Frank Newsom

Published 9:57 am Monday, March 20, 2017

Franklin Delano Newsom, 84, died Thursday, March 2, 2017, at Nathan Addelson Hospice House in Las Vegas Nevada. Services were held Saturday, March 11, 2017, at the Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Shelby Hazard officiated. He was buried with U.S. Air Force Honors at Memorial Gardens of Columbus.

Mr. Newsom was born on Monday, April 4, 1932, in New Hebron, to the late John B. and Myrtle Berry Newsom.

He was a member of Woodland Baptist Church and a graduate of  Mississippi State University.

During his time at MSU he served in the Air Force ROTC, was an M-Club member having played football, and also met his late wife Shirley Johnson Newsom, who was a majorette.

He retired as a Lt. Colonel from the U.S. Air Force after 22 years, he was B52 bomber pilot, and served in Vietnam. He also served the Joint Chief of Staff at the Pentagon and in Germany at the European Command Headquarters.

After his military career ended he began his second career in retail as the owner/operator of the Army-Navy store in Columbus and Starkville and was the sole proprietor of two pawnshops in Starkville and Winona.

His hobbies included golf, hunting and traveling.

In addition to his wife and parents he was preceded in death by his sister Peggy Rube, and his brothers, John B. Newsom and Fred Newsom.

Survivors include his daughter Lynn Kersh of Las Vegas, Nevada; son Frank Newsom II (Shannon) of Nashville, Tennessee; sister Genevive “Sis” Harris of Hazelhurst; brother James Newsom of Houston, Texas; and three grandchildren, Stacey Shields (Andrew), Frank “Trey” Newsom III and Trevor Newsom.

Serving as pallbearers were Trey Newsom, Trevor Newsom, Andrew Shields, Kirk Harris, Robert Hal Harris, Gordan Newsom, Keith Newsom, Tony Newsom, and  Joey Newsom.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Palmer Home For Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703.