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Odis Franklin Newsom
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Odis Franklin Newsom
September 12, 1951 - September 14, 2020
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Frank Newsom was born in 1951 to Laverne and Odi...

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Obituary for Odis Franklin Newsom
Frank Newsom was born in 1951 to Laverne and Odis Newsom in Newport, Rhode Island and was the eldest of 5 brothers. Due to his father’s service in the U.S. Navy, the Newsom family traveled around the country during much of his youth where Frank gained his fond memories of growing up in small town America. They later moved to Hitchcock, Texas where he attended Hitchcock High School, graduating as Salutatorian and Class President in 1970. Frank then attended the University of Houston where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. It was there that he met the love of his life, his late wife Kathy. As an active member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at U of H, he and Kathy had a large circle of friends. In his professional career, Frank established a huge network of colleagues in the oil and gas industry. He traveled extensively on business in the U.S., Canada, the Middle East and West Africa. During his 46 year career, Frank worked as a Squad Boss, Project Engineer and Project Manager on major oil and gas construction and commissioning projects for Brown & Root, Earl & Wright, Fluor Engineering, Marine Pipeline Contractors (MPC), MPC Pegasus, Universal Pegasus, Dark Horse Engineering, EXP and PERC Engineering. Frank was a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and was regarded by his peers as savvy, skilled, pragmatic and invaluable to every team he worked with until his retirement in 2020.

Frank was an avid sportsman who enjoyed the outdoors. He loved fishing, hunting, camping, clays shooting and most recently, spending time at Camp Newsom in Trinity County, TX. He enjoyed traveling on many vacations with his wife Kathy, her family members and Kristen to locations in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Frank particularly enjoyed their many snow skiing vacations and the yearly holiday family gatherings at the St. Joseph Abbey Camp.

Frank was instrumental in creating amazing props and beautiful set pieces for Houston Repertoire Ballet, which he also served as President of the HRB advisory board for 6 years. He was a regular volunteer at Tomball High School for the Tomball Stage, mentoring students and young adults with his superb woodworking and stagecraft skills.

Frank possessed a magnetic personality and his laid back style made him very easy to befriend in social situations. Those who knew Frank found him to be kind, generous, humble and forgiving. Those who sought his counsel were provided with sound advice. He was a father to the fatherless, a brother to the brotherless, and a friend to all who knew him. Frank was a truly remarkable man.

Frank was preceded in death by his parents, Odis and Laverne and his wife Kathy. He is survived by daughter Kristen Newsom Thornton and her husband Dakota, four brothers, Kenny Newsom, Gordon Newsom and his wife Paula, Glen Newsom and his wife Suzanne, Eric Newsom and his wife Maddie, nieces Jennifer Gerald, Brittany Soto, nephews Spencer and Nicolas Newsom and four grand nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to the funeral services on Saturday October 3rd @ 3:00 pm at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home 2260 W. 21st Ave. Covington, LA 70433. Visitation will be held from 1:00 pm until service time.

Interment in St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery, 75376 River Rd. St. Benedict, LA.

His family will host a reception after the funeral from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at:
Abita Roasting Company 504 Water Street Madisonville, LA 70447.

In lieu of flowers and gifts you can make a donation to either of Frank’s favorite organizations. Saint Joseph Abbey & Seminary College https://www.saintjosephabbey.com/nministry