In Memoriam: Victoria Newton
Victoria Anne Newton
(1951–2022)
Victoria Anne (Beitzel) Newton of Penn Hills, formerly of Plum and prior to that Wilkinsburg, passed away peacefully and surrounded by her loving family, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, under a crimson-red full moon, at the age of 71. Vikki, as she was known to family, friends, and colleagues—and a spelling she adopted as a teenager in the 1960s—was born in Pittsburgh’s East End on May 1, 1951, to Henry and Ruth (Colhouer) Beitzel, and was the youngest of three sisters. She was preceded in death by her parents; her eldest niece Elizabeth Silverman and her beloved sister Lynne (Beitzel) Silverman of St. Louis; her brother-in-law Douglas Newton of Edgewood, Pa.; her nephews, Henk and Jos Nijman of The Netherlands; as well as several uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends.
She is survived by her loving, thoughtful, and loyal husband, Thomas Harris Newton, who, in so many of her most joyful moments, she affectionately referred to as Tommy. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last November on a snow-covered night in a quiet restaurant overlooking Downtown Pittsburgh. They first met in the winter of 1968 while Vikki was a clerk at Dolde’s, a small neighborhood grocery store in Edgewood, Pa. It was there, from across the counter, that she and her future husband first spoke. Not long after, for their first date, they attended Donald “Scotty” Newton and Jane (Harris) Newton’s spirited New Year’s Eve party on nearby Walnut Street—an annual affair that filled the family’s home with laughter, singing, and, of course, the sound of bagpipes.
Vikki is also survived by her children, Jennifer Newton Shuttleworth (James Shuttleworth) and Matthew Thomas Newton (Michelle (Danny) Newton), who both inherited their mother’s endless curiosity about the world—as well as her dogged feminism and deep belief in social justice—and who both decided to follow in their mother’s professional footsteps to become writers and editors. A loving grandmother, Vikki, like so many of her generation, wasn’t quite ready to be called grandma, so she became known as “Mimi” or “Meem” to her four grandchildren Grace Elizabeth Shuttleworth, Ethan Harris Newton, Evan Bear Shuttleworth, and Nico Matthias Newton. Forever in touch with the sense of wonder she experienced as a young girl, Vikki adored her grandchildren and filled their childhoods and adolescence with parties, gifts, adventures, and, of course, boundless love, just as she had done years earlier for her own children.
A writer, editor, and publisher, Vikki began her career as a reporter for The Advance Leader, covering local politics in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs, before transitioning to work in the city’s growing healthcare industry and nonprofit sector. First working in public relations at Montefiore Hospital, she later began editing scholarly publications and organizational communications at the Oncology Nursing Society, where, as a passionate advocate for continuing education in the healthcare field, she worked for much of her career. Following a brief tenure at the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Alexandria, Va., where she managed the organization’s educational and professional publications, Vikki returned to Pittsburgh to start her own editorial consultancy and spend time with her grandchildren. After attending Carlow University for a Master’s in nonprofit management, she began a new chapter of her career working in annual giving and special events at West Penn Hospital Foundation and Forbes Hospital Foundation.
In retirement, she served on the board of the Plum Senior Community Center. She was also a volunteer at Forbes Hospice, where she interviewed patients receiving end-of-life care, recording their stories to later be shared with their families. Most recently, while undergoing cancer treatment, Vikki continued to volunteer with the Peer Support and Advocacy Network in Pittsburgh—an organization focused on reducing the stigma associated with mental illness—a cause close to her heart.
Vikki is also survived by her eldest sister, Diana Beitzel of The Netherlands; sisters-in-law Bonnie (Newton) Keeler of New Stanton, Pa.; Jane Anne Newton of Edgewater, Fla.; Tess Newton of Pittsburgh; and many loving nieces and nephews, including Michael (Kathy) Silverman and Robert Silverman (Debbie Almocera) of St. Louis; as well as two cagey felines, Molly and Maddie. Donations can be made to Forbes Hospice or a charity of your choice. Arrangements by MAURICE L. KNEE, LTD. FUNERAL HOME, 7663 Saltsburg Rd, Plum, Pa. 15239.
PHOTO: Fripp Island, SC, c. 1981. My mom, flanked by me and my sister, at one of her favorite places in the world.