Mary Ann Lowe Newton of Gurdon, Arkansas passed away on Sunday, September 27, 2026. She was born in Hot Springs on October 7, 1930, the daughter of the late William Mason Lowe and Jenny Melinda Lowe. Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband of sixty-one years, Lloyd C. “Tete” Newton, Jr., a great grandson, Henry Norris and a great granddaughter, Dorothy Scott.
She is survived by two daughters, Susan Ella Norris and husband, Terry, and Mary Melinda Shaw and husband, Ralph, all of Arkadelphia, three grandsons, Blake Norris and wife, Catherine, of Hauki, Hawaii, William Scott and wife, Allison, of Little Rock and Ryan Scott and wife, Tori, of North Little Rock, four great grandchildren, Charlotte Norris, Lucas Scott, Luana Scott and Ruth Ann Scott, and many nieces and nephews that she dearly loved.
Mary Ann graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1946, received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Henderson Teachers College in 1951 and a Masters in Education from Henderson State University in 1973. After her marriage to Lloyd Newton, she moved to Gurdon and became a member of the United Methodist Church in Gurdon where she sang in the choir and belonged to the Lucy Cabe Sunday School Class.
Mary Ann began her teaching career in Gurdon as a second grade teacher. She also taught junior high English and later junior and senior English. Her students will remember memorizing the prologue to The Canterbury Tales and writing junior and senior research papers. She was a very beloved teacher and through the years she enjoyed receiving cards, phone calls and visits from her past students.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, October 1, 2026, at First United Methodist Church in Gurdon with Bro. Rusty Jones officiating.
Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until service time Thursday at the church.
Interment will be in Rose Hedge Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Final arrangements are entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia. Visit http://www.welchfh.net to sign the guest book.
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