James Newcombe

James (Jim) Leonard Newcombe (b. 1943 to John and Katherine Newcombe) died peacefully in his family home on Lake Tippecanoe this past beautiful Sunday morning. Present were his wife Patricia Lee and his eldest daughter Julie Chuey (James), Westland, Michigan. His youngest daughter, Rebecca Elizabeth (Eric Tant), Long Beach, CA, had visited recently with Jim’s granddaughter, Jayne, and was present in spirit, if not in person, on the morning of his passing.
Jim graduated from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy at Rolla and was an active member of their chapter of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Jim looked forward to their annual reunions and kept in contact with many members up until his passing. Jim spent the next 35 years working at Amoco, EXXON, W R Grace, and Infineum as marketing manager and liaison with the world-wide auto industry. In the 1970's Jim fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming a race car driver. He and Pat ran a successful SCCA team that won the Northeast Championship several years in a row. During the 1980's Jim proudly acted as EXXON's sponsor representative with their NASCAR racing team. One of his proudest moments was standing in Victory Circle with Geoff Bodine at Daytona.
Raised in St. Louis, Jim’s family began vacationing on Lake Tippecanoe in 1946, beginning Jim’s long love affair with the lake. Despite several moves across the country with his family and trips to far corners of the world for business, the only place Jim ever felt truly at peace was here on Tippy. He was active in the community as a Casa volunteer, public watch-dog of the county commission, and most recently as an appointee to the regional development commission. He was a strong voice on the issues affecting lake quality and worked hard to keep Tippecanoe beautiful. He was a constant fixture at the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, and oversaw several of their “Rocket Nights” to his joy and delight. Most of all though, Jim loved golfing with his wife Pat. The two of them were always a joyous sight on the links, and Friday Sundowners at TLCC will never be the same again.
Jim will be mourned and missed not only by his wife, his daughters (and their spouses), and his granddaughter, but by his (much older) sister Barbara Ehrhardt (Jim Humphreys), Leesburg, IN, his younger brother Robert Newcombe (Martha), Wixom, MI, and all their children and grandchildren. Known as “Great Uncle Jim” to many, a “hell of a guy” to others, and a loving father and husband to his family, Jim Newcombe lived a long and joyful life.
The family will be celebrating the life of Jim Newcombe at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club (7245 N Kalorama Rd, Leesburg, IN 46538) Saturday, August 26th from 1-4 PM. Open to all friends and family. Donations can be made in Jim’s name to Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice (http://www.koshomecare.org/donations), 1515 Provident Drive Suite 250, Warsaw, IN 46580.
The staff of Titus Funeral Home considers it an honor to care for the family and friends of Jim Newcombe.
Charitable donations may be made to:
Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice
1515 Provident Drive, Suite 250, Warsaw IN 46580
Web: http://www.koshomecare.org/koscare-donations