Final Salute

Richard “Dick” Milton Newell, age 86, of Greenfield, passed away Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Springhurst Health Campus. He was born in Vincennes, Indiana on August 5, 1939, to George Alfred and Hester Irene (Brown) Newell.

Dick joined the Freelandville class in fourth grade and was the guy that wore overalls like his Dad. While in high school, he participated in the Calf Scramble. The contest had 15 calves and 50 boys varying in age from 14 to 18. Dick was one of the younger participants, but he outlasted the big boys, and he held onto the calf by holding it around the neck and was able to drag it out of the pen and win the calf. He brought the calf home and put him in the barn, but when he told his Dad, he didn’t believe him. They went to the barn to show him and when they opened the door the calf got out and he had to catch him all over again.

He also loved to drive the 1949 Ford that was supposed to be shared by he and his older brother but he was the one driving it most of the time. He really burned the asphalt on the Freelandville-Oaktown blacktop to visit his sweetheart in Freelandville.

Dick graduated from Freelandville High School in the Class of 1958. After graduation in 1958, during the summer, he attended the Highway Tech course at Purdue University. After completion of the course, he became employed with INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) at the Crawfordsville District in the Materials Testing Division. He married Betty Jean (Grabbe) on November 23, 1961, at Bethel Church in Freelandville, Indiana. He stayed with INDOT until enlisting in the Navy with the Seabees in 1961.

He was stationed out of Oxnard, California and spend time on Guam, Midway, and Okinawa. He served in the Seabees as a surveyor. In 1964, he was Honorably Discharged and returned to Indiana.

Dick regained his employment with INDOT, but relocated to the east side of Indianapolis and was in the Division of Materials and Test. As a technician in the concrete research department, he had many duties but one of the more exciting was skid testing, where he got to drive an old Ford car at 35 mph and then lock the brakes and let the car skid.

After retiring from INDOT, he worked for Berns Construction and Milestone as a Concrete Quality Supervisor until December 2019.

Dick was a member of the Knightstown VFW and the Charlottesville Lions Club. On May 13, 2017, he became part of the Freelandville High School Distinguished Alumnus. He enjoyed study Advisory Committees, bowling, and golfing.

In the words of his colleague Mike Byers, “His contributions are immense – his efforts, knowledge, and participation have contributed to improved performance of hundreds of miles of concrete pavements and his efforts will continue to enhance performance for many miles of pavement yet to be constructed.”

The man we are referring to is Richard “Dick” Newell.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Newell; and daughter, Karen (Jeff) Stephens. He was preceded in death by his parents, George Alfred and Hester Irene Newell; and brother, Karl Ed (Virgina) Newell.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Erlewein Mortuary & Crematory, 1484 W. US Hwy. 40, Greenfield, IN 46140. A funeral service will be held immediately following the visitation at 3:00 p.m. Pastor Mark Ellcessor will be officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by mail to the Hancock County Food Pantry, P.O. Box 244, Greenfield, IN 46140, by website at https://www.hancockcountyfoodpantry.net/donate/. Envelopes will be available at the mortuary.

Friends may share a memory or condolence at www.erleweinmortuary.com.