Shirley Ann Wallace Newey's Obituary
Shirley Ann Wallace Newey, 88, died Sunday, January 28, 2024 peacefully in her home at the Wesleyan Assisted Living in Georgetown Texas. Mrs. Newey was born July 1, 1935 in Edinburg, Texas, daughter of the late Oliver Earl Wallace and Rebecca Jane Pendleton Wallace. Shirley, a native of Edinburg Texas, graduated from Edinburg High School in 1953. While in high school, she was crowned Miss Hidalgo County Queen. Her prize was a trip for 2, but instead, she took the money equivalent to use towards her tuition at Pan American College. She also worked for Brumley’s Store for Men as their bookkeeper and gift wrapper after school and on holidays while she was in high school. Shirley was a member of the National Honor Society. Additionally, she performed in the marching and concert band playing 3 rd chair clarinet all 4 years. For one of the band trips, the students picked cotton by hand out in the field and it was sold so the class could go to Oklahoma. Shirley graduated from Pan American College, now known as UTPA, in 1956, after working diligently and swiftly with a double BA in Education and English. She was a sorority member of Beta Sigma Phi Tau Alfa Chapter. After graduation, she taught 2 nd grade at Jefferson Elementary in Edinburg. Shirley met her future husband, Dan at a Presbyterian Church social in 1956 and began dating
afterwards. Dan and Shirley married June 15, 1957 at the First Presbyterian Church in Edinburg.
Shirley left teaching shortly after they married and worked for the Edinburg Chamber of
Commerce, located in the Echo Hotel for several years. She left the Chamber of Commerce and became
a homemaker to raise their family. Shirley and Dan had 3 children: Carolyn Elizabeth, Susan Elaine and
Daniel Hitchings IV.
Shirley and Dan built their dream home together in 1965. Shirley drew the house plans and Dan
built it through his company, B & N Construction. They made additions to the house in 1970. Shirley
lived in her forever home for 51 years, then she moved to Georgetown to be closer to her daughter
Susan and her husband Bobby and her family. Shirley’s lifetime Rio Grande Valley involvements have included membership in the Junior Service League and later the Senior Service League; working at Edinburg Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop as a manager- following in her mother’s footsteps in serving at the Auxiliary Gift Shop; membership in the Merry Maker’s Dance Club; and Zodiac Book Review Club; membership in the Edinburg Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary where the ladies offered support for the men fighting fires and they plated BBQ each year during the annual BBQ fundraiser. One of her assignments was placing numbers on the windshields of the cars in line to match up the correct plated meals. Shirley was also a founding member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Edinburg. She served
as treasurer of the church for over 20 plus years. Shirley was office manager for Dan Newey Company from the 1970’s until she closed the business several years after Dan’s death in 2001.
Throughout the 1970’s, Shirley and Dan had many wonderful adventures while traveling with several trips spanning across Europe. Shirley moved to Georgetown, Texas in 2016 and lived at the Wesleyan Assisted Living until her death. She was active in the Wesleyan Assisted Living community by serving on the Resident Council, Food Council, and Book Club, and Surprise Birthday Card Committee – sending birthday cards to the residents. She was also on the Greeter Committee for the 2 nd floor to welcome the new residents to their new home. She happily volunteered her apartment for the staff to show prospective residents. She was loved by the Wesleyan Staff.
She is survived by her loving and devoted daughter Susan Newey Ripps and husband Robert
(Bobby) S Ripps of Georgetown; son Daniel Hitchings Newey IV, of Edinburg; granddaughters Cathryn
Ripps Landry and husband Noble of Georgetown; Sarah Ripps Riley and husband Daniel of Georgetown;
great grandchildren Mason Bailey, Adonis Landry, Scarlette Riley, Piper Riley and Felicity Riley.
Other survivors include her sister, Betty W Kersten of Weslaco, nephews and nieces, Michael
and Holly Kersten of San Antonio; Jeffrey and Margo Kersten of College Station; Rebecca, Mark and
Matthew Macomber of Atlanta Georgia; Andrew Burton of San Antonio; Hank Kersten of Portland
Oregon; Katie Burton of San Antonio; Tommy, Sarah and Levi Kersten of Cypress; Megan Kersten of
Cypress; and brother-in-law Robert and Judy Newey of Boerne.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Jane Wallace; her in-laws Daniel and
Cathryn Newey; her loving husband of 44 years, Daniel Hitchings Newey III; daughter Carolyn Elizabeth
Newey; brother-in-law Milton Kersten; great granddaughter, infant Isabelle Tahlia Riley; and faithful
grand dog Ms. Daisy Dinky Ripps. Visitation will be held Friday, February 2, 2024 from 4pm-8pm at Aurora Funeral Home, 706 W. Sam Houston Blvd, Pharr. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 3pm at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 2620 Crestview, Edinburg, with the Reverend Robert McAllen officiating. Interment following in Hillcrest Memorial Park in Edinburg. Pallbearers are Daniel Riley, Noble Landry, Mason Bailey, Michael Kersten, Jeffrey Kersten, Mark Macomber, and Andrew Economedes. Honorary pallbearers are D.H. Newey IV and Adonis Landry. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wesleyan Assisted Living and Memory Care,109 Estrella Crossing, Georgetown, Tx 78628 or to an organization of your choosing. The family would like to thank the Wesleyan Assisted Living for their care, love and support, Suncrest Hospice, and Visiting Angels for their devotion and care, especially to Lade, Roanna, Ms. T and Gladys.
What’s your fondest memory of Shirley?
What’s a lesson you learned from Shirley?
Share a story where Shirley's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Shirley you’ll never forget.
How did Shirley make you smile?