Mary Lou Newton

Mary Lou (Roth) Newton was born in Kansas City, Kansas, grew up in the South Park part of Merriam, Kansas, and graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School. Mary Lou passed away February 27, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri after a short illness.

As a young person, she was in musical theater and she enjoyed singing at events such as friends’ weddings. Later in life, she found joy in sewing, especially clothes for her kids and grandkids, along with doll clothes and even stuffed animals. She loved to read fiction and non-fiction, and to watch Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Young Sheldon, and Blue Bloods. She also enjoyed watching KU basketball, the KC Chiefs, and anything on KCPT.

She was married to Joseph Glenn Newton from 1962 until his death in 1999. They were introduced when a bridge club needed a fourth player and Joe joined in.

Her favorite job was being a mother – she would tell you that was what she always wanted to be. She cared for children when hers were young. Later, she worked for Dasta Construction, McCarthy Construction, and Henderson Engineering as a secretary, and always enjoyed interacting with the workers on the job sites. She worked at Ranchview Floral taking phone orders, and also helped measure and sew for an upholstery company.

Surviving family members: two daughters, Marijo (Newton) Tinlin and her husband Steve, and Susan Newton and her husband Jeff Smithmier, 4 grandchildren and 5 step-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care (https://kchospice.org/) or KCPT (https://www.kansascitypbs.org/)