Sean Newman, age 28, recently of Beijing, China, passed away January 23, 2006 EST. He was born December 10, 1977 in Surrey, England to Edward George and Frances Catherine Andrews Newman.
Sean was Director of Operations for Global Strategic Corporation in Beijing. He was also a student of the Chinese language and culture at a local Beijing university, after having mastered Japanese while living and working in Yokohama, and was simultaneously pursuing a Bachelors of Arts and Science the University of Phoenix.
Sean was the lead singer and lead guitarist of an international rock band in China where he additionally wrote songs for his group and others. He was an avid martial artist, and severe weather enthusiast and tornado chase driver for a professional storm chasing group here in the USA annually. Add to that Sean's skills as a gifted photographer, model and actor, most recently demonstrated in a film being produced by his brother, and Sean easily qualifies for the term "Man for All Seasons", a natural leader. (See website "seannewman.net" for additional background and photos)
Most of all, Sean was an adventurer, a loving and an exciting young man who never served as a spectator in life - he was always the most active of participants - whether it was playing ice hockey, racquetball or tennis, or downhill skiing or sky diving, or holding energetic discussion groups about international affairs, technology, poverty or love.
Sean was also entrepreneurial and confident in his many ventures- his latest being a new English-language bookstore and coffee shop to be opened in Beijing, which also satisfied and supported his vociferous appetite for reading hundreds of books a year. His younger brother, Benjamin, was his partner in this endeavor. The initial inventory was already purchased and shipped to China.
Sean was born with his infectious, world renowned smile and personality that made him loved by literally all - he counted amongst his most loved family and friends those from ages two to ninety two, from musicians to Ministers of State, from business leaders to barkeeps. Yet Sean was also strong in character, easily identifying evil and wrong-doing, and never afraid to confront them head-on.
Sean was predeceased by his maternal grandparents Glen (Snooks) and Callie Andrews and his paternal grandparents, Bernie Newman and Ida Gordon.
He is survived by his father and mother, Ed and Cathy Andrews Newman, of Gulf Trace, Florida; brother Benjamin Paul Andrew Newman of Fairfax Station, Virginia; beloved special friend Chiaki Aita of Tokyo, Japan; paternal grandmother Millie Newman; special friend Faith O'Conner of Pensacola, Florida, and several very close aunts and uncles and cousins.
Sean's family will host a "get together" locally at Sean's home in Fairfax Station, Virginia, on Sunday, February 5th at 2:00 PM. A similar get-together for Sean's China friends, family and business associated will be held in Beijing on February 17, 2006; 7:00 ~ 10:00pm at the Cigar Bar at China World Hotel
China World Hotel
1 Jianguomenwai Ave
Beijing 100004, China
Tel: +86 10 6505 2266
Sean will be placed to rest in a small ceremony at the Family Resting Place at the New Hope United Methodist Church in New Hope, Florida, at the end of February 2006 with the Reverend Joel Glenn officiating.
His family has placed their confidence in Clary-Glenn Freeport Chapel Funeral Home to handle the arrangement; 150 East Highway 20, Freeport, Florida 32439, telephone 850-835-2511.
