. A Heartfelt Thank You to everyone!

[PNewitt]

There are no words to describe the warmth I feel from my Mustang friends. Your support is very moving.

I have about 50 pages of handwritten data she transcribed for me months ago for the registry. She'd ask me about certain codes and if the numbers were right, and why there were so few 143K VINs.

She knew all of your names and where you lived, too.

She, most of all believed in all of you, and would feel empathy for any of your losses or stories I'd tell her from reading about it here.

We're having a memorial service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Davis, CA on Sat., March 7th at 2pm.

Leia and I will be coming to Yakima in mid-March to place her ashes with her mother at Terrace Heights cemetary.

We'll then go over Snoqualamie Pass
to Seattle, and perhaps we could arrange a dinner meeting with local owners and friends.
(I hope that the road will be clear from snow).

How I'd LOVE to go to Victoria, but we'd need passports, which we don't have right now (how my mom loved Victoria!!!).

I am very moved by all of your care for my mother and my family.

I'll be sending update letters to everyone who pre-ordered a book (or more), and I am very concerned about the book's delay. I will be hitting the ground running once I'm back from Washington St.

My sincerest thanks to everyone.

Paul.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Paul:

I'm glad to hear you were able to spend so much quality time with your mother. The relationship you describe is very heart warming. I most certainly would have liked to have known the wonderful woman you have described.

My sincerest condolences,

Skip

 

[gtcs1]

Paul,

Just realized this when I looged in this morning. I'm very sorry for you and your family. All my deepest condolences are with you.

Take your time to go thru this moment with your relatives.

I really thank her for all she did to help progress the gt/cs community. She demonstrated great link to you. That's priceless for a son.

Pierre

 

[rvrtrash]

My condolences Paul. It's hard to think about, but we'll all see our loved ones again some day.

Steve

 

[hotrodgrany]

Personaly, I think the completion of the book can wait a little longer, family comes first and what you and your family are doing and going through takes presidents to anything right now. Take care and God Bless

 

[obwan93001]

My sincere condolences Paul..

...go out to you and your family. I just got back on here this morning and read of your Mom's passing. I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said by your GT/CS family here but know that you all are in my prayers. She was an awesome person and a great asset to the GT/CS community, she will be deeply missed and remembered forever.

Warmest of regards,

Oscar
obwan93001

 

[PNewitt]

Thank you, Oscar. I can't thank you enough for posting the Galpin event on You Tube. The friends where she stayed during Hospice, had a wi-fi, and she got to see me get the Iaccoca award while in bed, on a small laptop. it was a very proud family moment, thanks to your thoughtfulness.

Here is her obituary, that I wrote yesterday for the local papers:

(Obituary for Della C. Newitt)

Della Claire Newitt

September 21, 1924 - February 26, 2009

Loving mother to Paul and Mark Newitt, Della passed away peacefully at the age of 84, in the care of family and friends. We will greatly miss her wisdom, selflessness and compassion for life. Born in Yakima, Washington, Della was a descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers. Survived by Paul and Leia; Mark and Andrea, and grandchildren Benjamin, Nicole and Brianna Newitt. She worked for the Army Engineers in Seattle during World War II, meeting our father, Phil. A resident of Seattle Wa, Portland, Or, then Dixon in 1962, and Davis in 1977, she worked for the University of California, Davis for 29 years in the Landscape Horticulture Dept., then the School of Medicine, Anesthesiology Dept. as an Administrative Assistant. Della loved fine art, classical music, interior design, and held a well-versed knowledge of plants and flowers. She also loved cats and butterflies. Her gentle nature and silent strengths will be missed by all who knew her. Memorial Service will be at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Davis, on March 7th, at 2pm. Inurnment with her mother in Yakima. Donations in her name can be made to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, in the support of Butterflies.

 

[aemoo28]

Funny how my dad was also 84, and left the next day. Flew Navy in WWII, born in Portland, U of O School of Medicine. Perhaps they are together discussing his/her daughter/son's never ending passion for Cal Specials.

I can't believe how much you look like her, Paul. Wish I could've been there for you today at her service.

 

[clubpro]

It was a beautiful service for an incredible lady. Paul did a great job and was able to keep it together the whole time. I don't know how he did it, but he did. Paul's mother was a very talented lady who made a difference in the lives of all those she came in contact with. She passed her passions on to her son's and enjoyed watching their success both in life and in their careers. Needless to say she was a great mother and a great lady.

Cheers,

Ron

 

[PNewitt]

Thank you so much, Ron.

It means so much to me that you attended. it was a very nice service for my mother. She was very well respected.

It was difficult to do my mother's Eulogy, but the message was more important than the emotion.

I am SO impressed with the support and help from everyone here. Cards and PMs, as well as emails, too.

It's very touching, and it says so much about the level of affection here between the members, and owners.

