Robert Anthony Newman

Funeral service for Robert Anthony Newman, 69, of Lawton will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home.

Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Following his wife’s funeral service on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, Mr. Newman fell ill. He passed away from natural causes on Sunday, March 24, 2024, surrounded by his loving children.

Viewing will be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a special viewing and visitation for family and friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. 

Robert was born on February 3, 1955, in Nuremberg, Germany, to Ray and Rosemary (Ballew) Newman.  He grew up in Lawton, where he attended Swinney Elementary, Tomlinson Junior High, and graduated from Lawton High School in 1973 in which he was the Thespian president his senior year. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Cameron University, where he was also involved in the theatre. He started working for Southwestern Bell Telephone at age 20, and later transitioned to AT&T for a combined 43 years of service.  

Robert married Carla Bruns on September 6, 1975, and from this union his son, Aaron, was born. Robert later married the love of his life, Cova Hix, on June 27, 1981, and he gained two daughters, Jenifer and Lara.

Robert was loved by everyone he met, and his and Cova’s home was the gathering hub for all occasions. He was a kind and gentle soul who was a quiet genius and was incredibly funny. He loved God, family, friends, Jeopardy, sports, birds, and many stray cats. He loved OU and spent many weekends traveling with his devoted wife to tailgates and home games. He was very proud of his son, Aaron, and enjoyed listening to him play the guitar and sing. Robert loved going to the movies with Cova, and they particularly liked watching Oscar-nominated films.  Robert, who was known as “Pop” and “Poppy”, enjoyed going to horror films with their grandson, Gavin, and he cherished just spending time with their grandson, Carsen, and granddaughter, Avery.  For 25 years, he met his mother, brother, and sisters for lunch every Friday at Braum’s. 

Robert and Cova supported each other in good times and bad, and in sickness and in health. Through tough times, phone company strikes, and cancer, they stood together.  When Robert laid his precious Cova in her final resting place, he told her, “I love you sweetheart.  I’ll see you real soon.”  

Robert is survived by his son, Aaron Newman and his girlfriend, Erika Raschke, of Oklahoma City, OK; his daughter, Jenifer Brazzel-Stamper and her boyfriend, Lanny Perez, of Lawton, OK; his daughter and son-in-law, Lara and Jimmy Pesek, of Norman, OK; his sister, Connie Hakimipour, of Orlando, FL; his brother and sister-in-law, Chris and Carolyn Newman, of Duncan, OK; his sister and brother-in-law, Jane and Raymond Miles, of Sykesville, MD; his sister and brother-in-law, Laura and Marshall Clevenger, of Lawton, OK; his sister-in-law and her husband, Tonya and Mike Sanders, of Marlow, OK; his grandchildren, Ethan, Gavin, and Carsen Stamper, and Avery Pesek; his niece and husband, Amanda and Greg Hightower, of Elgin, OK, and their children, Kayden and Rylan Stedman, and Spencer, Brady, and Sadie Hightower, and numerous family members and loving friends.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Cova; his parents, Ray Newman, Rosemary Newman Morales, his sister, Carol Newman; and brother-in-law, Fred Hakimipour.