Lawrence E. Newman, 88, formerly of Orion, died Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, at Parkview Health and Rehab Center, East Moline.
    Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Kirk, Huggins and Esterdahl Funeral Home, Orion. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home with an additional hour of visitation prior to the funeral service. Burial will be in Rosedale Cemetery, Cambridge. Memorials may be made to the activities department at Parkview Health and Rehab Center.
    Lawrence was born Dec. 15, 1920, in Cambridge to Oscar and Florence (Byers) Newman. He married Loretta Swanson on Oct. 3, 1943, in the Cambridge Lutheran Church parsonage. She died June 29, 1987. He later married Leona (Hurstrom) McMeekan on Sept. 30, 1989. She died Aug. 5, 1996.
    He was a farmer for many years. He had worked at the Galesburg Livestock Barn. He enjoyed going to harness races and had belonged to Miniature Harness Horse Racing Association and had built his own track on his farm. He enjoyed going to tractor shows and other places with his long time best friend, Don Nelson.
    He is survived by his children, Roger Newman of Orion, Elizabeth (Mike) Erickson of Cleveland, Barbara Newman of Orion and Robert (Dawn) Newman of Coral Springs, Fla.; grandchildren, Donovan Roach and Garrett Newman, both of Geneseo; several great-grandchildren and a sister, Lorraine Gilmore of Fullerton, Calif.
    He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Wilbur Newman and a grandson, Dennis Roach, in infancy Oct. 1968.