To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Texas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Texas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 12/6/24 • Approved: 12/18/24 • Last Updated: 12/20/24 • R609039-G609039-S3
Seaborn Wayne
US Air Force
World War II
July 6, 1922 - August 10, 2014
Orpha Nell
September 28, 1923 - November 16, 2012
*Obituary
Seaborn Wayne Newton, lovingly known as "Papa Wayne", 92, of Austin, Texas, passed from this world to his eternal peace August 10th. He was the fourth and youngest child born to Seaborn Durham Newton and Emma Frances Bridges on July 6, 1922 in Kirbyville, (Jasper County), Texas. Wayne attended elementary and junior high school in West Orange, Texas where he played basketball, football and was a Boy Scout. During the Depression, Wayne helped his family by working a newspaper route, working at a grocery store, helping on a Nehi Soda delivery truck, and picking beans from his mother's vegetable garden to sell to neighbors at 5 cents for a small sack.
After graduating from Austin High School in 1940, where he met his wife to be, Orpha Nell Chiles, in Botany class, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps July 23rd at Randolph Field. He helped establish two new training bases for Aviation Cadets in Enid, Oklahoma and Coffeyville, Kansas. He was assigned to the 1957th Ordinance Depot Co (Aviation) and accompanied that unit to England and Europe where it was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in December of 1943. He drove a supply truck during the Battle of the Bulge. After WWII, he transferred to Bergstrom, McChord, Pinecastle, and Homestead AFB's. He served four years as an AFROTC instructor at Arizona State College in Tempe. In 1953, he joined the 19th Bomb Wing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. Wayne advanced in rank from PVT 1st Class to SMSgt. (Senior Master Sergeant) during his 21+ years in the United States Air Force. He retired from the USAF in September 1962 having earned many awards and decorations including the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Campaign Stars for "Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. He moved his wife and family to Austin, Texas in 1962, and began a long 29year career with the US Postal Service in March 1963. Wayne earned an Associate Degree from Austin Community College in 1976. He retired from the Postal Service in July 1992. Dad was a Christian man raising his children in the Lutheran faith. He married the love of his life, Orpha Nell Chiles, on February 14, 1946. They were married for 66 years before her passing in November 2012. They raised five children, three daughters and two sons. Wayne was an avid reader with a passion for history, current events, genealogy, and a faithful student of the Bible. He took great pride in being a patriot and in having served both in WWII and Korea. Wayne is survived by his daughters: Sandra Tennill of Georgetown; Dawnell Dayton of Austin; Christine Studebaker (Michael) of Georgetown; his son Glenn Newton of Austin; and his niece and "special sister", Emma Lou Schultz Collier of Beaumont; his grandchildren: Jennifer K. Caster; Travis J. Tennill; Caleb Studebaker (Sarah); Kaitlyn N. Studebaker; and Emily D. Studebaker; his great grandchildren: Levi Max Loya (Ali); Hayden Allen; Mason Allen; Jagger Caster; Caleb M. Studebaker; Evan Studebaker; and Isabel Studebaker, in addition to many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by: his wife, Nell; his parents, Seaborn and Emma Newton; his in-laws, Harry and Mabel Swenson; his brother, Hollis Newton; his sister Virval Newton Crocker; his sister, Vivian Newton Richardson; his son Steven Wayne Newton; his son-in-law Glen "Butch" Tennill; and his grandson, Richard Russell Loya.
His family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to the staff of Park Place Assisted Living and Park Place Nursing Home for their devoted and loving care of our Dad during his brief stay in Georgetown. Wayne's family will hold services pending at the Gabriel Funeral Chapel & Crematory in Georgetown, Texas. Personal words of comfort and memories may be sent to the family online at our guestbook at www.gabrielsfuneral.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Austin American-Statesman from Aug. 17 to Aug. 25, 2014.
*Obituary
Orpha Nell Chiles Newton On this Thanksgiving Day, we give special thanks to God for our beautiful, precious mother and wife, who left this body and earth on November 16, 2012 in her own home where she resided for 50 years. She was born Orpha Nell Chiles on September 28, 1923 to Mable Johnson Chiles and James Curtis Chiles in Austin, Texas. She was their only child. She graduated from Austin High School in 1941. She worked at Scarbrough's on Congress Ave and also sold war bonds. She married Seaborn Wayne Newton on February 14, 1946. They were married for 66 years. They lived in various places for 22 years while he served in the US Air Force. They finally came home to Austin to stay in 1962. They had five children. Nell was a radiant light to us all, our beautiful rock, faithful, loving, generous, kind, and devoted. She was the most selfless person the family ever knew. No one could have asked for a finer mother, or a more open, sweeter heart. She loved her family, her home, her beloved pets, music, nature's beauty, laughing, and Christmas. She was everyone's beloved mother who ever met her. Oh, how can we bear the pain of her loss? She will be remembered for her tremendous generosity, her gifts, her sense of style, and class, and her fabulous family celebrations. The biggest was Christmas, with gifts piled high for each and everyone and a warmly decorated tree and home. She was an excellent artist who created magnificent oil paintings. Just like her paintings, she started each day with a new canvas. She brushed vibrant, beautiful colors into each and every day. She was a homemaker, wife, and mother with dignity. She was preceded in death by her father, James Curtis Chiles; her mother, Mable Johnson Chiles Swenson; her step-father, Harry Aubrey Swenson; her son, Steven Wayne Newton; her son-in-law, Glen "Butch" Tennill; and her grandson, Richard Loya. Nell is survived by her husband of 66 years, Seaborn Wayne Newton; daughters Sandy (Jimmie) Anderson, Dawnell Dayton, Christine (Michael) Studebaker, son Glenn Hollis Newton, and daughter-in-law Jana (Steve) Newton; grandchildren, Jennifer Caster, Travis Tennill, Nicholas Wayne Newton, Kaitlyn Studebaker, Emily Studebaker, Caleb Studebaker, Macauley Newton, Riley Newton, and Delaney Newton and great grandchildren; Levi Max Loya, Hayden Allen, Mason Allen, Jagger Caster, Caleb Michael Studebaker, Evan Studebaker, and Isabel Studebaker. She will be missed by her beloved and loyal four legged companion Bejee. The family will receive friends and share remembrances on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 from 6-7:30 PM at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Austin Humane Society. Condolences may be made at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com
Hill Country Garden
Photo courtesy of Annette Shaw
Contributed on 12/6/24 by hawkinsdonna48
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 609039
Location/GPS: View Map