Arnita Newlin

Arnita Maerz Newlin, age 97, died in Longview, on Saturday, May 3, 2008. She was born in Mentz, Colorado County, on July 15, 1910 to John Maerz and Margaret Brod Maerz, the fifth of eight children.

She was a descendant of Johann Brod who settled in the Republic of Texas in the Mentz- Columbus area.

Mrs. Newlin was reared in rural Wharton County and finished high school as a boarding student in El Campo.

On Aug. 23, 1930 she married her childhood sweetheart, Arthur William Newlin. They lived in Wharton until 1954 when they moved to the AA Farm, brand for Arthur and Arnita, in Douglassville. She was the proud matriarch of a large family and is survived by children and their spouses Margaret and Andy McLaughlin; Marie and the late John Smith; Arthur William Newlin Jr. and Diana and Carroll Sherman. Her grandchildren are Dave Smith, Patrick McLaughlin, Julie Fleming, Gay Young, Michelle Foreman, Brenda, Art and Ross Newlin, Renese Henderson and Darrel Sherman. She has 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Her children honored their parents with large parties on the occasions of their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries; and again for Arnita on her 90th birthday.

Mrs. Newlin was a high energy people person and their home at the AA Farm was a constant stream of visitors who were always welcomed. They came to stroll through the pines, hold Easter Egg hunts, play dominoes and share meals of her wonderful cooking.

She loved to work and she loved to play. She was a very successful independent sales woman, a hands-on cattlewoman, a gardener and a great cook; but her proudest accomplishments were her rugs and quilts. She sewed beautifully and even designed her own patterns for dresses. She made Christmas stockings and placemats and hooked rugs of hand-dyed wools. In her retirement years, from carefully saved scraps of materials all colored coded, she made and hand quilted many quilts - Flower Garden, Lone Star and Postage Stamp were her favorite patterns. She spread warmth and beauty all over Texas, gifting these quilts to her children and grandchildren. She made a baby quilt for every family newborn.

She was active in the Douglassville community, particularly with seniors and her 42 clubs.

She lived on the farm until she was 92 when she moved to Longview to be closer to her family. She was a member of the St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Atlanta and following her move to Longview she was attended by members of St. Matthews Catholic Church.

She was a unique lady!

Rosary services will be held at 9:30 a.m. today, Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at the chapel of Wharton Funeral Home and funeral services will follow at 10 a.m. at the funeral home with Deacon Alvin Matthys officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Wharton.

Pallbearers are Patrick McLaughlin, Art Newlin, Ross Newlin, Nathan "Bubba" Young, James "Jim" Foreman and Glen Newlin.

Honorary Pallbearers are Dave Smith, Charles Edward Maerz, Mark Maerz and Graham Fleming.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Matthew's Catholic Church, 2800 Pine Tree Rd., Longview, TX 75604; or to Heart's Way Hospice of Northeast Texas, 1306 Pine Tree Rd., Longview, TX 75604.