What’s Your Story: Friends, family pay final respects to Colonel Ray Newman in special tribute
Ouachita Parish native and longtime NLU professor is remembered for decades of service and a Vietnam-era rescue credited with saving 19 lives
MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Friends, family and admirers are paying their final respects to Colonel Ray Newman, an Ouachita Parish native whose life of service is being honored in a special edition of “What’s Your Story?”
Often known simply as “Ray,” Newman never sought the spotlight, those close to him said. But the story of his military career — and the lives he touched far beyond the uniform — has become the kind of legacy preserved in exhibits and passed down through generations.
“He was not into the pomp and circumstance,” one friend said. “Maybe when you really are a hero, you don’t have to tell everybody you’re a hero… and that’s why he was just Ray.”
A career defined by service
Newman, an NLU graduate, served 26 years in the military, including two tours and more than two-and-a-half years in war zones. Those who knew him said he requested to be sent to Vietnam, choosing to run toward danger when others would have fled.
He held seven commands and was decorated 40 times, according to those familiar with his record. Yet friends said Newman rarely spoke about awards and preferred to focus on the people around him.
“He listened to you if you bellyached or complained,” a former colleague said, “and at the end… he would look at you and say, ‘Well… at least no one is shooting at you.’”
‘Nineteen family trees got to branch’
One moment in Newman’s career is still described by those who knew the story as an extraordinary act of bravery.
On Nov. 11, 1970, Newman swam across a flooded river three times, rescuing 19 men stranded on a sinking sandbar. He was unable to save one.
“Nineteen family trees got to branch because he was willing to sacrifice himself for them,” one person said.
For that action, Newman received the Soldier’s Medal, the highest award for non-combat bravery.
A legacy beyond the uniform
Newman also spent years shaping others’ lives outside the military. He taught as a professor at NLU and was known for a colorful vocabulary and a distinct way of doing things — a style friends affectionately called “Newmanize.”
For some, the most powerful tributes weren’t about medals, but about gratitude.
“To listen to a grown man lean into my dad’s bedside and say, ‘You are the greatest thing that ever happened in my life’… was a powerful thing,” a family member said.
His story lives on
Newman’s story — along with the stories of other veterans — will continue to be shared at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, where staff say their mission is to honor those who raised their right hand and served.
“There were no medals this time,” one speaker said, “only the dignity that comes with a full life.”
Colonel Ray Newman died at 85. Those who knew him say he loved to live — and lived fully.
To share your story, email Aaron Dietrich at aaron.dietrich@knoe.com.
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