Mrs. Levera Newton
Levera (Speed) Newton was born Dec. 12, 1915, to Jeffrey Daniel Speed and Ora Lee (Morris) Speed of Fisher, Louisiana. She passed away peacefully at 105 years young on May 18, 2021 surrounded with love and care, in Douglasville, Georgia.
She married Howard Newton on April 22, 1934 in Fisher, Louisiana and later moved to Kansas City, Missouri. The couple was blessed with four children, Howard Jr., Lonnie, Peggy and Angelee.
They were married for 71 years. In 1944 after graduating from the Madame C.J. Walker School of Cosmetology, she opened and operated her beauty salon their home in the 40s and 50s.
Levera was involved with numerous awards, a member of Alpha Phi Omega Sorority, United Beauty School Owners, Teachers Association, and her name was added to the Wall of Tolerance in Montgomery, Alabama.
She was inducted and congratulated as a Centenarian, receiving a letter from the office of the 44th U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015. Proclamations from Senator Shalonn Curts, and Kansas City Mayor Syvester James.
In 2018, as a graduate of Madame C.J. Walker School of Cosmetology, Mrs. Newton at age 102, was featured in a Black History Documentary for Douglas County, GA. She received many honors on the occasion, and on her remarkable 105th Birthday she was recognized as an “Outstanding Georgia Citizen” from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
District 66 Representative, Kimberly Alexander, personally presented Mrs. Newton a Resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives. She also received a surprise birthday call from former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young.
A Proclamation from the Paulding County Board of Commissioners, Dallas Georgia, proclaiming January 12th as LEVERA NEWTON DAY, for her faithful service to her family, church and community.
Mrs. Newton’s inspirational words were.... “Take Due Notice and Govern Yourself Accordingly”.
(I met Mrs. Newton in 2019, while I was in Atlanta, Georgia for a visit, had dinner with her, daughter and son-n-law. Her spirit was high and had a great conversation with her. She was one of the nicest people I have ever met, I had to do a short story on her and her accolades).