Don't know if Heaven gained an “angel”, but we know he's there. You see, he had already been to Hell.

On 9 June, 2026, the last fight ended, the mission was successful and it was complete. There were no medals this time, only the dignity that comes with a full life, and one that was well lived in the service of his country and his countrymen. Newman, COL Ray D, at ease! You may stand down.

The Colonel, Uncle Ray, Dumps, Daddy was born on 23 May, 1941 to Bill and Mary Newman of Monroe, LA. He attended Barkdull Faulk, Lida Benton, and in 1959, graduated from Ouachita Parish High School. He umpired baseball games, worked in a pool hall, and cut right-of -way for LP&L. After graduating in Economics from Northeast Louisiana State College in 1964, he was commissioned a 2LT in the United States Army and was assigned to Fort Benning, GA where he completed the Infantry Officer's Basic and Advance Courses. Thereafter, he was assigned to Fort Jackson, SC where he and first wife, Barbara, had their only son, Todd.

From there, he requested to be sent to Vietnam. He was sent to Monterey, CA where, for six months, he was immersed in the Defense Language School. When he emerged, he was fluent in Vietnamese and assigned, as a 1LT, to Vietnam where he served with the 21st ARVN Division, IV Corps through mid 1967. He returned stateside and was assigned as an ROTC instructor at Clemson University where one of his students was future Dallas Cowboys' DB, Charlie Waters. From there, Ray was sent back to Fort Benning, GA to begin Ranger School and earn his Airborne Wings as well. He was promoted to Captain.

Upon completion of Ranger School, he requested to return to Vietnam where he served as Rifle Company Commander, "Charlie" Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Immediately on deployment, he was dropped into Firebase Ripcord, one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. He returned to the states upon completion of his second tour, and was assigned to Fort Bragg, NC, and then to Fort Leavenworth, KS where he attended the US Command and General Staff College. In 1974, he was assigned to the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station (AFEES), in Amarillo, TX. While there, he was promoted to Major and he also earned two Master's Degrees from West Texas State University. Next, he was assigned to MILPERCEN in Washington DC, but took leave for a month so he could become a blacksmith at The Oklahoma Farrier College. He spent two years shoeing horses for folks who knew nothing of his military service.

He was promoted to LTC while there. In 1980, Ray was tapped by a former commanding officer, Brigadier General Kenneth Leuer, to command the US Jungle Warfare School at Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone. From there, General Leuer brought him to Camp James E. Rudder in Florida to command the US Army Ranger School Swamp Phase through 1985. It was there that Ray survived his final parachute jump after a malfunction almost cost him his life. After a 90 day hospital stay and a few surgeries, he was assigned to command the ROTC program while recovering from his injuries at his alma mater, Northeast Louisiana University. He was promoted to Colonel while there. He finished his military career in Birmingham, AL in command of a 21 state Army Reserve/National Guard units, and then returned to Monroe with his second wife, Lynn.

In all, after almost two and a half years at war, and during a 26 year military career, Ray had seven commands when two was the norm, and he was decorated 40 times. Included amongst the decorations were 3 Cross of Gallantry issued by the South Vietnamese government, 4 Air Medals representing over 100 actual combat missions, a Purple Heart, 4 Bronze Stars with "V' device, a Silver Star, and The Soldier's Medal (the highest award for non-combat bravery, when he swam a flash flooded river 3 times to single handedly save 19 men trapped on a shrinking sand bar). One soldier, then LT, and future Attorney General of Maine, Mike Carpenter called it the single greatest act of bravery he ever witnessed. After the third trip across the river, Ray was swept away and presumed dead. Two days later, he re-appeared in a helicopter, rifle in one hand, smoke grenade in the other to lead an assault on a large contingent of the North Vietnamese Army. He earned his Ranger Tab, Airborne Wings, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. He was an Army Ranger, and a member of the elite 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. During his career, and most impressively during the turbulent 1960s and the Vietnam War, he never issued an Article 15 to a soldier, and never had a "Field Refusal" by his men. LT Carpenter called him "the greatest leader of men" he has ever known.

Following his military career, he returned seamlessly into civilian life as an adjunct professor of sociology and psychology at NLU. He became The Athletic Counselor (TAC) for the football and men's basketball teams, and produced more Academic All-Americans than in any time in school history. In 14 years as TAC, not a single athlete was ever lost to grades. It was also during this time that Ray founded the Equine Science Program at NLU Farms. Most dear to his heart was the program for handicapped children.

To ensure he had no spare time, during and after his military and academic career, he was a lifetime member of USTA (karate), a 32nd degree Mason, a member of and regular competitor in the National Cutting Horse Association as well as a judge for the NCHA. Ray was a lifelong duck hunting enthusiast. Amongst his final wishes was to have his ashes placed into a duck decoy and thrown into Wham Brake, his beloved duck hunting home.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Margie; nephew Matt Magee; his wife, Lynn; and his grandson, Reagan Darby Newman. Left to reflect on his life and memory are his son Todd (Kim); step-daughter Alana Babb; granddaughter Kelly Chriceol (Jordan), their expectant daughter, Darby Marie Chriceol, and Carter and Reese Chriceol; and grandson/hunting buddy, Ty.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Carpenter, Mike Vining, Dave Roberts, Tag Rome, Greg Sampognaro, Kenny Cagle, Todd Holyfield, Rooster Oliveaux, John Frady, and Ardell Rodgers.

The family would also like to thank the sitters and nurses who attended Ray the last year of this life; his doctor/hunting buddy, Greg Sampognaro; and a very special thanks to his good friend Mike Vining who was at Ray's bedside EVERYDAY he was in town at 4:30 for the last year.

A memorial service with full military honors will be held at Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, 701 Kansas Lane, Monroe on June 20, 2026 at 1200 hours (noon for the non-military). Good friend and neighbor, Reverend Ray Owens will officiate the service. Ultimate interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Chennault Aviation & Military Museum in honor of COL Ray Dean Newman.

The Colonel lived a long, full life. He served his country for 26 years, his state for 14 years, and those in need of guidance as well as those who didn't know they were in need of guidance his entire life. As such, the general public is invited to pay their last respects at the Memorial Service on June 20. Ray would like nothing more, as his final act of service on this Earth, than to be a reminder to the younger generations (the kids) of what it means to have lived honorably and patriotically, and to have a sense of what it means to love this life, but most importantly, this country.

His reminder to himself of who he needed to be hung on the wall of every house in which he lived. We should all appreciate the ones who "ran in" while others "ran out". Men like him were needed on "that wall". We should all give thanks to the boys who were willing to sacrifice their yesterdays so the rest of us could have our tomorrows, or "pick up a weapon and stand a post". Those who cover us in the blanket of freedom are unique sorts of men. The words of his reminder are as follows:

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing is worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing for which he cares about more than his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free unless made so and kept so by the efforts of better men than himself."

The life of a father, a teacher, a cowboy, a patriot, and a genuine American hero has ended. What a life it was. Take a look.......take a good long look, for few of his kind will pass this way again.

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!