1966
John
2024
John Belafonte Newmon III
March 30, 1966 — May 23, 2024
John Belafonte Newmon III, age 58, passed away on May 23, 2024, in Bellingham, WA.
The youngest of three children, John was born on March 30, 1966, in Los Angeles, CA to parents William and Velma Newmon. As a young child, he learned to read early on and enjoyed reading for the rest of his life. By the age of seven, John had learned the complete solar system, for which he was recognized by the Los Angeles School District. John graduated from Artesia High School in Lakewood, CA and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University.
John’s greatest passion was music. So much so, that in his early teens he taught himself to play the guitar. He also had a great love for baseball, which he learned to enjoy through the close relationships with his paternal grandmother and his maternal grandfather. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, his favorite team was the Dodgers, but after moving to Bellingham, he adopted the Seattle Mariners as a favorite team, too.
John worked for several years at the Bellingham Herald. He also worked weekends for the local radio station, KGMI, and was an on-air personality for WWU’s radio station, KUGS. He was a very popular on-site DJ for some of the local pubs in Bellingham.
He also loved to write. This allowed him to express his feelings and frustrations about the issues he cared so deeply about, such as the homeless, the conditions in which they live, and the lack of compassion and concern by government bureaucrats for the less fortunate in our society.
John is survived by his loving parents, William and Velma Newmon, his sister Deborah Parham and her husband James, his older brother William (BJ) Newmon, twin nieces Madison and Tegan Newmon, grandniece Ariella, many relatives throughout the country, and last but not least, the love of his life, Erryn Sommerville.
John also leaves his two best friends to grieve his passing, Steve Murray and Jay Irwin, and too many great friends to name throughout the Bellingham area.
His family is very grateful for the love and friendship that everyone has shown John over the years.
The youngest of three children, John was born on March 30, 1966, in Los Angeles, CA to parents William and Velma Newmon. As a young child, he learned to read early on and enjoyed reading for the rest of his life. By the age of seven, John had learned the complete solar system, for which he was recognized by the Los Angeles School District. John graduated from Artesia High School in Lakewood, CA and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University.
John’s greatest passion was music. So much so, that in his early teens he taught himself to play the guitar. He also had a great love for baseball, which he learned to enjoy through the close relationships with his paternal grandmother and his maternal grandfather. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, his favorite team was the Dodgers, but after moving to Bellingham, he adopted the Seattle Mariners as a favorite team, too.
John worked for several years at the Bellingham Herald. He also worked weekends for the local radio station, KGMI, and was an on-air personality for WWU’s radio station, KUGS. He was a very popular on-site DJ for some of the local pubs in Bellingham.
He also loved to write. This allowed him to express his feelings and frustrations about the issues he cared so deeply about, such as the homeless, the conditions in which they live, and the lack of compassion and concern by government bureaucrats for the less fortunate in our society.
John is survived by his loving parents, William and Velma Newmon, his sister Deborah Parham and her husband James, his older brother William (BJ) Newmon, twin nieces Madison and Tegan Newmon, grandniece Ariella, many relatives throughout the country, and last but not least, the love of his life, Erryn Sommerville.
John also leaves his two best friends to grieve his passing, Steve Murray and Jay Irwin, and too many great friends to name throughout the Bellingham area.
His family is very grateful for the love and friendship that everyone has shown John over the years.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Belafonte Newmon III, please visit our flower store.
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