Obituary for Roger Newman
Roger passed away suddenly on February 19/2021 at home. These are his written words:
Born in Winnipeg on April 12, 1935. Roger Newman received his primary education in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Toronto. He went to high school at Highgate School in London, England, and West Hill High School in Montreal, travelling a great deal at an early age because his father was a bank manager who was frequently transferred.
He started his journalism career as a copy boy at the Montreal Gazette in 1954 and then worked for a year as a reporter for the Daily Commercial News in Montreal. Moving west in 1956, he was a reporter and news editor at Winnipeg's St. James Leader Weekly until 1958 and a reporter at the Brandon Sun in 1958-59.
He was the City Hall reporter at the Kingston Whig-Standard in 1959-60 and chief legislative reporter and business editor at the Winnipeg Free Press from 1960-65. In one year during this period - 1962- he was the news director of Radio Station CKOC in Hamilton, Ontario.
He joined the editorial staff of the Toronto Globe and Mail in 1965, working first as a reporter for the Report-On-Business in Toronto and then as a Montreal correspondent for the paper. He returned to Winnipeg in 1968 to become the editor of the Manitoba Business Journal and subsequently held the post of business editor at the Winnipeg Tribune.
In 1971, he started a freelance writing business in Winnipeg's Grain Exchange Building and pursued this career for the next 20 years. During the 1970's and 1980's, he wrote for many of the leading newspapers and magazines in Canada, broadcast on several radio and TV programs, and taught journalism part-time at Winnipeg's Red River Community College.
In 1990, he became editor of the Interlake Spectator weekly newspaper in Gimli, partly because he and his wife Jan, had become fond of the Lake Winnipeg lifestyle during their 20 years as cottagers in Matlock, MB. He retired as editor of the Spectator at the end of 1995 and resumed freelance writing on a part-time basis.
A longtime member of the Winnipeg Press Club, he served as the club's president in 1981. He was also director of the Winnipeg ACTRA Branch ( Association of Canadian Television-Radio Artists) in the late 1970's and early 80's. He was also involved with the Manitoba Writers Guild as an executive member and chairman of Manitoba's first book awards in 1988.
Active in sports, he was the founder of the Midnight Flyers oldtimers hockey team which was a going concern in Winnipeg for more than a quarter century. He also founded the Press Club Volleyball League and played softball in both the Press Club league and the Winnipeg Mixed Adult Softball League. As well, he served on the executive of the Sir John Franklin Community Club and played hockey for that club's old-timers’ team in the 1980's.
Other accomplishments include: Past President of the Gimli Theatre Association and Director of the association's plays and co-producer of the Gimli Summer Theatre Festival. He was the founding member of Lake Winnipeg Writers Group and the winner of many Manitoba weekly newspaper awards, including Best Columnist in 2006. He was also Director of Publicity for the Manitoba Winter Games in 1998, the McCain Gimli Skins game in 2004, and the Manitoba Senior Games in 2006. He also wrote this obituary.
He is survived by his wife Jan Newman, children Joanne Newman (Chris Follett), James Newman, Jacqui Vaskovich (John Vaskovich), grandchildren Terri Newman ( Travis Toomey), Jacob Jasper (Chantel Dubiel), Jamie Newman, Dani Newman, Ashley Vaskovich, Amanda Vaskovich, great grandchildren Peyton and Kolton Toomey. He also leaves behind his brother Don Newman (Shannon Day), step siblings Alison Kennedy, Hartley Millman, Bob Millman, and their families, as well as many extended family members from the Newman, Bowles, and Arnett families. He was predeceased by his parents Doris and Lincoln Newman, sister-in-law Audrey-Ann Newman and nephew Lincoln Newman.
In accordance with Roger's wishes, cremation has taken place and no formal service will be held. Flowers are gratefully declined. Please feel free to donate to the Gimli Humane Society or Evergreen Basic Needs.
Born in Winnipeg on April 12, 1935. Roger Newman received his primary education in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Toronto. He went to high school at Highgate School in London, England, and West Hill High School in Montreal, travelling a great deal at an early age because his father was a bank manager who was frequently transferred.
He started his journalism career as a copy boy at the Montreal Gazette in 1954 and then worked for a year as a reporter for the Daily Commercial News in Montreal. Moving west in 1956, he was a reporter and news editor at Winnipeg's St. James Leader Weekly until 1958 and a reporter at the Brandon Sun in 1958-59.
He was the City Hall reporter at the Kingston Whig-Standard in 1959-60 and chief legislative reporter and business editor at the Winnipeg Free Press from 1960-65. In one year during this period - 1962- he was the news director of Radio Station CKOC in Hamilton, Ontario.
He joined the editorial staff of the Toronto Globe and Mail in 1965, working first as a reporter for the Report-On-Business in Toronto and then as a Montreal correspondent for the paper. He returned to Winnipeg in 1968 to become the editor of the Manitoba Business Journal and subsequently held the post of business editor at the Winnipeg Tribune.
In 1971, he started a freelance writing business in Winnipeg's Grain Exchange Building and pursued this career for the next 20 years. During the 1970's and 1980's, he wrote for many of the leading newspapers and magazines in Canada, broadcast on several radio and TV programs, and taught journalism part-time at Winnipeg's Red River Community College.
In 1990, he became editor of the Interlake Spectator weekly newspaper in Gimli, partly because he and his wife Jan, had become fond of the Lake Winnipeg lifestyle during their 20 years as cottagers in Matlock, MB. He retired as editor of the Spectator at the end of 1995 and resumed freelance writing on a part-time basis.
A longtime member of the Winnipeg Press Club, he served as the club's president in 1981. He was also director of the Winnipeg ACTRA Branch ( Association of Canadian Television-Radio Artists) in the late 1970's and early 80's. He was also involved with the Manitoba Writers Guild as an executive member and chairman of Manitoba's first book awards in 1988.
Active in sports, he was the founder of the Midnight Flyers oldtimers hockey team which was a going concern in Winnipeg for more than a quarter century. He also founded the Press Club Volleyball League and played softball in both the Press Club league and the Winnipeg Mixed Adult Softball League. As well, he served on the executive of the Sir John Franklin Community Club and played hockey for that club's old-timers’ team in the 1980's.
Other accomplishments include: Past President of the Gimli Theatre Association and Director of the association's plays and co-producer of the Gimli Summer Theatre Festival. He was the founding member of Lake Winnipeg Writers Group and the winner of many Manitoba weekly newspaper awards, including Best Columnist in 2006. He was also Director of Publicity for the Manitoba Winter Games in 1998, the McCain Gimli Skins game in 2004, and the Manitoba Senior Games in 2006. He also wrote this obituary.
He is survived by his wife Jan Newman, children Joanne Newman (Chris Follett), James Newman, Jacqui Vaskovich (John Vaskovich), grandchildren Terri Newman ( Travis Toomey), Jacob Jasper (Chantel Dubiel), Jamie Newman, Dani Newman, Ashley Vaskovich, Amanda Vaskovich, great grandchildren Peyton and Kolton Toomey. He also leaves behind his brother Don Newman (Shannon Day), step siblings Alison Kennedy, Hartley Millman, Bob Millman, and their families, as well as many extended family members from the Newman, Bowles, and Arnett families. He was predeceased by his parents Doris and Lincoln Newman, sister-in-law Audrey-Ann Newman and nephew Lincoln Newman.
In accordance with Roger's wishes, cremation has taken place and no formal service will be held. Flowers are gratefully declined. Please feel free to donate to the Gimli Humane Society or Evergreen Basic Needs.