As most of you will know our dad, Rod Newman, passed away at 1.30 pm on Monday the 21st of December. It will surprise none of you to hear that he fought until the very end and died on his terms, at home and holding our mum, Margaret’s, hand.
As a family, we have been overwhelmed by the messages of condolences and memories that we have received from you all, and that is the purpose of setting up this memorial page. If you wish, could you either cut and paste your message that you have already sent to us in the last few days, or even sit down and write something from scratch. Recently, we have learnt so much about what he meant to so many people, and we can’t help but think we have only scratched the surface.
As many of you will know, our Dad worked at Woodvale for most of his life. The motto there is “known to few but forgotten by none”. If you change two words in their motto, “few” to “many”, and “but” to “and” you end up with “known to many and forgotten by none”. We think this sums him up perfectly. We are all suffering following the death of our dad, but over time, this memorial page will give us a lasting memorial to what he was to you all and in time, when we are brave enough, we can truly celebrate these memories in a way that would fit the man he was.
Phil, Sarah, Cat and John x
Book Owner: The Newmans
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Pete Round
It has taken a long time for the news about Rod to reach me and I hope he would forgive me for being a tad late to add a few words. I first met Rod when he came (back) to Woodvale and our first flight together was 21 Feb 1981. From that point on he supported me as an instructor and mentor for the next 30 years or more. He taught me to fly, to sail and to lead. I own him a debt of gratitude that can now never be repaid. Like so many his influence on me was profound and his legacy will live on in some many of us for years to come. Thank you Rod with all my heart. …
Rod Newman How many people in their lives can claim to have dramatically (and positively) influenced the life of another? Not that many I venture. How special must a person be therefore to do that for numerous different people over such a long period of time. As I near retirement, I have been looking through my log book and although my flying career was tiny compared to Rod’s, it became a fundamental part of who I am and all that was due to Rod. I bet scores of young pilots can say the same. But how lucky was I when I look in detail at my time flying Bulldogs on MASUAS at Woodvale and see that of my 60 plus trips and hours flying at that time, more than half were with Rod. I am not sure in my whole career I ever met a kinder, more encouraging, helpful but professional instructor. What I am sure of is that when I joined MASUAS with 5 other “Cadet Pilots” I had no intention of joining the RAF. The wonderful instructors there, epitomised by Rod, were the reason by the time my university career was over there was nothing else I …
Rod was a unique and wonderful man and we will all miss him very much. He was not only an exceptional pilot and flying instructor, but also a great mentor and friend. I am convinced I would not have got into The RAF without his guidance and help. Even now, and particularly after his passing, when I fly The Tutor I think of him and can vividly remember him teaching me all the aerobatic manoeuvres 45 years ago that I am still performing – together with his witty comments! Always smiling and laughing, and seeing the funny side. Very few people have left such an indelible mark on so many, and that is surely the most telling sign of what a great person he was. We will all never forget him. God bless you Rod. …
Rod (or Roger as we affectionally used to call him) always made people feel welcome and at ease. I remember very well meeting him for the first time at Preston Station where he picked us up with “refreshments” waiting in the car. Over the years I had the chance to meet him in various locations while he visited John. The friendly welcome and interesting conversations always made it a joyful time. Rod – Rest In Peace and my sincerest condolences to the Newman family. …
My Great Uncle Rod was always a shining light and friendly face in my life. I remember staying with him and Margie when I travelled to England with my family when I was only very little. I have so many beautiful memories captured in pictures of my time with Rod including when we visited the Kelvingrove Museum and I was very little up on Windy Hill. Rod was always very excited to be chatting to us from Tassie and he never failed to remember every little detail of our adventures since we had last spoken to him. I will miss you Great Uncle Rod more than I can imagine. I love you very much xx Love, Isabelle …
I am blessed to have spent time with Great Uncle Rod during my time visiting England from when I was 4 to 18 years old. When I was younger, my family would visit Margie and Rod and my sister and I would be spoiled with love and attention. As I got older, Margie and Rod would pick me up from the airport when I travelled to the UK alone so I always had friendly faces to welcome me after a long journey and Rod would proceed to drive down the motorway like he was taking off in a plane! He was always happy to sit and talk to me about his life, especially his time in the RAF, and he was always interested in what I had been doing in Australia. He came to support me at the UK archery national series for which I was very grateful. Rod, you were a very kind and humble person and I cherish the time we spent together. May you Rest In Peace xx Love, Anna …
Rod, or “Control Room” to me, was full of life, enthusiasm and fun. Over the years he entertained me on many occasions; hosting alongside Margaret a group of John’s University friends at their home in Poulton, meals at Silvio’s and coming to the rescue of John, Matt and I when we were nearly stranded late one night near Dalwhinnie on a cycle trip, are just a few. He had a fantastic sense of humour and loved a story. However, one memory that really stands out was when I took my two daughters and some friends to the Brooklands Museum a few years ago. He spent the best part of a couple of hours taking us around the museum, sitting with us in the cockpit of Concorde and enthusiastically explaining the history of the plane and various facts about it. My daughters and their friends had never met Rod, but they warmed to him quickly, enjoying listening to his anecdotes and chatting away. He was a man who put people at ease whilst also entertaining them. Rest in peace Rod….and sorry again for scuffing up the golf course in Como. Love Tommo x …
Having met Cat and John at Manchester University I remember one of the first times I met Rod was at the family home in Poulton where a big group of us were celebrating John’s birthday. His unassuming and non-judgemental acceptance of everyone was a quality I saw repeated over and over every time I met him subsequently. He had an uncanny ability to put you at ease and could talk at any level so that somehow you felt as if there was a message or some wisdom that you were gifted with, however subtle. This gift of Rod’s was one of the many qualities that meant he was so loved by all. My only regret is that we saw each other so infrequently. May God Bless you Rod and the Newman family, enshrine the many joyous memories and bring peace to all your hearts. …
Rod was a lovely guy. I first met him when he was doing tours of the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, when I worked there. Later on, he was so kind to give my mum, my son and myself, a personal look around the Concorde at Brooklands. She’s always loved that aeroplane so for her it was a real treat. Rod was very patient and generous with his time. My mum asked a lot of questions! Fly safe Rod. And thanks for the coffee mate. …
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