John Daniel "Danny" Newman

MERIDIAN — Services for John Daniel “Danny” Newman, of Kuna, Idaho, who died Friday, June 22, 2007, will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home Chapel, 105 E. Carlton Ave., Meridian.

Burial will follow at Kuna Cemetery, in Kuna, Idaho, under the direction of Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home, Meridian.

Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Danny was born Feb. 23. 1962, in Gary, Ind., the son of Crawford and Mae Newman. He spent most of his childhood in Natchez.

In 1976, Danny was one of the youngest scouts in the nation to become an Eagle Scout. Danny was roughneck in the oil field and worked as a Derrick hand.

On March 3, 1987, in Houston, he married his best friend and life long mate, Shelia Ann Flaherty. Over the past 20 years, they have grown into a loving family with three children, Joshua Daniel, 20, of Nampa, Idaho, Anna Danyella Rebecca, 18, and Alisha Inez Storm, 16, all of Kuna, Idaho. They moved to Idaho in 1985 and spent several years in Garden Valley and Cascade and an occasional venture back to their homeland, Mississippi, before making Kuna their home.

Danny enjoyed camping, being outdoors and fishing. He was an avid fan of Easy Rider magazine and Harley Davidson. He loved listening to music and wrote award winning poetry from a young age.

He and his wife were Girl Scout leaders, in Kuna, for many years.

Danny was a “jack of all trades.” He was a great man who would help a total stranger as well as his closest family member with whatever they needed or find a reliable source for them. He was always helping out kids in need and will be missed by the “Kuna Strays.” He will be remembered for his “special barbecue sauce” and cold baths at Stanley Lake.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph Lee, Crawford Lee Jr. and Leslie Bilbo; a cousin, Allen “Big Al” Ashley; aunt, Katie McClung; maternal grandparents, LaFayette and Eva Brady of Natchez; paternal grandparents, Bilbo and Hettie Newman of Ponchatoula, La.

Survivors include his wife, Shelia; children, Josh Newman and Michele Lenon, Anna Newman and Ty Billings, and Alisha; parents, Crawford and Mae Newman of Nampa; mother-in-law, Sophronia Flaherty and father-in-law, Curtis and Lucy Flaherty of Houston; sisters, Cheryl Renfrow and husband, Billy, of Natchez, Lisa Berrett and husband, Joe, of Melba, Idaho, Julie Skovgard and husband, Troy, of Kuna, and Paula Flaherty and husband, Wesley, of Nampa, Idaho; brothers, James Newman of Boise, Idaho and Paul Newman and wife, Cari, of Nampa; nephews, Leslie Bo Newman, Brandon Renfrow, Simon and Wyatt Skovgard, Newman and Jerod Berrett and Curtis Flaherty; nieces, Jessica Renfrow, Heather Skovgard, KayLee and Kacie Newman, Courtney Flaherty and Georgia Berrett; great-nephews, Logan Newman and Tyler Renfrow; and best friend, Greg Dalton of Florida.

The family would like to thank Michele Lenon for doing CPR and fighting so hard to save his life. As Danny always said, “expect the unexpected and prepare for anything.”

Family condolences may be sent to P. O. Box 92, Kuna, Idaho 83634.

There will be a dinner after the services for family and friends at New Hope Baptist Church.