From our dear friend Thelma Bonzek 3/18/23

Bob, I am still playing "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" every single day, and I can see you sitting in my rocking chair, whistling the tune. I still think of the wonderful days teaching at Seymour School. I can still see you running up the stairs to tell me there was going to be an opening in the kindergarten. Bob, you'll never know what you did for me. I love you with all my heart. I love Katherine with all my heart.
She has been a wonderful friend. Thank you. 
Thelma Bonzek

Just yesterday I had the wonderful pleasure of talking to Leah Horwitz who along with Bob started SIEE and was at its beginnings. Just this week I have had to rethink how to continue some of the core values, methods and experiences I learned in the 10 years with Bob and SIEE staff...and how can I nurture them as I retire and preserve their essence with a new staff so unfamiliar with the roots of SIEE teachings and methods. Thank you again to Bob and his support. Hoping this finds Katherine well in her new beginnings. Mary Cunningham

From our friend Thelma Bonzek 9/27/21

One of the finest men I have ever know is Robert Newman. He had compassion for everyone. He believed in the world of goodness and I will treasure his goodness and memory forever.

Unbelievable.. It has been more than 2 years since I met you last time.. I wish we could get a chance to discuss more your books and ideas on education, Bob.. Your legecy of education encouraged me to follow my dream and to touch many lives through education. It is impossible to forget you.. You will be missed forever, Bob!

Visiting Katherine and Bob in Syracuse was always enlightening, comforting and fun. Bob was kind, empathetic and always listened to what I had to say (even if it was nonsense). It's a basic human characteristic that we should all possess. He actually listened, reflected and answered in such a thoughtful, considerate way. In actual fact I should have listened more to him, especially after reading about his teaching philosophy. Bob was so welcoming, so kind and gentle, he was genuine and caring. I consider myself lucky to have met him and talked to him, and write with a heavy heart knowing how much he meant to Katherine.

From our friend Hank Stone:
March 21, 2019
Goodbye to a truly good and beautiful man!
I got to know him at a series of weekend retreats with the New Environment Association. These retreats coincided with his birthday. He had birthday cake, which he would eat before the rest of his meal.
He presented a slide show explaining his early teaching in a one room school house, and how that informed his understanding that children need to be supported by their teachers if they have trouble- not be passed off to the next teacher.
His love for Katherine, his wife, was a thing of beauty!
Hank Stone, Ionia, NY

A TRULY BOB NEWMAN STORY
My old friend, Bob, was a dear man but he also had a piquant streak and he loved playing kind but benevolent jokes on his friends. He recognized in me a kindred soul who had a good sense of humor and could not only tolerate but enjoy the teasing joke on oneself. The stratagems had to be clearly laid out but could not cost much.
The back story for the setting is this. Our mutual friends, Pat and Harry Schwarzlander, always liked to have a get together for my birthday, which is in the middle of March. It’s a dead time in the winter; not quite freezing like January or February, far enough away from all the Christmas hub-bub, and with a hint of spring. So, we were all invited for cake and tea one night close to my birthday.
Bob’s history of garage-saleing and dumpster-diving would come to the fore. He bought the most unusual things or he pulled them out of the discards when the garage sale was over. Previous to the get together, probably some time during the previous summer garage sale season, he had found this item. He brings it before any other guests arrive and asks Pat if he could set up this spoof for me. 
Here’s the gist of the spoof. He must have brought with him a large spool of rather heavy string. He put the item in another room and wound the string, starting at the box, out of the room and all around, underneath, and through the Schwarzlander’s living room furniture. The other guests come and see the string but no mention is made. We have no idea what is coming. We have our dessert and then Bob tells me I have a ‘gift’ at the end of the string.
Well, in those days, working women wore skirts and nylons in the form of panty hose. Here am I, dressed in my work clothes, with pantyhose, crawling around on the Schwarzlander’s rug. I get to the rather large box, bring it out and open in front of the group. Bob has found for me a black, beaded Chinese curtain compliments of some garage sale leftovers.
One Precious Memory of Bob.
Rosemarie Pagano Bundy

Katherine, Hugs for the lasting shared memories.  May your thoughts bend back to the beginnings and resonate fully as you move forward. hugs/peace liz

Katherine, you were so good to Bob. Rest now knowing you gave him your best and that he appreciated it with all his heart. He was just that kind of man.
My favorite story was one he shared once talking to a group about his family. He told that his grandfather had been a lift operator in the mines in Butte, Montana at the turn of the last century. The coincidence was that mine was too! I loved that connection and wondered if they knew each other. ( No, they were not the same man... grin)
I loved that he would eat dessert first and use 1930’s slang, express his delight openly, and that he took deep interest in others.
Bob encouraged me to take a “sabbatical” year off when my children were young and we all recall it as the best year of our lives. I will be ever grateful for that.
Great adventures and journeys to you, Bob, on that spirit side even as I know a part of you remains with Katherine.

Bob was the kindest, gentlest man I ever knew, a brilliant and innovative educator, on the forefront of peace and social justice and an untiring advocate for Dr. Rafil Dhafir. He always welcomed me warmly into his snug home where he wrote his pioneering books on his new methods of teaching children. He and Katherine were my model for what a marriage should be and my heart goes out to her in her loss.

It was truly a pleasure to know Bob for the last twelve years! His optimism and ever-present smile brought some much-needed light into the world. His positivity was even more inspiring considering the weighty ideas he often pondered, as evidenced by his writing on the topics of education and the problems facing contemporary society as we move deeper into the 21st century. His genuine compassion, caring and concern for our collective future in the years well beyond his own life are attitudes we could benefit from enormously if shared by a larger segment of society!

