John "Jack" Newton

John “Jack” Lee Newton, 86, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2026, surrounded by family.

Born on April 20, 1940, in Moline, Illinois, Jack graduated from Rockridge High School in 1958. He married Andrea McGinnis on August 4, 1962. They raised two daughters, Joanie and Natalie, who spent many summers being toted around to sprint car races with Andy and Jack, who moonlighted as an amateur race car driver in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa, and Knoxville Speedway in Knoxville, Iowa were frequent destinations in those days. After living in and around Reynolds for much of his life, he and Andy moved to Galesburg, Illinois, in 2023, where they were welcomed warmly by many new friends and neighbors.

A true jack of all trades, there was hardly a project or job he couldn’t and wouldn’t tackle. If it was broken, he could fix it, no matter what it was. His restless spirit and relentless curiosity led him to learn numerous trades and skills, many of which he put to use in his garage, where he could most often be found tinkering with some new tool or home improvement project like a mad scientist. He spent hours and hours debating tools, techniques, and just about anything else with his friends in that garage and countless others throughout his life.

While he was most at home in the garage, his favorite place to be was at the family table, whether for a holiday meal or dinner out. Spending time around a table with his loved ones brought Jack nearly as much joy as picking up the tab. You could always count on two things if we were dining out: Jack would get the check and our servers would really earn their tips by patiently listening to/enduring his endless banter and dad jokes. To know Jack was to know you probably wouldn’t get a word in edgewise when chatting, especially once he started telling (perhaps tall) tales about his many adventures.

Jack was a fantastic dancer and, despite hating being in photos, was a photography enthusiast with a keen eye. Andy and Jack were renowned for their smooth skills on dance floors across the Quad Cities area. Jack served as the family documentarian, always behind the camera to capture the big and small moments that we now look back on all these years later, from stacks of old photos to hours of home video, to reminisce and remember.

Underneath his cocky exterior, Jack had a tender heart. He loved dogs and horses, and had many faithful companions over the years, including his most recent best friend, Cubby. He was a devoted friend, frequently visiting friends and neighbors to lend comfort, support, and care in good times and bad. He never met a sweet treat or potato chip he didn’t like. He loved baking cookies and making popcorn the old fashioned way on the stovetop. He loved his family fiercely and will be deeply missed.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents Donna Blumenstein and Keith Bognar, grandmother Vera McIntosh, and son-in-law Sam Boney.

He is survived by wife Andrea, beloved dog Cubby, daughters Joan Boney and Natalie (Steve) Encapera; granddaughters Justine Boney, Leah Encapera, and Anna (Chris) Kuethe; grandson Marshall Boney; great-grandsons Cooper and Keagan Encapera; and siblings Joyce LeMaster, Jan Miles, and Keith Bognar, Jr.

A celebration of life will be held on July 18, with more details to come.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jack’s honor may be sent to Reynolds Methodist Church or Western Illinois Animal Rescue.

Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on his memory page at www.mvcremation.com.