Cecilia Anne Lumpkin Newton departed this life on July 9, 2024, passing away peacefully after a brief illness.
Cecilia spent her youth in Seneca and Clemson, SC. As a young adult, she moved to Newport News, VA, where she made her home and lived the remainder of her life. Cecilia was a proud graduate of Seneca Senior High School and studied Business Administration at Forrest College.
Her career was distinguished by dedicated volunteer service and substitute teaching at Newport News Public Schools, as well as invaluable contributions to the History Department at Christopher Newport University and the Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary. She retired in 2013.
She was the beloved daughter of the late Tommy E. Lumpkin and Edna M. Lumpkin, sister to the late Tommy R. Lumpkin, and aunt to the late Stephanie Anne Lumpkin. Cecilia is survived by her loving son, Ric Newton (Amy) of Washington, DC, and her great-niece, Katie C. Lumpkin of Walhalla, SC. She also leaves behind her sister-in-law, Charissa Newton McSwain (Michael), and her twin nieces, Cara McSwain McCord (Zack) and Meredith Glenn McSwain, to whom she passed on her deep love of gardening. Cecilia is also survived by her longtime friends, Lana, Bob, and Terral Bolton, Nikki Cooper, Doreen Smith, and Theodora Bostick. She was preceded in death by her former husband, Jeffrey M. Newton.
Cecilia loved tennis and was a member of the Center Court Racquet Club and the Riverside Wellness and Fitness Center, where she was the women’s PTPA tennis team captain for many years. She also assisted in the planning of the annual CCRC Thanksgiving Classic junior tennis tournament and PTPA tournament. Cecilia loved helping train ball boys and girls for local and professional tournaments held at William and Mary. She co-founded Little League Tennis on the Peninsula in the 1980s.
Cecilia was a member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, an international women’s philanthropic organization, where she held many offices.
Cecilia was happiest when she was “playing in the dirt,” nurturing her flower garden. She found joy in sharing flowers and plants with friends and neighbors. In her memory, she requested that you give flowers or a plant to someone who is unwell, has no family, or simply to someone you love.
Cecilia will be profoundly missed by her countless heartbroken friends and neighbors who were touched by her warmth, generosity, and love. All who knew her will remember her legacy of kindness, nurturing spirit, and devotion to her family and community.
