Mary E. Newby

Mary E. Newby was born in Lexington, Kentucky, the only child of Basil and Mabel Owsley.

Mary graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School with honors, ranking in the top five of her class, and was a member of the National Honor Society. She later attended Wilberforce University.

While her father was serving overseas, Mary chose to support the war effort by becoming a defense worker. Goodyear was recruiting employees for its aircraft plant, where she accepted a position. It was there that she met her lifelong friend, Katie Epps, and her future husband, Fred Newby.

Mary was a devoted woman of faith. She first joined Shiloh Baptist Church and later became one of the founding members of Trinity Baptist Church. Throughout the years, she faithfully served her church family as President of the Choir and later as Treasurer of the Welcome Committee.

A lover of fashion and elegance, Mary pursued a career in modeling. After graduating from modeling schools in Cleveland and Akron, she became Akron’s first Black professional model. She also made history as the first Black model for Polsky’s Department Store in both Akron and Cleveland. Her modeling career provided opportunities to travel and work alongside other professional models throughout the region.

Mary and Fred Newby shared a loving marriage for 42 years.

Her second great passion was travel. She enjoyed exploring the country with friends and especially looked forward to attending the Essence Awards events in New York each year for nine consecutive years.

Mary also had a deep love for animals. She was a faithful annual contributor to PETA, The Humane Society, and the ASPCA, reflecting her lifelong compassion for animal welfare.

After a dedicated career, Mary retired from General Motors in 1996.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Basil and Mabel Owsley, and her godparents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence White.

She leaves to cherish her memory her son, William Toomer; her dear friends, Ernestine “Boots” Hayes and Ann Strickland; her church family and devoted caretaker, Sandra Barker; and a host of other relatives and friends whose lives she touched with her kindness, grace, and enduring friendship.