Robert W. Newfield

March 21, 1937 - December 11, 2023 Robert W. Newfield of Palos Verdes Estates passed away on December 11, 2023, at the age of 86. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack. In 2011, he suffered a stroke while on a cruise off the coast of Boston and had been residing in assisted living since 2013.
Born in Beloit, Wisconsin to Genevieve Karlem and Robert Newfield, Bob attended Beloit Memorial High School where he was a member of the Army ROTC and a varsity tennis player. Bob attended Wisconsin University at Madison, majoring in Geology, and received his Bachelor of Science Degree. Thereafter, he joined the U.S. Navy on April 11, 1960, and was assigned as an Air Intelligence Officer. Soon thereafter, he completed Preflight Training at Pensacola, U.S. Naval Air Station. Bob served for six years, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Bob took pride in his service in the Navy and was proud of having flown the T-34 and T-28 during training. He was especially proud of earning his "Wings of Gold" after his first carrier landing.
Bob received several citations during his service and eventually flew the F-4B Phantom along with numerous other aircraft. He was assigned to various locations, including Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Sigonella, Italy, Brunswick, Maine, and Midway Island in the Pacific, where he flew Connies (Lockheed's Constellation). He enjoyed the time on Midway and often joked about spending 16 days in a row flying and then 14 days off in Honolulu.
In 1966 Bob was offered a promotion and a regular commission in the Navy. On the same day, he was accepted by American Airlines. He loved flying and stayed with American for 31 years until forced to retire on March 1, 1997 at age 60. With American, Bob quickly became a Captain and flew the B-707, B-747, MD-80, B757/767, and the DC10.
Bob's greatest passion was flying, but he was an extraordinary individual with varied interests and an adventurous spirit.
Throughout his life, he remained loyal to his alma mater, the Wisconsin Badgers, but he also enjoyed attending the USC Trojan games with his local friends. He attended many Rose Bowl games, tailgating in his motor home in the parking lot the night before the games.
Bob was an adventurer. He loved camping trips down the Colorado River through the rapids of the Grand Canyon, snow skiing, sailing, and deep-sea fishing in Mexico. He was a dedicated member of The Friends of the Marlin association. He and his friends enjoyed many camping trips on Lake Powell where Bob would identify every star and constellation in the sky. He was an amateur astronomer, but was a professional to all his friends. In his post-retirement years, he enjoyed riding his bicycle on the beaches in Redondo near his home and played a lot of tennis. He was also an accomplished musician and loved playing the piano, singing along with his many friends.
Bob continued traveling after his retirement, visiting every Continent and many countries.
Bob is survived by his sister Claudia Sparks and his brother Lee of Hayward, California.