Don Newbury
Dr. Newbury spent more than 40 years in higher education, including presidencies at Western Texas College in Snyder and Howard Payne University, and was named HPU Chancellor in 1995. He and his wife, Brenda, live in Burleson, TX, where they have lived since semi-retirement began in 2000. He has been a public speaker for more than 60 years and continues to fill engagements throughout the state. His column, begun in 2003, runs in about 200 print and online newspapers, mostly in Texas. During his HPU presidency, enrollment reached an all-time high of some 1,400, and several major buildings were constructed. Their daughters, Jana Penney and Jeanie McDaniel, are HPU alums, as was their oldest daughter, Julie Choate, who was an elementary school principal in Aledo when she died at age 50 of a pulmonary embolism in 2020. Dr. Newbury, a 1956 graduate of Early High School, holds B.A., M.J. and Ph.D. degrees from HPU, University of Texas and University of North Texas, respectively. He also is the recipient of an HPU honorary doctorate. Dr. Newbury has authored several books and now serves in senior adult ministry at Burleson First Baptist Church.
The Idle American
THE IDLE AMERICAN: A Queen Like None Other
Many tourist destinations claim to be “all things to all people,” but compared to Branson, MO, the rest of them miss the mark by a country mile. Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, the laid-back community
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Left-Handers and Aggies
The Good Book’s Chapter 6 of Matthew provides challenging specifics on living the good life, but verse three seems most daunting. It concerns the importance of maintaining a chasm between the works of the left and
THE IDLE AMERICAN: On New Year’s Resolutions
My ancient Uncle Mort is not one to speak negatively of neighbors, unless they live at least three cattleguards away. He recently “spilled the beans” on a neighbor who lives so deep in the
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Eclipse in our rearview mirror
Enough already. The eclipse of April 8 has been smothered with coverage by both mass and social media. Americans–some who flail at things that go “bump” in the night–yearned for even more darkness! They carved
THE IDLE AMERICAN: The Blackwood name lives on
The name “ Blackwood” has been as closely linked to Southern Gospel Music as ham and eggs to diners, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz to TV, and Tarzan and Jane to jungle movies. The family
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Leave it to the Aggies
Texas A&M University–a major educational institution respected throughout the world–emerged unscathed from a litany of “Aggie jokes” that were shared for decades, though not so much now. They were, of course–exactly that–jokes. Actually,
THE IDLE AMERICAN: God’s blessing of Branson
Hills are greening up, fiddlers are tuning up and visitors from around the globe are showing up as the entertainment mecca of Branson, MO, gears up for a record-breaking season in the beloved Ozarks. It’s
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Life’s ups and downs
To most mortals–mere or otherwise–the thought of jumping rope 30,660,000 times causes hair to stand on end, eyes to crossand regimens to crumble. Not so to a preacher man named Van Minter, whose morning routine
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Accept all cookies
We are among the dwindling few who still answer the doorbell when it chimes between sunup and sunset. (If we don’t hear it, we can rely 100% on our new rescue dog, Archie, to “bark” an
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Devil’s workshop?
Every now and again, someone comes up with suggestions for addition to the list of what to do when there’s nothing to do. As often as not, such “yawn fodder” winds up to fill
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Grilling groans
Texas’ prime grilling season is only weeks away. I await in the shadow of a conundrum, not knowing whether to mark off calendar days with giddy anticipation or be “gloomed” like Charlie Brown stumbling away
THE IDLE AMERICAN: Price is no object
In our mind’s eye, most of us old-timers recall taking on life in slow motion when contrasted with today’s starts, stops and swerves now endured by the masses by day and by night. If identified with