Frank C. Newby

Frank Curtis Newby passed away on Jan 23, 2018 at the age of 90 in Las Cruces, New Mexico from the same disease that afflicted Senator John McCain, metastatic glioblastoma.

Frank Newby wrote his autobiography in his book, "His Name Was Amy Mable." It was written in third person and uses the name of his grandfather as the principal character. It is a true story of the life of a complete man. Frank grew up in the state of Indiana, was drafted into the Navy at the end of WWII, served thru the Korean War and returned to study at Butler University, acquiring a Master's degree in Education Administration. He was a farmer, a veteran, a teacher, an administrator, a business owner and a published writer with nineteen titles to his credit.

He was an accomplished woodworker, obtaining a Master Gardener certificate from New Mexico State University at the age of 74. He painted occasionally in oils, but left a large art collection of intarsia in exotic woods. He lived for 30 years in Colorado and climbed many of the 54 highest peaks in that state. He was listed in Who's Who In The West in the 1998 edition. He retired to write and live with his wife of 68 years, 2 dogs, a cat and a lifetime of dreams in the high deserts of southern New Mexico. He was one of very few living Americans who served in two wars and could harness a team of horses to plow with a walking plow, something he did for several years to support his family and earn a living during his college education. He grew up on a farm, survived the depression and spent a youth walking behind the horses and developing a love of nature. A lifetime reader with eclectic tastes, he managed to read at least one book per week throughout his entire life.

For many years he wrote a daily Border Report and e-mailed it to about 500 readers. He chronicled the daily news available from Mexico to document the drug war and kept his friends appraised of the situation. One of his books, "Mexico:Drug Merchant to the World", was developed from knowledge gained in writing the border reports. It is a fascinating story of the history and backgrounds of the Mexican cartels. It helps people understand what is actually going on in Mexico and how it is affected by America's insatiable drug appetite. He wrote a best seller,"Medal of Honor:From Antietam to Afghanistan." At this update, his book, "The Magnificent Flying Machine: PBY Catalina" is the best seller to date of all his books. His books will be maintained by Organ Mountain Publishing and available exclusively through Kindle and Kindle Books.

[Footnote by Mark Newby] - Courage is a trait that is often overlooked in evaluating a life. Frank Newby overcame extraordinary obstacles at many points in his life, but one in particular stands out. The State of Indiana in their wisdom required 2 years of teaching experience in order to get a license, and he found himself with a Master's Degree and no way to obtain the experience needed to - wait for it - GET A JOB! With a new wife and a new life to care for (me), he desperately sought a way to do it. In 1951, with money only for gas, he accepted a position as a school Principal/math teacher with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (they did not require experience, only a degree). He loaded up the family, enlisted brother Bob for help traveling, and drove a 1932 Packard (with its first set of new tires since WWII rationing) down Highway 66 for over 1500 miles to arrive in the small town of Zuni, NM. The red dust, the wind, the desert heat and sullen stares of a few locals made Brother Bob nervous, but that was nothing compared to the first night in a small strange house they were shown to by the local doctor. It was the second night of a major Zuni religious celebration, not one outsiders were invited to, and they had no knowledge of the event. All night, men and boys wrapped in black blankets and huge shadowy figures with rattles and whistles stalked the streets, appearing randomly from the shadows. All night long the wind carried the increasing crescendo of chanting and music into the open windows of the hot house, sounds they had never imagined, and these poor young mid-western folk were wary and unnerved.

In the morning, Brother Bob fled with the car in a panic, stranding Zuni's three newest citizens in a landscape resembling nothing so much as the surface of the planet Mars, surrounded by aliens speaking a strange language.

It is a testament to the courage of Frank and Gayle that they did not return in the car with him, notwithstanding the circumstances of their stranding. Our lives, which continued and prospered, were enriched immeasurably by this act of courage and stamina. The lifelong love of our family for New Mexico began in those trying circumstances, a life well-lived returning there for love of place and people. Perhaps there is no finer epitaph than to have those who remain able to say there were these moments; and we grew with them and because of them.