Desmond Newman, 34, of Perry passed away Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care in Perry. The service will be streamed live on the funeral home’s Facebook page. Visitation was Friday, Nov. 12 from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Everyone is encouraged to wear face coverings and practice social distancing while attending visitation and services.
A GoFundMe page has been established to assist the family. Memorials may also be left at the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
Desmond started his life out in Lubbock, Texas, on Nov. 30, 1986. He was the youngest of two children born to the union of Donnie K. Newman and Felicia P. Alexander. His elder sister was Tamecka Alexander, whom he loved and adored. She preceded him in death.
Desmond was raised between Lubbock and the mean streets of Milwaukee, Wiscosin. Desmond first cried out to God and heard the voice of God in his late teens. He was called to minister God’s Word but ran from that calling for many years.
Meanwhile, he met and married his wife, Maxie Smith, in Lubbock Oct. 17, 2008, and they grew into a family of six with the births of Kierrian, Keldrick, Kyran and finally Korah Newman.
Desmond loved the Lord above all things! As the leader of his family, Desmond set the standard: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” and he set out to ensure that his family understood the importance of a healthy, meaningful relationship with God.
God impressed on his heart that nightly Bible study was needed, and he instituted it with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Desmond always sought to give God the glory and earnestly chased humility. There are no eyes reading this that he did not pray or weep for.
After he was saved and freed from a life of willful sin, he wanted everyone to experience God, and he wanted those who knew God to move to another level, glory to glory, as he would say! God called Desmond into ministry years ago, a calling he ran from, but as soon as he gave his life to Christ, he picked up his cross daily and pursued a deeper relationship each day!
You could find him at work or home with his ear buds in, listening to a sermon or the Word of God being read. When he spoke of God, you could hear the excitement and commitment in his voice. It is because of this his family have the comfort of knowing his final resting place is Heaven.
He loved to laugh and had a laugh that was contagious! He loved his work and employees, pouring hours of hard work and dedication into his store and the employees he called family and friends.
Desmond was super talented, a Jack of all trades. There wasn’t a mechanical question that he couldn’t answer or anything around the house that he couldn’t fix. He enjoyed mowing the acreage, lifting weights and exercise, in depth conversations and debates regarding religion, reading and exploring real history, writing and recording music, of which we can cherish and listen to when we yearn to hear his voice. He also left multiple videos about God, some of which we will view today.
Perhaps his most cherished and important role was that of a father. He loved cheering his sons on at their sporting events and giving them tips on how to improve. He loved his children immensely and made it his business to be an instrumental part of their daily lives.
In short, Desmond was our gentle giant, the big man with the big heart.
In death he rejoins his parents, Donnie and Felicia Newman; and his sister, Tamecka Alexander.
He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Maxie Newman; and four children, Kierrian, Keldrick, Kyran and Korah; fur babies, Pepper, Moses, Judah and Aldora; mother-in-law and father-in-law; distant family; and a host of friends, some of whom had grown to be closer than kin. It is not goodbye, but see you later.
