Cartie Seay Newby was born on a farm on June 19, 1930 to Leo Newby and Annie Humphrey Newby in Harvest, AL where he learned lessons of faith in God, compassion for others, responsibility, and hard work under the instruction of his parents and grandfather, Isom Humphrey. Cartie’s love and commitment to God began at Big Indian Creek Baptist Church and deepened when he joined the First SDA Church in 1960 after Bible studies with Herman and Annell Wright. His prayers have often moved mountains and were a blessing to many, many people through the years.
As a young child, Cartie had Diphtheria. The doctor told his parents that he would not live past the age of nine, so he was assigned the duty of babysitter of his younger siblings while the others worked in the fields. One day he grew weary and left his baby sister, Dorothy, on a wheelbarrow and went off to play. When his frivolity was discovered, he found the punishment was quite profound. Lesson learned!
As a youth, Cartie involved himself in various sports activities, track and field, football, and basketball. He excelled at them all. His love of music drew him to sing in groups and choirs. He even won a dance contest. While attending Councill Training School he met and grew in love with a cheerleader, Bettye June McDonald. He enlisted to serve in the Korean War where he served as a medic. On returning from war Cartie pursued a degree in Biology from Alabama A&M University.
On June 9, 1955, Cartie and Bettye joined in a marriage of 52 years until her death. The two enjoyed entertaining family, friends, and church members. They loved to grow, cook, and preserve food from Cartie’s expansive garden. His nieces, Robin and Tracy visited from California one winter and remembering the fair of summer visits requested fried okra for breakfast! He was really tickled by that. After the death of Bettye, the Lord provided for Cartie another love, Clara Gill, and the pair united in 2012!
Cartie retired from the Motor Pool at NASA, where he worked as a work order clerk. He also worked at Huntsville Hospital, Atlanta Life Insurance, and at Kroger. He had a bit of entrepreneurial spirit having had a gas station at one time and later a pest control business. Cartie is preceded in death by his first wife, Bettye McDonald Newby, his second wife, Clara Gill Newby; his parents, Leo Newby, and Annie Humphrey Newby, four sisters Vergia Mary Newby Harris, Islean Newby Hyter, Kathryn Newby Barnum, and Anne Faye Newby Carter; three brothers Clarence Newby, Johnny Newby, and Billy Newby, his son, Eric Sebastian Newby, Sr., and granddaughter, Shalon Renee Covington Hardwick.
Cartie Seay Newby leaves to cherish his memory, three daughters, Debra Faye Newby (Lawrence) Scott, Yolonda McConico Newby, and Jacqueline Rose Newby (Archie) Gurley; step-daughter, Jennifer Gill (Furman) Fordham; step-son, Lamont Parker; one sister, Dorothy Denise Rixter; seven grandchildren, Roddrick Jermaine Readus (April) Newby of Andalusia, AL, Terae Danielle Covington (Jason) Chambers, Latrice Monique (Antwayne) Sanders, Neiel Kenyatta Elston, Eric Sebastian (Evellyn Silva) Newby, Jr., Zarina Jenae Gurley, Zaundra Janelle Gurley, Caprice Brathwaite, Pastor Furman Fordham, III (Pace), Irvin Gill Fordham (Pax), and Jennings Walter Fordham (Price); twelve great grandchildren; ten great-great-grandchildren; his spiritual mother, Mrs. Annell Wright (age 105); a devoted friend, Ms. Ann Moore; his prayer partner of 26 years, Heather Curry; sister-in-law, Marie Newby, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and co-workers.
The funeral service for Elder Cartie Seay Newby will be 11:00 a.m., Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the First Seventh-day Adventist Church (1303 Evangel Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35816) with Pastor Furman Fordham, II, as eulogist and Dr. William Lee, Sr. officiating. Interment will be in the Valhalla Memory Gardens. Elder Newby will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time.
