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He found a true calling in that work.

Jason Eugene Newman, 42, passed away on October 23, 2026. Born on December 7, 1983, Jason lived with strength, humor, and a deep love for the people around him. He will be remembered as a loving husband, a proud father, a hard worker, and someone who was always ready to help when help was needed.

Jason worked at Good Shepherd as a cemetery maintenance supervisor. When people asked what he did, he would say that he laid people’s families to rest. He found a true calling in that work. Even while he was in the hospital, he was concerned about the families he was not able to help during that time. That caring spirit said so much about who he was.

He faced life with determination. Jason dropped out of school when he was younger, but he went back and earned his GED. After that, he went on to learn welding. He also played football and basketball and excelled at both sports. One of his proudest accomplishments was being a dad, and after earning his GED, he achieved the highest ranking in the career readiness and skill assessment, receiving a platinum ranking.

Jason was a gifted artist who loved drawing. He enjoyed gaming, tattoos, fishing, hunting, and all kinds of music, especially Randy Travis. He loved to cook and try new foods, and those who knew him will remember that he was a steak connoisseur. He also loved watching Family Guy and was known for doing a good Lois voice from the show. For a time, the gym was an important part of his life as well.

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That caring spirit said so much about who he was.

He was a survivor in every sense of the word. Jason often talked about being shot at age four and about wrecking his motorcycle and suffering a head injury. Through it all, he would say that he had been through it, but nothing was going to take him down. That strength stayed with him throughout his life.

Jason had a personality that people were naturally drawn to. He was a big kid at heart and would often say he was a Toys “R” Us kid who was never going to grow up. He was loving, funny, spontaneous, and full of life. You never knew what he might show up with next, sometimes even a new animal. He was a protector, a listening ear, and the kind of person who would be there if you needed him. He worked hard, loved deeply, and was a great father.

He is survived by his wife, Dorlanda, with whom he shared 14 years of marriage. He is also survived by Michael Newman, Natalie Barnette, Kason Whitesides, Jaxson Newman, David Newman, Jerry Newman, and Sherry Tanner. He is further survived by his stepsisters, Crystal Tanner and Felicia Tanner. Jason’s family and friends will carry his memory with them in the love he gave, the laughter he brought, and the steady way he showed up for others.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Teresa Coxey Tanner; his grandparents, Ray Adams and Margaret Lucielle Crossley Coxey; his great-grandparents, Walter Eugene Crossley and Margaret Pearl Seelers Crossley; and Riccie Ann Whitesides and Michael Ray Coxey.

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He was loving, funny, spontaneous, and full of life.

Jason Eugene Newman leaves behind a life marked by resilience, kindness, humor, and heart. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.