Michael "Mike" Duran Newby

Mike passed away peacefully on October 20, 2016. He was born on November 29, 1957 to Othel Duran Newby and Ruby Napper Newby. Growing up in Galena Park, Texas, Mike graduated in 1976 with a scholarship to play football for Cal Polly, California. He then transferred to Sam Houston State University, where he was the BearKat quarterback from 1978 to 1980. He graduated May 1980 from SHSU with a business degree. Mike was the store manager for a Furrows Hardware and Lumber Supply, sold insurance and then became a custom home builder. Mike knew how to enjoy life and had a great time everywhere he went. Mike’s greatest passion was football, but he also enjoyed fishing, traveling and going to the beach, the horse races and casinos. He loved being with people and made life fun, Mike had many close friends that he loved and respected. Mike loved to entertain and cook for friends and family. In 2001 he met the love of his life Karen Lewis. They married February 25, 2006 and had a wonderful marriage full of love and adventure. Mike is preceded in death by his father and nephew, Daniel Duran Hawthorne, and his mother and father-in-law Elmer and Joyce Lewis. Family left to cherish his memory are his wife, Karen Newby of Huffman; step-daughter and husband, Lindsey and Anthony Trahan of Huffman; mother, Ruby Newby of Dodge; sister, Debbie Newby Sapp of Dodge; sister and husband, Janice “Jenny” Newby and James Ringo of Huntsville; niece and husband Kris and John Schmader of Pennsylvania; nephew and wife, Eric and Duffy Sorensen of Ft. Worth; nephew and wife, Jared and Lauren Hawthorne of Weatherford; niece Julea Hawthorne of Galveston; brother and sister-in-law Fred and Karla Wolf of Huffman; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Phillip and Natalie Lewis of Huffman; grandchildren, Kiley Collier, Carli Trahan and Aidan Trahan; great-nieces and nephews, Kalie Schmader, Amber Schmader, Max Sorensen, Miller Sorensen, Danielle Hawthorne, Maci Lewis, Nolan Lewis and Kaitlyn Lewis; and many more aunts, uncles and cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM (noon), with the family receiving friends at 11:00 AM, on Monday, October 24, 2016 in the chapel at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Huntsville, Texas. Interment will follow the service at Dodge Cemetery in Dodge, Texas.

Michael "Mike" Duran Newby

November 29, 1957 - October 20, 2016