Brennon K. “Buck” Newell, 78, died March 21, 2008.
Internment will be at a later date.
He was born Nov. 22, 1929, in Montour, Idaho, to Mae and Ben Newell. He and his siblings worked their father’s ranches until 1944.
At age 15, Brennon ran away from home and joined the army. One year later they found out how old he was and sent him home where he stayed until he was 17, when he left again to join the navy.
He met Rosellen “Teri” Pritchard in Seattle in 1949. They married in 1950 and separated in 1954.
Buck then met Darlene Young in Prairie City and they married in Nevada. They resided in numerous places due to his work.
They had three children – Debra I. Newell of Burns; Cameron G. Newell, his son and best friend, of Baker City; and Phillip Newell, who preceded Buck in death.
Brennon and Darlene moved to Haines from Halfway after 30 years in Pine Valley due to her failing health and his work. Darlene died in 2004.
Brennon then remet Teri. They remarried in 2005 and had three wonderful years together.
Brennon had three brothers, one sister and one adopted brother: Mannie Newell and his wife Doris of Montour, Don Newell and his wife Betty of Boise, Maynard Newell, who’s deceased; sister Verna M. Thrasher of Kansas City, Mo.; adopted brother B. Newell and his wife Jeri of Canby, Ark.; and stepson Mark McNeil and his wife Jane of Marysville, Wash. He also had numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and aunts, most of whom reside in Oregon and Idaho.
He had four grandchildren and two step grandchildren – Joshua Pfaff, Krystal Pfaff, Liberty Newell, Justus Newell, Joshua Taylor and Nikki Taylor. He will be sorely missed by all and especially by his grandson Justus Newell, who could by age 10 drive most of his grandpa’s equipment, a fact that made Brennon proud.
His family said that Brennon was considered by some to be a colorful character, but even those who ran up against his hot temper would be hard-pressed to find a more loyal, decent, hard-working man and a true friend. He worked as a logger (his first love), truck driver, miner, construction worker, and at Harney Rock, where he retired at age 76.
Brennon’s wife Teri expressed thanks to the good neighbors of Haines and to her two “rocks” throughout this stressful year – daughter-in-law Amy Newell and Brennon’s adored niece, Kimberly LeMasters.
The family also thanked St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center in Meridian, Idaho, and Pathway Hospice in Baker City “for their wonderful care and concern.”
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, March 25, 2008
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
