John Newlin, 76, passed away March 22, 2018. John was born in Chillicothe, Missouri in 1941 to Richard Foster and Ruth Kellett Newlin. He attended Prairie School, Pembroke-Country Day and Shawnee Mission East. He was a graduate of the University of Kansas and the Army Language School, and served in the U.S. Army Security Agency.
He devoted much of his working life to words -- as an English major; intelligence man at Fort Meade, Maryland; newspaper editor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; advertising agency account executive; corporate communications director and writer. At age 50, he went back to school and started a second career, founding his own interior design firm. At age 60, he was lucky enough to meet and win the hand of the beautiful Julie Casterman.
He was a reader, a traveler, a jazz enthusiast, an avid but incompetent golfer and a fan of beverages distilled in Kentucky.
He leaves his wife, Julie Casterman Newlin; a son, Stewart Newlin Jones; and two step-daughters he helped raise: Elizabeth Brooke Bañuelos, San Pedro, California, and Laura Reese Spencer-Morris, Kansas City. He leaves two additional step-children he liked to think of as his own: Jason Conner and Rachel McIntyre Royer. Finally, he leaves eight grandchildren: Jeremy Sebastian, Maximiliano Alonzo and Diego Valentino Bañuelos; Will Foster Morris; Colton James and Ashlyn Lauren Connor; and Esmé and Neve Royer.
He asks that any donations be given to KANU-FM at the University of Kansas in support of jazz programming. To arrange, call 785-864-5268.
A private interment will be held at a later date.