Don Newberg
After a brief illness, Donald J. Newberg, 84, of Bloomington died at his home surrounded and cared for by his family. He was born June 19, 1932 in Galesburg to Ralph H. and Relda B. Newberg.
The family will greet friends from 4 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday at Carmody Flynn Funeral Home in Bloomington. A private family funeral will follow the next day at Illinois Wesleyan’s Evelyn Chapel.
Don married the love of his life, Carolyn J Wooldridge, in 1951. She survives along with their three children; Deb (Steve) Wannemacher, Bloomington; David (Joni) Newberg, Clinton; and, Mary Jo (Bruce) Campbell, Chicago; five grandchildren, Suzy (Chris) Brown, Andrew (Jill) Newberg, Allison (Matt) Hannam, Sarah Wannemacher and Alexa Campbell; ten great grandchildren, Joe Amiano, Jack Amiano, Morgan Brown, Luke Brown, Brady Brown, Kate Hannam, Lauren Hannam Logan Newberg, Evan Newberg and Hunter Steele-Wannemacher.
Don’s life centered around four general elements; family and friends, the radio business and community, the game of golf and the beach at Florida’s Panhandle. At the center of it all was his love of Carolyn. They raised a family and travelled the world together. Don was very proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and steadfastly supported their many pursuits,rarely missing a game, match or regatta wherever it took place. Don easily made friends wherever life took him and belonged to several groups of friends that regularly socialized together. Solutions to world problems were routinely crafted at such gatherings.
Don began his broadcasting career at age 21 in Macomb. In 1957 he came to Bloomington Broadcasting. At WJBC he was an on-air personality concentrating on news and sports and a program called “Problems and Solutions” which he hosted for many years. In 1974 he moved to Evansville, Indiana to manage the first of what became many radio station acquisitions outside Bloomington. In 1978 he moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee to manage another acquisition. Don was very active in every community where he lived including being elected a member of the District 87 Board of Education, serving on the board of the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, Rotary Club, the Illinois Wesleyan University Associates, and many other causes and organizations. Professionally, Don was president of the Illinois News Broadcasters Association, served on the board of the National Association of Broadcasters, and was also president of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters.
Don inherited from his mother a lifelong love of the game of golf. He played with enthusiasm right up to the time of his illness late last fall and greatly enjoyed fellowship with his many golf partners. He was the media chairman of the PGA’s Provident Classic in Chattanooga for many years and even had three holes in one.
Forty-nine years ago this spring, along with a few of his buddies and their families, Don took his then young family for the first time to the white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida. The family vacations there every year and it has become the “happy place” for generations of his kin. PaPa’s spirit will forever inhabit the beach at Perdido Key.
Don’s was a life well lived.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Newberg Family Scholarship at Illinois Wesleyan University, P.O. Box 2900, Bloomington, Ill. 61702 or the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, 2401 E. Washington St., Bloomington, Ill. 61704.
