Harry Newell

Dr. Harry L. Newell of St. Albans passed away Friday, March 8, 2013, at Hubbard Hospice House West, South Charleston. Born March 28, 1930, in Converse, Ind., Dr. Newell was a son of the late Dr. Andrew and Emma Newell. In addition, he was preceded in death by his half-brother, Frank Newell; his sister, June Lumpkins; and his half-sister, Cecil Newman. Born and raised in a rural town, Harry became experienced in and around the farming community. He worked several summers on his uncle's farm and received a full-rounded education in the raising of chickens, feeding hogs and milking cows. With his experience in farming Harry began working at Brown's Hatchery at the age of 14. His responsibilities included loading and unloading of eggs, loading incubators and removing baby chicks as they hatched on a twice weekly basis. While at the hatchery, Harry became certified as a pullorum tester, a disease that infected chicks soon after hatching. He was the youngest tester in Indiana at the time and attended Purdue University for 10 days to receive his certification. It was this experience that created his interest in veterinary medicine. Harry worked for the Brown Hatchery throughout his high school and college years that he spent getting his B.S. degree in agriculture from Purdue University. He also met, fell in love with and married Helen Joyce Mitchell, a secretary he met at Brown's Hatchery. After graduation from Purdue, Harry was accepted at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Together they worked their way through veterinary School, Joyce in the registrars office and Harry as a librarian and janitor at the University. Harry came to West Virginia as an intern at the Charleston Veterinary Hospital during his third and final year at Ohio State. Upon graduation, Dr. Newell returned to the Charleston Veterinary Hospital and the newly built Avalon Dog and Cat Hospital in South Charleston. After five years Dr. Newell established a hospital of his own in St. Albans, the Gateway Animal Hospital. At the same time he opened two part-time clinics in Madison and Logan. Both clinics were later converted to full-time veterinary hospitals. Dr. Newell, during his 40 years in the profession, owned and operated eight veterinary hospitals in the state of West Virginia: Gateway Animal Hospital, St. Albans; Avalon Dog & Cat Hospital, South Charleston; Logan Animal Hospital, Logan; Madison Animal Hospital, Madison; Williamson Animal Hospital, Williamson; Phillips Animal Hospital, Charleston; Hurricane Veterinary Clinic, Hurricane; and Academy Animal Hospital, St. Albans. Dr. Newell did not limit his abilities to the practice of veterinary medicine. Other accomplishments include: member of the West Virginia State House of Delegates, 1977 through 1978; a lobbyist for the West Virginia Medical Association for more than 20 years; and he served two terms as president of the West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, as well as the offices leading to president. He was the West Virginia delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association for 15 years and served six years on the West Virginia Veterinary Licensing Board, serving as president or secretary-treasurer for six years. Dr. Newell served more than 25 years on The Ohio State University Omega Tau Sigma Veterinary Fraternity Board and received the 1973 Gamma Award for his contribution to the university and fraternity; was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award 1981 from The Ohio State University; and was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1988 from the College of Veterinary Medicine at OSU. His community achievements included: 35-year member and past president of the St. Albans Rotary Club and, in 1993, he was designated as a Paul Harris Fellow; past president of the Purdue Alumni Association of West Virginia; past president of the South Charleston Optomist Club; past president of the University Club of Charleston; past treasurer of the South Charleston Community Civic Council; past member of the Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Commission; past secretary-treasurer of the Kanawha Valley Private Industry Council; member of the Kanawha Country Club; past member of the board of directors of the Bank of St. Albans; and member of Washington Masonic Lodge No. 73 AF&AM, Scottish Rite Bodies, Shriners and Jesters of Charleston. He was the former owner of a stable and farm for the production and exhibition of American Saddlebred Horses; a member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church of St. Albans; a long-time member and past president of the St. Albans Chamber of Commerce; and was the recipient of the "Key to the City" award from the city of St. Albans in 1995. Dr. Newell had been a long-time resident of St. Albans; along with his wife, Joyce, they raised three children. In 2012 his beloved wife, Joyce, preceded him in death. He is survived by his children, Kimberly Jo Newell of Cary, N.C., Michael Andrew Newell (Betty) of Apex, N.C., and Timothy Todd Newell (Gracie) of St. Albans; and six grandchildren, Joseph Alex Elam, Mary Catherine (Trey) Knight, Zachary Mitchell Newell, Joshua Mitchell Newell, Harold Timothy Newell and Cody Andrew Newell. Additional services will be at Owen-Weilert-Duncan Funeral Home, Converse, Ind., and burial will be in Thrailkill Cemetery, Indiana. Local arrangements are under the direction of Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, St. Albans, and out-of-town arrangements are under the direction of Owen-Weilert-Duncan Funeral Home, Converse, Ind.

Harry Newell

March 28, 1930 - March 8, 2013