Doyce Newton

Services for Doyce Newton, 87, of Abernathy, TX, will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, December 21, 2013, in the Abernathy Church of Christ with Branden Denton and James Harguess officiating. Burial will follow in the Abernathy Cemetery under the direction of Abell Funeral Home & Flower Shop of Abernathy, TX. The family will gather at Abell Funeral Home Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm. Mr. Newton died Wednesday, December 18, 2013 in Lubbock, TX. He graduated high school in 1944 and enlisted in the U. S. Navy that year. He served on the USS Cabot CVL-28 during WWII, in Honolulu at Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Marshall Islands, Tokyo and Okinawa, Japan the Yellow Sea for 6weeks and Guam. He returned to Pearl Harbor and then San Diego. He was also on the Battleship, USS Monterrey and USS South Dakota, being discharged on July 8, 1946. He returned home to Lubbock where he attended Texas Tech University and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in History. October of 1951. He was reactivated into the Navy, serving on the USS Bremerton CA-130, in Japan, Korea and returned to Long Beach, CA where he remained until relocating to Florida in 1953. He chose to be discharged as Lt. Commander in November of 1953 and continued serving in the Naval Reserves until retiring in November of 1986. He returned home to pursue his love of farming and ranching. He married Kathryn Jones on October 23, 1955 in Anton, TX and after 56 years of marriage he was left as a widower by his beloved wife. He always enjoyed the USS Cabot reunions in Washington, D.C., the last of which he went to in October of 2013. He was a member of the Abernathy Church of Christ and cared for his mother after her stroke for many years. He also cared for his wife for many years during her illness. He visited in the homes of many that needed a friend. He was a wonderful caring man. He is survived by 2 daughters, Lyntha Hill and her husband John of Abernathy, TX and Kanice Newton of Lubbock, TX. He is also survived by, and dearly loved his 5 grandchildren, Meghan, Wesley and Jase Hill, Jeslin and Alex Newton. The family suggests memorials be sent to the Children's Home of Lubbock, P. O. Box 2824, Lubbock, TX 79408, or to the Texas Boys Ranch, P. O. Box 5665, Lubbock, TX 79408. The Newton family also want to express their gratitude to Dr. Cobos and Dr. Torres of Southwest Cancer Center at University Medical Center, and to thank Dr. Andres Yepes Hurtado for his kind and compassionate care, not only to Doyce, but also to the family.