A Celebration of Life Memorial Service for Sam Newman, 79, of Oklahoma City, formerly of Purcell, will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, January 9, 2025 at the Brookwood Baptist Church, 8921 S. Walker, Oklahoma City, OK 73139. Services will be under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home of Purcell.
Mrs. Newman passed away Wednesday December 17, 2025 at OU Medical Center.
Beverly Jean Brown was born September 12, 1946 in Cisco, Texas, the second of six children born to Johnnie Ben Brown and Nora Irene (Langston) Brown.
Like most in this time, the Brown family followed work and Beverly spent her early years between Texas and the west coast. She and her family eventually found their way to Oklahoma, settling in Norman.
Now a young mother, she worked alongside her mother Irene as a waitress as the Town Tavern on Campus Corner. It was here, she earned her nickname “Sam”, a name she has carried since. Sam found love again with Bill Newman. They were married November 30, 1984 and made their home in Purcell.
Sam worked for the Oklahoma Tax Commission for a time, and as a bookkeeper at Napa Auto Parts. Her greatest joy was being a wife and mother, and she was never happier than the day she became a Grandma.  She stayed busy volunteering at the Dale Graham Veterans Center and never missed an opportunity to go shopping.
She loved her friends at church, her neighbors, and she loved the ladies in her Sunday School class at Brookwood Baptist Church. She was an excellent baker and always looked forward to entertaining family and friends. She will be dearly missed!
She was preceded in death by her son, Jim John Newman; grandson, Richard Alan Finch Jr.; great-granddaughter, Elsie Birnie; her husband, Bill Newman; parents, Johnnie and Irene Brown and siblings, Sandy Czesztyicki, Janice Brown, John Robert Brown and Jimmy Ray Brown.
Sam is survived by her children, Nakia Birnie and husband, Robbie, of Ada, Jerry Thompson and wife, Renee, of Sachse, Texas, Ricky Thompson of Texas and Kenny Thompson of Moore;  sister, Norma Beason of Lexington;  eight grandchildren, Kyle Thompson, Chris Thompson, Cory Thompson, Landon Thompson, Riddell Thompson, Zachary Brown and his wife, Lisa, Caitlyn Birnie and Hunter Birnie and his wife, Riley;  nine great-grandchildren, Vincent, Nolan, Emerson, Asher, Kaylee, Julia, Christian, Brooklyn and Gunner; and a host of other family and friends.   
Online condolences may be made at www.wilsonlittle.com.