Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
When James H. Newton joined the U.S. Army as a teenager during World War II, he saw it as his best chance to leave the South and build a better life. After nearly a century, he leaves behind a loving family and strong community bonds in Philadelphia. Mr. Newton, 99, a World War II veteran, a fixture at Cathedral of Faith Baptist Church, and a beloved North Philadelphia community member, died Monday, Sept. 15, at Temple University Hospital after suffering complications from pneumonia. He was set to turn 100 on Nov. 7, four days before Veterans Day. Affectionately referred to as “Pop-Pop,” Mr. Newton was a humble, gentle, and kind-hearted man known for his love of talking with nearly anyone he encountered, often from the steps of his North Philadelphia home. He was proud of his large family and paid tithes to his church, where he was known as a “prayer warrior,” until his final days. He was born Nov. 7, 1925, in Elberton, Ga., before moving with his family to Kannapolis, N.C., when he was a child. While working on his family’s farm, he developed a love for animals that he maintained throughout his life. When Mr. Newton was just 17 years old, he forged his mother’s signature so he could join the U.S. Army, his family recalled. His parents allowed him to leave in the hope that he would make a life beyond the hard labor of North Carolina fieldwork. Over two years of service in the 1940s, he was stationed in Guam and in Okinawa, Japan, where he drove military trucks and performed construction and maintenance work, including helping to build a bridge in Guam. Once, while he was driving a truck, an enemy explosive caused him to fall out. He survived but injured his back, and he dealt with the problem for decades. “He would say Uncle Sam was his greatest teacher,” said his grandson Anthony Newton. The military taught Mr. Newton discipline, drive, and responsibility, as well as about the harsh realities of life. Mr. Newton didn’t share many of the specifics about his service with his family, and the Army Human Resources Command was unable to provide further information during the government shutdown. After Mr. Newton returned from his service, he went to trade school in Kansas City, and then settled in Philadelphia in the 1950s, after one of his childhood best friends helped him find a job with Philadelphia Gas Works. Soon thereafter, he met his future wife, Bernice Newton, and they were married after a brief courtship. When they would walk down the street near their home at 26th Street and Montgomery Avenue, they would often hold hands, and people called them “lovebirds.” They were married for over 65 years. He and his wife each had one child from their previous relationships prior to getting married, before having six children together. But it made no difference to Myron Ricks once he learned as a teenager that Mr. Newton was not his biological father, because they loved each other all the same. “I never mention ‘stepdad.’ That’s my dad,” Ricks said. Mr. Newton spent the majority of his working years with different car dealerships across Philadelphia, focusing on detailing and transporting vehicles. He taught his children how to work on cars, too. He was an inventive person who used to make his own wine, as well as homemade ice cream out of fresh snow. He raised his children in the church, and watched all of them play sports as they grew up. He loved watching the Phillies and the Eagles. Everyone in the neighborhood he had lived in since around 1959 knew Mr. Newton. He would encourage people by telling them that “it’s never too late for good” in their lives. He frequently spoke in rhyming phrases, just for the fun of it. “Come on, Harper, let’s hit it out the park-er!” was a recent one, according to his grandson Anthony. About 20 years ago, Ricks asked his parents about what they wanted for their own funerals one day. He remembered his father telling him that he wanted to be buried with $20 in his pocket. “Every place I’ve been, I need the money. I might need some up there,” he said. As Ricks said goodbye to Mr. Newton during his funeral service in September, he slipped the money into his father’s pocket. Mr. Newton was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice, and three daughters. He is survived by five children, 23 grandchildren, and other relatives. His funeral was held Friday, Sept. 26, at Cathedral of Faith Baptist Church. He was interred at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Mount Airy.
