Mark Newby

Eskridge-Mark Anthony Newby, 45, passed away Thursday, December 4, 2014 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka. He was born March 11, 1969 at Kansas City, MO., the son of Jerry and Lorna Swenson Newby. Mark served in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Alaska at the Space Command Center. He lived in Minnesota, Arkansas, Arizona and Colorado moving to Kansas in 2010. Mark was a computer engineer/programmer and had worked for several different corporations the last one being First Data in Denver. He was a member of the Cowboy Church in Peyton, CO.; at the age of 16, Mark was a People to People Ambassador for the U.S. He was a computer Guru and was a ham radio operator. While in Colorado he made contact with and talked to a cosmonaut on the space station on his radio. Mark loved hunting and fishing and helping with, and attending summer church camp in Colorado. He was a volunteer firefighter in Alaska and was a past member of the Masonic Lodge and a Shriner in Colorado. He had been a storm chaser. Mark was a photographer and was a natural musician. He had a "Big Heart" and would do anything for anyone. His greatest love in his life was his nephew J.D. Survivors include his parents, Jerry and Lorna Newby of Eskridge; a brother Jerrod Newby, Colorado Springs, CO; a sister, Jenniffer Newby, Denver; his nephew, J.D. Newby, Colorado Springs. A Celebration of Life service will be at 10:30 A.M. Monday, December 8, 2014 at Piper Funeral Chapel in Eskridge. Inurnment will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Maisie's Community Swimming Pool and sent to Piper Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 1, Eskridge, Kansas 66423. The family request the dress for the Celebration to be casual and bright colored.