Julius Ray Newell, son of the late Barney Lee Newell and Lucy Reeves Newell, was born April 13, 1935, at Balwin, Miss., and died in the Southeast Missouri Hospital at Cape Girardeau on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2005, at the age of 70.

Mr. Newell was a former maintenance employee of the Sikeston John Deere Equipment Company and a resident of Essex.

He was united in marriage to Marie Crosno on May 6, 1988, at Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Newell preceded him in death on Aug. 17, 2001.

Survivors include two sons, Donald Ray Newell of Cape Girardeau and Stevie Lee Newell of Bloomfield; three daughters, Debbie Horton of Leachville, Ark., Vickie Lollar of Clinton, Tenn., and Charlotte Carmichael of Blytheville, Ark.; four step-sons, Theodore Crosno of Gilbertsville, Ky., Buford Crosno of Burton, Mich., A.J. Crosno of Zalma, and Allen Crosno of Phoenix, Ariz.; three step-daughters, Blanche Jerls of Flint, Mich., June Freeman of Bell City and Shirley Heigle of Mayersville, Miss.; 15 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.

Besides his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by six brothers; one sister; and one grandson.

Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005, at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2005, in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Danny Collins officiating.

Interment will follow in the Hagy Cemetery.