Cornelius “Whitey” Newsome, age 80, of Warsaw, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at 2:25 p.m. in his Warsaw home.
Cornelius “Whitey” Newsome was born Feb. 24, 1943, in Hi Hat, Ky., (Floyd County) via midwife to Perry and Nola Sword Newsome. He was the last survivor of 12 children.
He was preceded in death by six sisters: Gilvia Morrissetti, Warsaw; Sylvia Hamilton, Warsaw; Velma Amburgy, Mentone; Melvie Howell, McDowell, Ky.; Elvia “Boggy” Scott, Prestonsburg, Ky.; and Zelvie “Tincy” Gayheart, Warsaw; five brothers: John Henry Newsome, Richmond, Ky.; Phil Newsome, Salisbury, Ky.; Clifford Newsome, Mentone; William Lee “Will” Newsome, Mentone; and his twin brother Arqulius “Art” Newsome, Warsaw.
Cornelius attended grade school in McDowell and Martin, Ky., and graduated from Betsy Lane High School in Betsy Lane, Ky., in 1962. During his high school years in Betsy Lane, he worked at Tackett’s Supermarket for $0.25 per hour, stocking shelves, loading 100-pound feed bags and tending the meat counter. He attended Ashland Business College in Ashland, Ky., for a brief time, majoring in business accounting.
He left Floyd County, Ky., in 1963 to come to Rochester, seeking gainful employment. He got a job with Rochester Metal Foundry hauling cores to the molders via wheelbarrow for $1.15 per hour. Later on, he left Rochester Metal to work for Warsaw Plating Works, hanging metal hand mops on the plating line.
Inspired by the movie “Route 66,” Whitey left his job and hitchhiked to Hollywood, Calif., from Rochester via Old Route 66. For several months, he worked with Pioneer Trading Company in Los Angeles before deciding to join the United States Army on Sept. 16, 1964.
Whitey completed his basic and advanced individual training at Forcedio Monterey, Fort Ord, Calif., and was later assigned to Stuttgart, Germany, as part of the 7th Army headquarters stationed at Patched Barracks Stuttgart/Vaihingen. He served there for two years before returning stateside to serve an additional year at Fort Leslie J. McNair in Washington, D.C. Honorably discharged on Sept. 15, 1967, he personally picked up his separation papers from the Pentagon.
Returning home to Warsaw, Whitey and his wife, Judy, formed the Warsaw Maintenance Company before returning to Water Gap, Ky., and forming Eastern Kentucky Janitorial Services. Selling their portion of the company in 1973, they returned to Warsaw and Whitey accepted a position with Kimbel Glass and later with Zimmer, where he worked his way up within the Building and Grounds Department. Retiring in 1985 as manager of the department at Zimmer, he went on to develop Newsome’s Building Services Inc. (started in November of 1984) with Judy. Together, they ran the company until retirement in 2002. Their son, Shane Newsome, and his wife Lori, continue to operate the company today.
United in marriage to Judy Hall on Jan. 14, 1970, in Clint Wood, Va., the pair shared more than 54 years before his Tuesday afternoon passing; she survives in Warsaw. Also surviving are their three children: Shane (Lori) Newsome, Tonya Newsome and Lisa (Dawn) Newsome, all of Warsaw; five grandchildren: Landon (Hannah) Newsome, Garrett Newsome, Skyler (Crystal) Newsome, Raygan Wright and Keaton Cornelius Helmkamp; and two great-grandchildren: Silas and Isaiah Newsome.
He is remembered as a loving, business-minded man well known in the Warsaw community who enjoyed his family, friends and classic cars.
Friends may gather at Titus Funeral Home, 2000 Sheridan St., Warsaw, on Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a time of visitation. Beginning at 1 p.m., Pastor JC Sparks will officiate Whitey’s funeral service with burial to follow on Walnut Street in Oakwood Cemetery. Military graveside honors will be offered by American Legion Post 49 and VFW Post 1126.
To leave a condolence, please visit www.TitusFuneralHome.com.