DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Eleanor Jarvis Newman, 96, formerly of Southwest Harbor, died peacefully July 25, 2006, four days before her 97th birthday. She was born July 29, 1909, the only child of Henry and Della Webb Jarvis of Needham, Mass. She attended Wellesley College and graduated from the University of Missouri. While there, she was active in the drama society and played female lead in two productions. Eleanor had met Laurence Newman of Southwest Harbor, while they both were in college in Massachusetts, and they were married June 1, 1931. They lived in Hamden, Conn., for 16 years before moving to the village of Seawall in Southwest Harbor when Laurence began lobstering and fishing. Her parents also came and built a home on Main Street. Eleanor volunteered as a nurse’s aid during World War II, and she continued after the war, both in Connecticut and Maine. She was also the Southwest Harbor correspondent for the Bangor Daily News from 1946 to 1954, when the couple began spending winters in Florida. While her husband went out to fish or lobster, Eleanor was responsible for turning up to 800 pounds of drying pollock on flakes in the yard twice a day. Eleanor enjoyed acting in various amateur productions throughout her adult life. She loved singing in her churches both in Southwest Harbor and Florida, as well as with the Bristol Singers. She was very active in supporting her children in school and sports. Square dancing and bridge were two of the couple’s passions. Eleanor worked arduously at tracing her lineage back to the Mayflower and became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was also a member of the American Association of University Women. Eleanor is survived by her three children, Laurence S. Newman Jr. and wife, Betty, of Cumberland Foreside, Jarvis W. Newman and wife, Susan (Bunker), of Southwest Harbor, Janet Cutliffe of Londonderry, N.H.; former daughter-in-law, Judith Newman of Scarborough; her 11 grandchildren, Tracy Carroll and husband, Brad Hammond, of Scarborough, Arlee Newman of Springfield, Va., Carole Gilley Dodge and husband, Kelly, of Waterville, Cynthia Ripley and husband, Tracy, of Oakland, Patricia Robey Montgomery and husband, Andrew, of Albuquerque, N.M., Katharine Falt of Southwest Harbor, Linda Goddu and husband, Steven, of Salem, N.H., Kimberly Kearns and husband, Timothy, of Oxford, Md., Dr. William Newman and wife, Junko, of Essex Junction, Vt., Laurence Cutliffe and wife, Beth, of Bedford, N.H. and Tyler Newman of Cumberland Foreside; and 19 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 71 years, Laurence Newman, in 2002, and her son-in-law, Ronald Cutliffe, in 2003. A private burial for the family will be held at Mount Height Cemetery, Southwest Harbor.
ELEANOR JARVIS NEWMAN
