Graveside Service
Lakewood Cemetery-
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Email Details
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3600 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Gretchen Helen Newman
September 20, 1949 — March 6, 2021
Gretchen Helen Newman
Gretchen Helen Newman
9-20-1949 to 3-06-2021
Born in Winona, MN, lived in Montana, Colorado, Utah, N Dakota, New Mexico, Wyoming, Mpls & Credit River TWP.
Preceded in death by parents, Ethel Mary (nee Steltzner) Flach & Glenn Howard Flach; and sister, Bonnie (Stull) St. James.
Survived by loving and devoted husband of 48 yrs., Paul Newman; brother, Eric Flach (Sue); nieces and nephews, Jason, Brian, Lauren, Cathy, Mary Ann, Amy, Don, Andy, Mike, and their spouses.
Gretch attended many schools while in the West, but graduated from Hopkins High. She received certified RE Paralegal, 2 masters & a doctorate from the U of M. She never let the glass ceiling get in her way. Gretch held the position of Executive Director of the Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene before retiring from the U of M.
Gretch and one of her best friends of 50 some years were both extremely strong feminists, and were believers of women’s rights. Marjory Bingham was Gretch’s teaching guide and mentor. They both passed within weeks of each other. We hope heaven is prepared for this team.
One of Gretch’s main goals and loves was to own, breed and show Quarter Horses. She bought a horse named “Digger’s Strike” & boarded it in Credit River TWP (the only way Paul could see her was to get a horse for himself). Gretch could holler, “Hey Digger, Digger” from over a mile away while he was in the pasture. One brown head would bob up and Digger would come at a gallop. There was truly a love between them. Gretch eventually found the perfect place to live and raise horses. P & G lived there for nearly 40 years. Gretch’s biggest year of breeding was 9 mares & foals. She was President of Region 4 Quarter Horse Assn. & Minnesota Quarter horse Assn., and very active in the American Quarter Horse Assn. Gretch was also the adviser for the Minnesota Youth Quarter Horse Association for many years. She and Bob Yanz were the impetus behind starting the Minnesota Masters Show, which is still in operation.
Gretch and her friends would take off with truck, trailer and horses to states as far as Texas without a care in the world. Nothing frightened her (She was fearless-what most people feared, she saw as a challenge). Gretch was VP of the Mpls Business Forum.
She loved to travel. In 2014, Gretch & Paul took a cruise to Italy, Greece, the Greek Islands, and Turkey with some dance friends. Those countries have high steps and many of them. Gretch broke her knee at the Rome airport, and fought pain throughout the entire trip. As usual, nothing could hold her back.
Gretch truly loved the family up in the Red River Valley. One of the last things she asked was “can we go up to Fisher after we get the second Covid shot?” Even with as busy as she was, Gretch was a loyal and dedicated friend even to people as far back as grade & high school.
Graveside service Wednesday, May 5 th at 3:00 PM at Lakewood Cemetery, 3600 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis.
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