Sharon Esther Newman saw her Savior face to face at 1:40 a.m. on Thursday, February 20. Born on May 30, 1942, to Leo and Helen (Rexroat) Waits, Sharon was born again in 1971 after months of listening to Bible-preaching Baptist pastors on the radio and discussing what she was hearing with her husband, Gene, who was listening to those same broadcasts. She learned that she, along with all human beings, was a sinner and that her sin separated her from her holy Creator God. She learned that the penalty for that sin is death and eternal separation from Him. She learned that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die to pay sin's penalty and to rise to life again. Sharon came to believe this message of the Gospel to be true and, in repentant faith, confessed her sin and trusted what Christ had done for her. Eventually, in a phone conversation with one of those preachers she listened to on the radio, Rev. Richard Mohr, she and Gene started attending and became members at Berean Baptist Church in Pella, Iowa.

Sharon spent the energy of her life caring for others. First and foremost, she loved and cared for her husband whom she met in 2nd grade at Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. They married on March 3, 1962. She also loved and cared faithfully for each of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She demonstrated and shared the love of Christ with them, desiring they have the life in Christ that she has. In addition to her family, she cared for the people of her church, especially the children. Teaching Sunday School until close to the time of her death was one of her greatest joys. For years, she would write the Sunday School Christmas program for the church, making sure each child could have a part that would fit them. Repeatedly, people would comment with amazement on her ability to care for others in spite of her blindness. Her family sees this as a testimony to Her Savior, who gave her spiritual eyes to see and who has now restored her physical sight.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband Gene and their family:

Jeff (Sherry) Newman, Geneva, IL

Tim (Hannah) Newman Macomb, IL

Karis and Kinnick

Johanna (Kristopher) England Mesa, AZ

Ezra, Lydia, Anika and Isaiah

Sheryl (Steve) Stanley Knoxville, IA

Hailey (Stephen) Roland  Knoxville, IA

Shyla and Teegan

Dalton (Nicole) Stanley Knoxville, IA

Treven Stanley

Tamre (Keith) Nemec, Huxley, IA

Bethany Nemec

Chris Nemec

William Nemec

Joel (Stephanie) Newman, Slater, IA

Eli Newman

Jael Newman

Evan Newman

Charisma Newman

She is also survived by her siblings: Phil Waits Chillicothe, MO, Ron (Joan) Waits Pella, IA, Phyllis Bittner Battlefield, MO, Rick (Cindy) Waits Pella, IA, Denny (Cheryl) Waits Pella, IA, other brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Sharon was preceded in death by her Mom and Dad Leo and Helen Waits, sisters Roberta Langrebe and Shirley Modlin, brother Jackie Waits,  infant grandson Nicholas Nemec (Keith and Tamre) and infant granddaughter Samantha Newman( Joel and Stephanie).

Berean Baptist Church - Mission Fund
Pella IA