Connie L. Newtson

     Connie L. Newtson, 72 of Ravenna, NE died Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at Kearney Regional Medical Center in Kearney, NE. Connie wishes were to be cremated. Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at the Loup City Community Building in Loup City, NE with Pastor Fred Davis officiating. A lunch will be provided immediately after the Memorial Service. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at the Community Building. In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Newtson family for later designation. The Memorial Service will be live streamed on the Higgins Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link is http://facebook.com/Higgins-Funeral-Home-111005270563508.

     Connie L. Chelewski-Newtson was the 2nd daughter born to Ignatius A. “Dutch” Chelewski, and Helen A. (Psota) Chelewski, at the Loup City Hospital, August 30, 1949.

     Connie’s life began on an acreage southwest of Loup City. Dutch and Helen moved the girls to a farm near Westerville, NE, where Helen taught school and Dutch farmed. The girls were taught by their mother during their primary school years. However, they received the “real” education from their Dad. He loved to teach them poems, rhymes, songs, and how to spin a yarn. His lessons taught Connie how to live life, love all living things, and she attained a passion for horses. In 1957 Dutch and Helen traded the farm for a café and motel in Stapleton, NE. For the next 5 years Connie and her sister helped wait tables, peel potatoes and apples, clean and tidy up motel rooms, as well as creating all kinds of mischief at the motel and around town. Connie spent any spare moment with her beloved stray dogs that she adopted, and with her horse “Lady”, if she could out fight her sister for her. She spent many summers working on the Ed McPherrin Ranch west of Stapleton. Ed taught her horsemanship skills, and involved her in the 4-H Horse Projects, Quarter Horse shows, and rodeos. After graduating High School at Stapleton, she pursued her Bachelor of Education at Kearney State College. There she competed on the college rodeo team, and that is where she met her husband, Roger Newtson of North Platte. Roger lent her the use of a barrel and pole bending horse. Connie fell fast for… Joe (the horse) and got Roger as part of the package deal.

     From Roger and Connie’s union came a son, Michael, and daughter, Corrie. They made their home south of North Platte. Connie taught school in North Platte for 2 years, until the kids came, and she devoted her time to taking care of them. She milked cows and goats, raised and butchered chickens, gardened and canned her harvest. She loved packing her kids up on a horse, and she still made time to attend rodeos and play days. She was a member of the North Platte Velvet Spurs Drill team, performing each year at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

     In 1981 Roger and Connie moved the family to her Grandpa Jim Psota’s farm northwest of Ravenna. They milked cows, farmed, raised cattle, sheep and goats. As the kids started school, Connie did also. She was a substitute teacher, drove school bus, was a para-educator at Hazard country school, then later took a teaching job at Loup City Public School. Mrs. Newtson taught 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th grades. She loved teaching Science, Earth Science especially. She was always happy to have a classroom pet: a hedgehog, field mice, lizards, turtles, spiders, even some cockroaches. Mrs. Newtson didn’t just teach the 3 ‘R’s. She taught discipline, honesty, integrity, love, “if you work hard, we will play hard”, oh, and pranks! She loved to hear her class laugh. She always said “Amen” after the Pledge of Allegiance.

     Connie loved being horseback. She was a member of the Garfield County Frontier Gals Drill Team and was honored to be part of Nebraska’s Big Rodeo in Burwell. She was a leader in the 4-H Horse Project, helped organize the Classic Country Riders Drill Team and loved performing in their routines at rodeos, fairs and parades across the state. She spent most summers trail riding across the Midwest and all of Nebraska with her family and friends. Her favorite destination was Halsey National Forest. Connie and her sister rode countless miles at Halsey. They, along with friends, rode to and photographed every windmill on the forest, all 239 of them.

     Connie was born into the Catholic Church, later became a member of the Worldwide Church of God, and looked forward to fellowship with her friends at the United Methodist Church of Loup City. Connie loved her family almost as much as she loved Our Lord God. She was happy to share her love of Him with anyone. Connie took God’s commandments very seriously, especially to love one another. Anyone who knew her can attest to that.

     Connie is survived by Roger, her husband of 51 years; son, Michael of Ravenna; daughter, Corrie (Thomas) Walthers of Loup City; grandson, Clancy Walthers of Ord; her sister and best friend, Mary (Doug) Frahm of Amelia; nephew, Aaron (Julie) Fletcher (as well as great-nephews Logan and Noah) of Hershey. In-laws include, Wesley Newtson (daughters Kris, Keta, Miranda, Kate) of Benkelman; Virginia (Bruce) Huffman of Tryon; Kara Newtson of North Platte and Dale (Janie) Newtson of North Platte.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, Ignatius A. “Dutch” Chelewski and Helen (Psota) Chelewski; mother-in-law, Jesse “Pat” Newtson; father-in-law, Russell Newtson; sister-in-law, Kathy Newtson; brother-in-law, John H. Fletcher and nephew Shaun Fletcher.

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