Vandlyn “Vandy” Newman, 98

Vandlyn “Vandy” Newman, 98

Vandlyn Maurine Blatchford Newman 98, passed away on January 7, 2025, in Austin, MN. Known as Vandy, she was the daughter of Walter and Grace (Curry) Blatchford. She was born in Ponca, Nebraska on February 2, 1926. She was the second of five children and received a rural education in Dixon County Nebraska. Vandy married Wendell Thurber Newman in Marysville, Kansas on January 26, 1947. They moved to Dexter in 1951 where they settled and raised their three children and one niece.

Vandy was a member of the Dexter Methodist Church where she sang in the choir and was the Sunday School Superintendent for many years. She later became a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church when she moved to Austin. For 40+ years she coordinated the Dexter Variety Show and coordinated the Talent Show at the Mower County Fair for 10+ years. She was an avid and very skilled bridge player until this last year. She also spent many winters in California with her brother and sister-in-law John and Pam Blatchford.

Vandy was always a hard and industrious worker. She taught grades 1-8 at the tender age of 17 in a one room schoolhouse. She did a stint as Rosie the Riveter during WWII. She worked as an accounting clerk and did the books and ran the office at the Austin Seed Company. She answered the phones for Unsolved Mysteries during her time in California, and she managed a campground during her “retirement” years.

Vandy was a self-taught master gardener. She and Wendell had a vast vegetable garden full of many fruits and vegetables. With the help of her daughters, she spent hours canning and freezing. She was also an avid baker, famous for her sweet rolls, pies, and brownies. She was known for her flower garden, which was a showcase for North Main Street in Dexter. She spent many hours there and had people from everywhere stopping to look at it.

She is survived by Catherine (Jody) Bates of Austin, MN, Holly Newman of Austin, MN, Jeanie (David) Hoover of Chicago, IL; seven grandchildren, Jennifer (Bill) Butts, Hillary (Daniel) Swanson, Lydell (Stacy) Tapp, Kiley Brown, Kelley (Chad) Oldham, Lindsay (John) Zygmontowicz, Adam (Karen) Hoover; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Walter and Grace; two brothers, Clair and John; and her sisters, Zella Norwood and Aryl Sherman, her husband Wendell Newman and son Robert Newman.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 13, 2025, at the Dexter United Methodist Church, 230 Pleasant St, Dexter, MN. Visitation to be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Monday at the church.

Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com