Stephen D. Newman passed on July 2, 2026 at his family home in Newbury, NH at the age of 63.
Steve was born in Concord, MA to Robert (“Bob”) and Barbara (“Bee”) Newman (née Eastman), joining his four older sisters – Deb, Laurie, Jackie, and Jen. Throughout Steve’s childhood, the family lived in Acton, MA and Exeter, NH. He graduated from Williston Northampton School in 1981, where he enjoyed playing lacrosse.
After spending a year working, Steve enrolled at New England College (NEC) in Henniker, NH, where he met the love of his life, Ellen Brownson. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry and a master’s degree in Geospatial Science from the University of New Hampshire (UNH). He spent 10 years at UNH’s Earth, Oceans, and Space Center before working in the private sector for several years. He then spent the remainder of his career at the Army Corps of Engineers’ Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, NH, where he served as Chief of Terrain and Ice Engineering.
After NEC, Steve and Ellen went on to live throughout New England, eventually settling in Kensington, NH where they began raising their three children – Paige, Travis, and Anna. In 2003, the family moved to Newbury, NH where Ellen remains to this day.
Steve’s greatest joy was spending time with his family, especially on Lake Massasecum at the family Camp. He was a devoted steward of the family property, and lived to hunt, swim and enjoy the land. In recent years, he also fell in love with Lake Sunapee, where he found an unexpected community of neighbors and friends who brought him great joy.
Steve was a talented woodworker and a true jack-of-all-trades who could fix anything and solve any technical challenge. He was also a devoted fan of all Boston sports. Most of all, Steve was loved and respected wherever he went. He had many communities over the years, from professional to personal, and he was held in the highest regard in all of them.
Steve is predeceased by his parents; his mother- and father-in-law, Phyllis and Harold; and his brother-in-law, Keith.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen; his children, Paige, Travis, and Anna; his granddaughter, Bonnie; his son-in-law, Zack; his four sisters; his sister- and brother-in-law, Lori and Joel; his beloved dog, Goose; and many more family members and friends who loved him deeply.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. at The First Baptist Church in New London, NH, with a celebration to follow at the Appleseed Restaurant in Bradford, NH. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Steve’s life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lake Massasecum Improvement Association – checks can be mailed to LMIA, PO Box 15, Bradford, NH 03221.