We have so much more to look forward to as a GT/CS "family". Get togethers, and closer communication about our cars and us as people.

I feel very lucky to be part of this community, and our future looks very bright!!!.

Thank you all so very much.

Paul.

 

[OUR P51]

Paul,
Apologies I couldn't fly out to be with you for your wonderful Mom's service. I sure wanted to be there too.

Just got home from hosting our nephew's wedding at my wife's restaurant. My wife is fast asleep as is my daughter and two of our grandkids, who are spending the night.

I had you in my prayers during the day and was there in spirit as I'm sure the rest of us were who couldn't be there in person.

Your wrote a very well written obituary for your Mom, and that you held it together for your Mom's Eulogy...very hard to do, and you did it for her. Well done.

IMO your Mom's work here is completed (in quiet elegance it seems), the good Lord had mercy on her and came and took her home as He needs her with Him.

I'm sure she is very proud of you, and will be watching over you and looking out for you.

You will also have times when you sense her around you, if that makes any sense.

Here is an example. Tonight during the reception our nephew did the Mother/son dance to "Some Where Over the Rainbow". I wouldn't have guessed that they would play that as their song to dance together, and that was my Dad's favorite song as long as it was Judy Garland singing.

I found myself singing along (quietly in the key of Z flat) and for a few moments felt like my Dad was sitting next me, (having a good cigar and glass of heavenly champagne, just smiling with a twinkle in his eye) as if he had stopped by to visit (as much as one can from heaven) without words, I just really felt his presence. I always treasure those moments. It'll be 20 years Dec. 19th.

Please take all the time you need to grieve, it is very important to do so.

God bless you in this time Paul.

 

[PNewitt]

Thank you, Mark for your heartfelt comments. I DO appreciate them.

I have had my sorrowful moments, as my mother was also my best friend.

She actually apologised to me in the hospital last month for taking me away from working on the book.

I think that at this point, she'd want me to hit the ground running, and get the book done ASAP. I feel that immersing myself in my labor of love will help me cope with her loss.

About two days ago, for a second I thought: "hey, I bet my mom would like to come to this thing at the church, I should go pick her up, and we'll go...then I realized it was for her.

Many nice folks came to the service, and I sure came close to losing it up there...but my mom's silent strength (from her Yakima Rancher Father's strengths) got me through it, since it was time to tell her story.

I remember when I took her to her HS reunion in Yakima (Cowiche High) in 1985, and we took my Special, and we drove along the beautiful Columbia River Gorge Highway on a warm, late summer afternoon with the windows down, and the 30" glasspacks blazing along at 70mph to Yakima from Portland. It was then that she first said: "Head up and Tail Flyin'".

Paul.

 

[clubpro]

Paul,

I was happy that I lived close enough to be there to hear about your mom. She and my mom would have been good friends if they had known each other. They had a lot of the same interests and had the same spirit. I am who I am because of my mom and I know you feel the same way about your mother.

Below is Della Newitt's picture. Paul wasn't able to attach it.

Cheers,

Ron

 

[PNewitt]

I just wanted to say that I think now is the time to wrap up this thread, and get back to the business of having fun with our Mustangs. I really appreciate everyone who came here to read this thread, but I don't wish to "wear out the welcome".....

My mother was very dear to me, and I've received many wonderful, heartwarming PMs on the side. There are many of you who have lost your moms over time, and it's never an easy thing to deal with. "US kids" never want to think about it, but it's an eventuallity that unfortulately, we all must face some day.

If you're at an age where your parents are still "around", then give them a call or at least give them a hug once in a while. Tell them that you love them and honor them, too. We take life for granted sometimes, and their time with you is not forever.

What I did for the past several years was appreciate moments with my mother, and took her places and did things for her. I took the time to think of those moments as they happened, so I could think of them later. I have no regrets, and I'm happy with how my life with her worked out.

She was SO thrilled about me and my Mustang, and loved to ride in it (except for those hard bumps!). She liked to say "let'r Rip!' when I'd take off (safely, of course). She had a true interest in the GT/CS; after all, she paid half for mine in 1974 ($1,500 total cost).

We can move on knowing just how appreciative and supportive we are for each other in times like this. I never meant to take away from any other's family situations, etc., as my mother would feel the same. I REALLY appreciate the cards and emails and PMs in your support. I feel quite lucky to have the friendships and support that I do have.

I leave for Yakima soon (Cemetary), and we'll see about some sort of dinner get together in Seattle with CS owners and enthusiasts.

Watch for a lot more happening very soon. In all of this, I never felt down about doing the book, it was just a time thing. This experience has shown me the power of our enthusiasm, sincerity and honor for each other. We can take that and do anything we want to!!!!

The Newitt family extends our greatest appreciation to all of you.

Now, let's move on, and do some great things!

Paul M. Newitt