Bob always told me that the world was a better place because I was in it and that made me so feel good.
He was a very sweet man who had the ability to make everyone feel special; a rare and beautiful quality. To value your fellow human being, approach them with unconditional love and make no judgment is what we would all like to achieve.
He loved Katherine and made her so happy, there are no words to describe how much I love him just for that.
He in turn was a very lucky man to have Katherine in his life and her devotion to him is unsurpassable.
It was a privilege to spend some time with him during his last days and with loved family and friends.
My thoughts are with Katherine, my best friend, and a completely devoted (helicopter) wife :-) and most importantly Bob's best friend and love forever...xxx

I'll always remember his kind smile and thoughtful words of welcome the day I moved in across the street. Over the years I felt blessed to have had him as a neighbor. He was a warm glowing light in the hood. Love and peace going out to Kathy and family. God be with you all.

I feel fortunate to meet Bob for the last two years of his life. It was amazing to listen to his stories as an educator and to learn more from his teaching ideology that he established throughout his teaching career. His ideas were "out of the box", and I think it is what made him unique and memorable. I will always remember you, Bob!

I brought my daughter to SIEE when she was six years old. Bob had created a space that was loving and intriguing for children. There was a staff of Dotty Shave, Susan Manes, David Knapp , Leah Horowitz and Joyce MacArthur that was one of the most stimulating and loving group of people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. And for my daughter it was a space that both challenged her and kept her safe and deeply cared for. When he asked me to work there I was thrilled. I learned from everyone there and took away from that decade a vision of what teaching and learning should like that has stayed with me more than 40 years. My gratitude to Bob is enormous. Katherine, I hope in the days and months to come, you can regrouped your strength and find the path that you and Bob once shared.

Bob was a great neighbor and friend. Always stopped to chat or tell a cute, funny joke when he and Katherine went on their daily walk up and down the street. I will truly miss Bob and his wit. Thoughts are with Katherine and Bob's family at this difficult time.

Bob is one of the greatest friends one could ever have. He was so humble, loving, caring, compassionate and always thought of others. His love for Katherine was beautiful in every way. Bob loved my husband Joe and Joe loved him. Joe's blueberry pancakes made a hit with Bob. He loved my piano music especially Chattanooga Choo Choo. When we talked every night I would say, "I love you" and he would say, "Oh, that makes me feel so good." You were my great professor and you will be my good friend forever Bob. Love, Thelma

Bob has been and will continue to be an inspiration for me. I am grateful for having known him. I will be sharing Bob stories with people who weren't lucky enough to meet him for years to come.

Megan...Sorry to hear of your dad's passing... you stated that you and your dad looked and acted alike... he must have been quite a great guy... my thoughts are with you and your family...

Dear Bob,
I am traveling in the U.K. right now. Just heard that you left us and went on a new journey. I want to tell you that I truly treasure the time I spent with you at Francis House, holding your hands and having our special conversation without speaking much. I have known you and Katherine for almost 20 years. We always had a good time when we got together. I have learned so much from you. You were one of the most smart, intelligent, and kind people I knew.  I will always love and respect you. I will never forget you. Bon voyage, Bob!
Yuming

Dear Bob,
I will miss your always cheery and smiling presence at Archbold Gym when attending for my daily workout. You always had on hand a humorous story to share to lighten and refresh our workday. Thank you for brightening our days and I wish you peace and love.

It was my pleasure to know you, learn from you and help you with your work. I only wish I was strong enough to have helped you more. Remembering your depth and devotion to caring will always help me smile. Enjoy your dessert dear friend. And Katherine, thank you for sharing your love with Bob. He was brave and persistent because you are brave and persistent. I love you both.

My most inspiring memory of Bob was his habit of crouching down to be on equal eye level with a child, and speaking to them slowly and with respect. A totally lovable way.

Sadly, my husband Ed Voytovich and I only had the privilege of knowing Bob for the last year of his life, while Bob and Ed were both clients at the Menorah Park MPU cognitive care programs. But Ed and I both greatly enjoyed Bob's tales of growing up in California, meeting Katherine, and other important aspects of his life. That life hasn't ended, I'm convinced; it's just moved on into the next dimension, whatever that may be. Peace to his gentle soul, as well as to Katherine, Valerie, Megan, his grandchildren, and all the others he leaves behind.

I only had the pleasure of knowing Bob for the last two to three years of his life. But what a wonderful addition to my life. I often referred to Bob as the "deep thinker". He was an educator but also, at heart, I think, a philosopher who lived out the values of which he spoke--kindness, compassion, simplicity, and authenticity. His gentle demeanor will be greatly missed. My heart goes out to Katherine and all of his loving family.  Ellen

To our beloved and forever friend - we are grateful for being with you on much of your journey, Bob. Harry spoke at our wee Quaker meeting today and said Bob is the most creative person he has ever known. And we both feel Bob lived his life fully. He always looked for the Light in others with kindness and compassion.
And we send this tribute to Bob's wife, Katherine, who loved and cared for him beautifully these many years.
With love and peace from Harry and Pat

Dearest Dad:

You taught me to listen.
You taught me to read and to love words.
You taught me that to teach you have to reach a child's heart.
You taught me kindness.
You taught me to value authenticity.
You were fun
People said we looked alike, acted alike, walked alike (bouncy)
I am proud.

Godspeed and Peace.
XO Meg