Kern County Obituaries

Elva Lou Newell

Submitted by Don Stowell; 13 Feb 2008

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Source Unknown; Date Unknown

Nov. 21, 1905  May 15, 2004
Funeral services were held on Friday, May 21 at the Wood Family Funeral Service Chapel for Elva Lou 
Newell, 98, who passed away in Fullerton on May 15.
Elva was born on Nov. 21, 1905 in Hazelton, Mo. to John and Cora Harlan. She was raised in Oklahoma 
where she met and married her husband of 50 years, Stephen Eugene Newell. They were married on Nov. 
6, 1926 in Prior, Okla. They worked on a ranch, sometimes being called upon to drive an old truck around 
with barrels of water putting out prairie fires. They moved to Tehachapi in 1948. 
Elva was a devoted member of the Assembly of God Church. She had a special gift of being able to hear 
music and play it on her keyboard without written notes. Her favorite songs were religious hymns. Elva 
was especially talented at textile painting and needlework. She enjoyed gardening, raising beautiful roses. 
She had a quick wit, making people laugh. In 1994, she moved to a board and care home in Fullerton.
Elva is survived by her son, John Newell and wife Patti of Buena Park; grandchildren, Yolanda Reiss, 
Ronnie Taggart, Richard Taggart, Carol Jean Roche, Scott Irvin and Dennis Irvin; several great-
grandchildren; brothers, Jack Harlan of Turlock and Fountain Harlan of Claremore, Okla.; sisters, Wilma 
Ruippa and Vinona Smithey of Claremore, Okla.
She was preceded in death by her husband Eugene in 1977 and daughter Ramona Irvin in 1984.
Reverend Dale Sheley officiated at the service. Interment followed in the Tehachapi Public Cemetery, 
Eastside. Wood Family Funeral Service handled the arrangements.