HONOLULU
Alice Newman passed away early this morning after a battle with cancer.
While Alice and her husband, Ken, are from Oklahoma, they have considered Hawaii home — having raised their four sons here. Ken was senior pastor at Ewa Beach Baptist and Hawaii Kai Church for many years, and Alice started and directed the Hawaii Kai Church preschool.
Alice Newman was director of the Hawaii Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) from 1985 to 2000. Because of her significant impact on missions education, Hawaii WMU established an annual offering called the Alice Newman TTT Offering (Touch Tomorrow Today). Many Hawaii Pacific Baptist pastors’ wives remember the exceptional wives in ministry retreats Alice organized and led when she served on the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention staff.
Robert Miller, HPBC director of regional ministry, was Alice’s small group leader as a part of the small group ministry of Hawaii Kai Church. He shared, “She loved missions and ‘adopted’ many international students. She started and led the ‘Pau Hana Ohana’ ministry to retired Hawaii pastors and wives. Alice had the gift of hospitality.” He added, “Alice chose joy in her time of suffering.”
Sandy Wisdom-Martin, National WMU Director, shared that she first met Alice as a college student in the mid-1980s when Illinois WMU sent volunteers to Hawaii to help with training events. She found her a “poised and graceful leader reflecting Christ to all she encountered.” She shared more about Alice’s stewardship of her life in a recent post on the National WMU website.
Craig Webb, HPBC executive director-treasurer, recalls attending Alice’s annual Christmas Eve Open House as a child. “I vividly remember table after table of treats and Grandma Alice’s warm hospitality.” He added, “A year ago this month when I was praying about whether to apply for the role I now hold, an e-mail from Alice encouraging me to apply was profoundly helpful. I thank God for women of faith like Alice and her lasting impact on me and so many men and women worldwide.”
Alice is survived by her husband, Ken, three sons, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.