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There are some for whom it
can be said that the world is a better place because they were in it.
O’Neil James “Boots” Newkirk was such a man, touching the hearts of many,
whether as a teacher, a father and grandfather, or simply a mentor. Boots
was a vivid storyteller who loved having one-on-one conversations, and
telling stories to a group, bringing history to life and sharing lessons
learned. His favorite quote came from the character Davy Crockett played
by John Wayne in The Alamo, “There’s right and there’s wrong. You got to
do one or the other. You do the one and you’re living. You do the other
and you may be walking around, but you’re dead as a beaver hat.” This was
more than just a treasured quote to Boots, as it was in many ways his
life’s motto.
The “Roaring Twenties” were a time unlike any other in our nation’s
history. It was in 1924 that The Teapot Dome Scandal was disclosed to the
American public, and also the year in which two American aircraft
returned from the first 175 day ‘round-the-world flight. On June 12th of
that same year Wilfred James and Frances Ida (O’Neil) Newkirk welcomed
the birth of their son, O’Neil James. O’Neil was born in Rogers Heights,
Michigan, in Mecosta
County where his father worked
as an operator of Rogers Dam on the Muskegon River.
The oldest of four children, he was nicknamed “Boots” when he was only
four years old. O’Neil’s Aunt Guyrah Newkirk, a
well-known artist living in New York and
Arizona
at the time, had sent him a pair of cowboy boots that truly caught his
fancy. Although they were much too big, he put them on his feet, clomped
around the house mightily, and rarely took those boots off.
Tragedy struck early in Boots’ young life with the death of his father,
who drowned in an accident while fishing in the Muskegon River near the Tippy Dam when Boots was just four. A short two years
later, their family suffered another devastating blow with the death of
his younger brother, Billy. In many other ways, Boots was a typical young
boy, enjoying fishing on the Muskegon
River and getting
into his fair share of mischief in his hometown of Stanwood, especially
around Halloween. During these formative years, he spent a lot of
treasured time at his Grandma Newkirk’s. His mother remarried in 1937, to
a gentleman named George Crandall and he and Boots enjoyed a close
relationship.
After Boots graduated from Big Rapids High School
in 1941, he enlisted in the Air Force and served aboard a B-29 Bomber, at
times stationed in Saipan, Guam, and Tinian,
China. He
was particularly fond of his time in Tinian where he served as the crew chief
of his plane and was well respected by the pilot and crew. This time in
the service had a great impact on his life moving forward. Among many
serious reflections, one of the reminders of his service time was his
desire to never eat rice again! Once he was discharged from the Air
Force, Boots returned to the Stanwood area where he met a young girl
named Lyana June Reinoehl.
She was an elementary school teacher, and they were introduced by one of
her students at a local roller rink. June was immediately captivated by
his wonderful eyes and truth be told, Boots was a bit smitten too. After
dating for a time, Boots and June were married on June 2, 1946 at the Sugar Ridge Church
of the Brethren in Custer, which began a new chapter in a love story that
would span more than 60 years.
As a new husband Boots needed to establish a career in which he could
support a family. They moved to Mt.
Pleasant where he enrolled at Central Michigan University
and graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Physical
Education and Social Studies. His family grew to include four children:
O’Neil James, Jr., William David, Susan Marie, and Cynthia June. Boots
began his teaching career at Mason
County Eastern
High School in
Custer. The next year he joined the staff at Mason County
Central High
School in Scottville where he taught
history, economics, government, and driver’s education. Boots also served
as a student council adviser and coached many teams including football,
basketball, and baseball at various times throughout his career. He truly
enjoyed sharing Michigan
history, and was a master at intriguing his students as he brought the
subject matter to life. Boots taught his students by telling stories and
sharing both life lessons and experiences. His students also quickly
learned that if they wanted to avoid taking a test on any given day, they
needed to get Mr. Newkirk discussing anything relating to politics and
that discussion would occupy the entire class period. He rarely missed a
day of school and by the time he retired in 1986, his teaching career had
significantly impacted countless students over a span of 37 years.
Teaching was a major component in Boots’ life, but his heart truly beat
for his family. He built their family home on US 10-31 with the help of
his father-in-law. The Newkirk home was often the place to be, since
their door was always open to welcome others. Whether it was prom night,
sleepovers, or regular weekends, the living room floor was often covered
with mattresses. Boots was a leader in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts while
his children were involved, and coached his boys in basketball. His sons
truly enjoyed their camping trips to the Sippy
Ranch on Woodruff
Lake at all times
of the year. Since Boots worked nearly all year, vacations were rare.
