Robert Newhouse

1935 - 2025

Robert Gary Newhouse was born on June 11, 1935 at St. Lukes Hospital in Boise, Idaho. His parents, Robert Earl and Margaret (Good) Newhouse lived in Kuna, Idaho at the time, moving to Boise in 1939. Bob was joined by brother Neal in 1937. Bob attended Washington Grade School, then to Cole School when his parents moved to the bench to go into the dairy business. He graduated from Boise High School in 1952 having achieved the Eagle Scout rank as well as and distinguished rifleman status in the NRA along the way. Bob had his own radio program in high school and, of course, became accomplished at milking cows and putting up hay at his Dad's Rencrest Dairy. He also escaped the farm one summer to serve as swimming instructor at Boy Scout Camp on Payette Lake.

Bob then attended the University of Idaho where he was at the top of the Accounting Department in the College of Business before moving in his senior year to the College of Law where he graduated with a dual degree in 1959. Bob was serving as President of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity when a perky Delta Gamma across the street caught his attention. He and Gretchen Holmes eloped on New Years eve in 1956 and their first child, Robert Neal, was born at Moscow. Three more sons followed, Franklyn Claude, Charles Erwin and John Ross, and lastly Margaret Marie, the daughter they wanted. During law school Bob was the first summer intern Albertsons employed in its accounting department, and Bob continued with the company in the legal department after graduation. However, when the opportunity to be appointed the Prosecuting Attorney of Camas County was presented he and the growing family moved to Fairfield where they spent the next 15 years.

The family then returned to Boise and Bob started his judicial career as a Magistrate Judge where he established the Juvenile Detention Center. Bob then was elected District Judge in a contested election where he bested the sitting Judge, the first time that had happened in Ada County. Respected by the Bench and Bar, Bob served as Chief Judge of the Fourth Judicial District for ten years. He was named a Distinguished Citizen by the Idaho Statesman newspaper, which observed "Common-sense, down-to-earth, practical. Those are the words people use to describe 4th District Judge Robert Newhouse." Judge Newhouse retired in 1998. He and Gretchen then enjoyed the winter weather in Las Vegas for the next 15 years. They returned to Boise and spent the next years at Touchmark at Meadow Lake Village in Meridian.