Walter Owen Newton

Walter Owen Newton, Q.C. - July 8, 1941-August 27, 2013. Age 72, passed away suddenly on the evening of August 27 at his new home in Halifax. He will be dearly missed by Janet, his wife of 46 years; son, Jonathan (Beth Corcoran); daughters, Joanne (Shaun Bergh) and Jane (Andy Nielsen); grandchildren, Grace, Catherine and Lucas; sisters, Patricia McGee (Charles) and Jennie Enman (Steven); and brother, David Robinson (Arlene). He was predeceased by his mother, Mozelle (Jones) (Newton) Robinson; stepfather, Carl Robinson; and sister, Ellen. A longtime resident of Port Williams, Walter was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and moved to Nova Scotia in 1955. At the age of 14, Walter became paralyzed as a result of polio, spending two years in hospital. Despite the incredible challenge this presented, he graduated from Cornwallis District High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Acadia University. At Acadia, Walter was elected student union president and met his wife Janet and made many lifelong friends. Walter attended Dalhousie Law School where he graduated in the class of ‘67. A respected and accomplished lawyer, he practised law in Kentville for 44 years, retiring at the age of 70. Walter was appointed Queen’s Counsel by the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. In 2005, he received the Distinguished Acadia Alumni Award. He was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Gold Jubilee Medal. When Janet was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal last fall, he was proud to tell people that they had collected the whole set. Walter was very active in the community; he was the founding president of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kings County, and served on the board of the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia and Crosbie House Society. Walter was well known for his generosity, tenacity and his willingness to help anyone. He was possessed of a quick wit and a prodigious memory, and employed both while entertaining his family and friends with stories from his youth and his years practising law. An avid fan of many sports, Walter was best known for being a long-suffering fan of the Boston Red Sox, making sure that he took all of his children to see the Sox play at Fenway Park. True to his Southern roots, Walter loved spicy food, and was an excellent cook. Family was most important to him. Walter treasured his relationships with his siblings and his nephews Vic, Troy and Christopher, Michael, Connor, Edward, and nieces Megan and Kate who knew him as "Buster," a nickname given to him in childhood by his mother. Together with his family, he made many trips to Florida to visit his sister, Pat, and her family. There will be no visitation by request. The funeral followed by a reception will be held Monday, September 2, 2013 at 2:00 pm at the Port Williams United Baptist Church, Reverend David Ogilvie officiating. Burial will take place in the Lakeview Cemetery, Lakeville, Kings County. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the March of Dimes online at: www.marchofdimes.ca. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. Online inquiries may be directed to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.