When they were able to get away, their trips included traveling around
Lake Superior, fishing at Wawa,
Canada, and a trip to Yellowstone National Park just after their
youngest, Cindy, was born. Later in life Boots treasured holidays, and
there were always big family gatherings for the Fourth of July,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Boots was a highly intelligent man whose favorite subject was United States
history. He loved sharing stories and revisiting history, especially the
Civil War and WWII. Visits from former students and colleagues, not
usually short visits, were a favorite past time. He liked to carry around
a $50 bill so that when he paid for something, he could start a
conversation by asking the cashier who was his or her favorite general,
often using the picture of Grant on the bill as his lead-in to engage in
a teachable moment. Boots became involved with the local chapter of the
Civil War Re-enactment Regiment with his son Jim and his grandson Jimmy.
This adventure began when he purchased a cannon
with son Jim on December 1, 1979. As Jim became more and more involved in
the national chapter, Boots and grandson Jimmy were able to spend time
together as well. All three participated in the making of the movie Gettysburg.
There were many things that made Boots an extraordinary man. Things were
either right or wrong with him - there was no gray area. He was a man of
strong moral convictions who paid close attention to the world in which
he lived. As a history buff, Boots also was intrigued by politics. His
daughter Cindy said, “Dad would have voted for Barry Goldwater every
election if he could have.” One of Boots’ proudest moments was when his
grandson Jimmy was elected to state office at the age of 18. Boots was
always ready to help in any way that he could and never shied away from
hard work. He always felt the need to be doing something useful and that
sentiment extended to his children as well. In the Newkirk home Saturday
mornings were not for sitting around indoors but for getting outside and
doing something! Boots worked side by side with his sons who helped him
with additions to their home over the years. He and June always made sure
their children had whatever they needed, even if it meant going without
for themselves. They always came through tough
times but never let it show. Their children saw that when faced with a
challenge, Boots and June simply overcame whatever obstacle faced them.
Boots was fiercely loyal and proud of his entire family, especially of
their education. Going to college was never a choice for his children; it
was just something they were expected to do. Sixteen members of his
family have chosen education fields for their careers and more are headed
that direction. Because Boots lost his father at a very young age, he
promoted a deep understanding of the fragility of life in his own family
and fostered a profound appreciation for those relationships, always
striving to enhance those close-knit bonds. He rarely missed any of his
grandchildren’s events, often requiring long routes of travel that never
slowed his commitment. Boots and his bride June shared an enduring love
and genuinely enjoyed one another. Later in life, their backyard became
the backdrop for leisurely picnics under the trees, including his
favorite sandwich – peanut butter and lettuce – along with other family
favorites.
Throughout his life, faith was an important cornerstone to Boots. It
served as the guide map he used to navigate his life’s journey. He and
June were members of Scottville
United Methodist
Church where he
held office and taught Sunday school. They remained active members until
health issues limited their involvement. It was also his faith that
sustained him when his beloved June died on February 3, 2007.
Boots Newkirk was a man of great character, treasuring his family and his
faith above all else. He was able to fully embrace one of life’s great
truths: the quest is not so much in getting to where you are going, but
more in the journey along the way. Boots treasured each and every moment
he was given and in doing so, profoundly impacted the lives of others too
numerous to count. He was proud of his time in the military and had a
deep love for his country; he fully immersed himself in sharing his
passion for learning with the many students who shared his classroom; he
was truly devoted to his family and considered being a father and
grandfather as his greatest blessing. Boots leaves behind an unmatched
legacy of integrity, compassion, and quiet strength that will surely
withstand the test of time.
O’Neil James “Boots” Newkirk died on Saturday, December 26, 2009 at his
home. Along with his wife June, he was preceded in death by his parents,
beloved grandson Benjamin Kelly, and brother William. He will be greatly
missed by his children O'Neil James (Connie) Newkirk Jr. of Scottville,
William David (Paula) Newkirk of Sanford, Susan Marie (Bruce) Kelly of
Stony Lake, and Cynthia June (Marc) Yenkel of
Clare; 9 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; his sister Marie (Harry)
Michaels of Big Rapids, his brother Richard (Peg) Crandall of Vacaville,
California; his sister-in-law Susan (Lee) Zajic
of Lady Lake, Florida, and many nieces and nephews.
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The new Chair and staff will take office
on January 1, 2010. Schedules for 2009
will continue to be handled by the present Chair, James Newkirk. The new staff
will handle all 2010 dates. Current Regional Inspector and Instructor
appointments are valid thru Dec. 31 2009. The NCWAA anticipates that the
incoming Chair will have a staff in place with the coming of the New Year. When asked about the future of the NCWAA and
his goals, Ethan Barnett stated “We
already have a strong group of regional inspectors in place, and the staff
needs to continue to work with these people to address the needs of their
regions. Also, the Association needs to continue to expand the number of
inspectors to provide a greater number of schools for the membership. The schools that we currently host are
excellent, the inspectors and instructors who provide the instruction are doing
a great job, and we just need to expand it.” Mr. Barnett hopes to expand the NCWAA by
exploring the idea of new regions and Inspectors, improving instruction
including leadership classes and promote greater communication with the
membership.