David L. Newcom, 80, died Thursday, April 23, 2020 at his home in Mesa, AZ, from complications of Alzheimer’s. Celebration of Life to be held at a later date.
David Leon Newcom was born to William “Stross” and Mina Scott Newcom on September 30, 1939, the oldest of five children. He and his siblings Amy, Greta, Philip and Richard grew up on a small farm in the rolling hills and bluffs of northwestern Kentucky’s Crittenden County. Childhood stories revolved around bailing hay, rounding up cows, rolling the family “Poppin Jonny,” planting firecrackers in cow pies, and going on late-night coon hunts.
While in high school, David’s Boy Scout troop volunteered to bring in the harvest for a local farmer who was recuperating from a severe tractor fire. The farmer’s daughter was Carolyn. David spent a good part of his high school career convincing Carolyn to date him. Stories of courtship include late night break-downs of the Newcom family car. One story in particular involves the Newcom’s cows getting loose prior to a date. Carolyn, who owned her own car, grew tired of waiting. David, finally arriving, was greeted by Remus with a message: She said, “I’m not waiting around for any man.” David and Carolyn married on September 3, 1960, a loving union that was an inspiration to many.
A Crittenden County High School teacher challenged David to “get serious” about his affinity for math and a desire to design John Deere tractors. After graduating in 1958, he attended Murray State earning an Associate of Science degree. He then attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington where he earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering. He subsequently earned degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and the Peabody School of Business. In later years, David was honored as a Crittenden County High School Distinguished Alumnus, a University of Kentucky Distinguished SAE Alumnus, and a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
In January of 1964 David accepted a position at John Deere and Company in Moline, Illinois. He moved his family to the “great white North,” dedicating his career to ensure that “Nothing Runs Like a Deere.” As an experimental engineer, David led teams that spent weekdays designing and building John Deere prototypes and Saturdays on the experimental farm trying to see how they could break them. Improvements began the next week. The majority of David’s John Deere career was spent designing and managing the hydraulic components division. He was instrumental in launching the company’s 60-series. Prior to retirement, David served as a global engineer. This position provided him an opportunity to travel the world, working several extended assignments in India and Germany. To David, tractors were like sportscars. Countless family trips involved slowing down to look at tractors in the field or driving by implement dealerships to survey the new inventory. He admitted to bleeding John Deere green and yellow.
David was a committed follower of Christ. He dedicated his life to spreading the Good News and fulfilling the Great Commission. He and Carolyn devoted countless hours and personal resources to new church planting. They were instrumental in new church starts in Illinois (Green Rock, Coal Valley, Milan) and Iowa (Waterloo and Independence). They continued their ministry into their retirement at Brown Road Baptist Church in Mesa, AZ – he as a deacon and she as children’s educational director. If a church’s doors were open, quite often it was because David and Carolyn had opened them. They were typically the first to arrive and last to leave. They served as Sunday and Wednesday night schoolteachers, directors, deacons, lay ministers, executive board member of the Baptist Convention of Iowa and President of the Iowa Southern Baptist Fellowship.
David always welcomed anyone with a firm handshake and a broad, welcoming smile. To his children he was a role model and source of loving support. His grandchildren regarded their Papaw the same. Always busy and productive, David could be counted on to help build, fix, or improve whatever might need his skills. And he did it cheerfully and with large portions of love while seeing things through to completion.
David is survived by his wife, Carolyn; daughter Kristie (David) Ramey of Eddyville, KY; son Mark (Joy) Newcom of Forest City, IA.; daughter Iris (Joe) Molstead of Charles City, IA.; and son Jason (Jennifer) Newcom of San Tan, AZ. He is also survived by grandchildren: Justin (Alison) Ramey of Eddyville, KY.; Ben (Liz) Ramey of Glouchester, OH.; Karissa (Brandon) Travis of Franklin, TN.; Kandice (Brent) Parker of Louisville, KY; Stross Newcom of Forest City, IA.; Skye Newcom of Minneapolis, MN.; Morgan (Frank) Bluml of Ankeny, IA; Taylor (Noah) Brown of East Lansing, MI.; Ariande Newcom of Mesa, AZ.; Isabelle, Chloe and Emma Newcom of San Tan, AZ. Surviving greatgrandchildren include Abigail, Alexa, Ashylnn, Jessica, and Jacey Ramey of Eddyville, KY; Henry and Jackson Ramey of Glouchester, OH; Vivian, David, and Detrick Travis of Franklin, TN; Evan, William, Andrew and Annette Parker of Louisville, KY; Isaac and Jaxon Brown of East Lansing, MI; and Wyatt Bluml of Ankeny, IA.
Surviving siblings are Amy Bell and Greta Thorton, both of Marion, KY; Philip (Vicki) Newcom of Fort Smith, AR; and Richard (Lana) Newcom of Wood River, IL.
David was preceded in death by his parents, William “Stross” and Mina Scott Newcom; and brother-in-law Louis Bell.
I always enjoyed David’s style of management. He knew how to build a solution to whatever problem presented itself by including you, and he did this is a way that was genuine and honest. Dave always treated me with respect and I truly appreciate knowing him. God Bless
Dave was a mentor for me the summer of 1966 when I was a summer student in the Spreader Works Product Engineering Department working on the silo unloader. I want to express my sympathy to his family.
David was a great engineer and a truly good guy. He always had a warm smile and enthusiastic greeting. He had a tremendous impact on Deere products and everyone he touched. I’m thankful that I knew and worked with him. Another great guy from Kentucky. Celebrate his life and know that he had a tremendous impact on everyone he touched.