June 17, 1938 — December 4, 2025 (age 87)

LeeRoy Newton, known to some as "Lee," lived a life marked by resilience, work, and a connection to the natural world. Born at home on June 17, 1938, near Bend, Oregon, Lee was the fifth of nine children to Barney Derice and Dovie Bell Newton (Summers).

Lee’s early life was defined by the rugged landscapes of Deschutes County. He survived polio at age nine, an illness that left enduring health implications, yet it never dampened his passion for the outdoors. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, skills he honed in the mountains and streams of his youth. A natural operator of heavy machinery, his father once remarked that there wasn’t a piece of equipment Lee couldn’t master.

Shortly after his 20th birthday, Lee married Nellie Joann Spears in Kans

See Full Page