Gurney both of Miamisburg, Ohio; his grandchildren, Alexandra (Katie Krawczak) Newman of St. Joseph, Michigan, Olivia (Clay Johnson) Newman of Arnold, Maryland, and Sophia Newman, Marlowe and Morgan Gurney all of Miamisburg, Ohio; daughter-in-law, Sandra McLaughlin of Miamisburg, Ohio; and his sisters Sarah (Dorman, deceased) Adams of Livermore, California, and Effie (Dean) Finley of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and sister-in-law Nancy Savage of Jamestown, Ohio.

Stoney was preceded in death by his parents; wives Jean Pennington and Mabel Clemons; and siblings George "Rocky" Newman, Wayne Newman, Miles "Puckett" Newman, Isham "David" Newman, and Jimmy Newman. Arrangements have been entrusted to Rogers Funeral Homes in New Lebanon, Ohio. Visitation is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, with service to begin at 1 p.m. at the funeral home, 324 W. Main St., New Lebanon, OH 45345. A procession to Trissel Cemetery on South Diamond Mill Road will follow. The family would like to thank Ohio's Hospice of Dayton for the loving care they provided in his final months. In lieu of flowers, you're welcome to make a donation to Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, OH 45420, or visit www.hospiceofdayton.org/donations.

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