Samuel Newton

Samuel Tyler Blanchard Newton died on August 29, 2019, in his apartment in New York City.  His death which was announced by his parents, Belle Blanchard Newton and Blake Newton of Garrison, New York, is believed to be the result of a drug overdose.  Mr. Newton had attributed his addiction to drugs as having stemmed from the use of pain killers prescribed for him following the removal of his wisdom teeth while a teenager.  He was actively involved in his recovery at the time of his death through meetings sponsored by The Greater New York Region of Narcotics Anonymous and several allied programs.

Mr. Newton was born on September 25, 1987 in New York City where he lived until moving to Garrison with his parents in 1996.  He graduated in the class of 2006 from Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut and from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio in 2010 where he earned a B.A. in Fine Arts with a concentration in sculpture. After moving back to New York City following college, he worked for Swann Auction Galleries before joining Turner Construction Company in New York in its Building Information Modeling Department. He later worked in the sales department of Brazill Brothers & Associates, Inc., a manufacturer’s representative in the electrical industry.  He is survived by his parents; his girlfriend, Elizabeth Rusnock; his sponsor, Chris McDonnell; his mentors, James Sheehan and Jesse Harlan; and by numerous family members and friends.

His long term avocation as a deejay began when he entered high school and continued until his death.  He also enjoyed hiking, hunting, fishing, drawing, sculpture, and playing lacrosse, both on school teams and in amateur leagues thereafter.  His warm manner and quick sense of humor as well as an ongoing sense of adventure were an infectious combination that made long-time friends of nearly everyone he met and allowed him to be recognized as a leader and mentor among his many friends in the New York recovery community.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 14th at 11am at the Parish House of St Philip’s Church in the Highlands, 1101 Rte 9D, Garrison, NY with interment in the St Philip’s churchyard immediately following.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to St Philip’s Church, PO Box 158, Garrison, NY 10524; to the Garrison Art Center, 23 Garrison’s Landing, Garrison, NY 10524 or to the Caron Foundation, Attn: Development Office, 243 N. Galen Hall Rd., Wernersville, PA 19565.