Louise Newcombe

LOUISE STEWART NEWCOMBE PHARR – Louise Stewart Newcombe, 81, died Monday, November 2, 2015, after a long battle with colon cancer. Louise was born in Liberty, Texas and graduated as Salutatorian of her high school class in Hull-Daisetta, at the age of 15. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy at the age of 19 from the University of Houston. While in pharmacy school, she met Quentin Newcombe Jr. who she married on July 3, 1954, shortly after graduation. After moving to the Rio Grande Valley, Louise worked with Dr. Munal, in San Juan, on the first polio vaccine program, Operation Gulp. She also worked as a pharmacist at the former San Juan Pharmacy and the old McAllen General Hospital, was a consulting pharmacist for nursing homes in Pharr, San Juan and McAllen, and did relief work for a number of local Valley pharmacies. Louise, along with her husband, were co-owners and operators of Newcombe Pharmacy for over 46 years. It was the first pharmacy in the Valley to be open until midnight, 365 days a year. In 1999, Newcombe Pharmacy was recognized as “Good Neighbor Pharmacy of the Year”; that same year she and her husband were recognized as “Pharmacists of the Year” on a national level. Mrs. Newcombe, along with her husband, were active supporters of the Pharr Boys and Girls Club and were recognized as “Man and Woman of the Year” in 1997. They are long-time members of First Baptist Church in Pharr. Mrs. Newcombe held various leadership positions in women’s organizations such as the Zonta Club International – the professional women’s organization which conducted the annual “Homes with a Heart Tour” to benefit Easter Seals, was the founder of Tri-City Business & Professional Women’s Organization; was a board member of Mujeras Unidas/Women Together and served on the committee that formed the Pharr Food Bank, which later became the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank. Louise was an active leader in the women’s Masonic organizations the Order of the Eastern Star – for which she recently received her 50-year pin, and the Order of Rainbow for Girls. She was also a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Her civic involvements included participating in Career Days for local elementary schools, serving as a member of the Valley Historical Society, being a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and a volunteer at the Pharr Public Library. She is preceded in death by her parents, Dennis and Lucy Stewart. Louise is survived by her husband of 61 years, Quentin Newcombe Jr., of Pharr; a daughter, Allyson Newcombe, of Houston; two sons, Kyle Stewart Newcombe of Edinburg, Bryan Ross (Lisa Gail) Newcombe, of Potomac, Maryland; and four grandchildren, Kevin Luna Newcombe, Emily Sara Newcombe, Patrick Brander Newcombe and Amanda Gail Newcombe. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 5, 2015, at Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan. Service will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, November 6, 2015, at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. A private graveside service will follow. The family would like to thank the staff of Legend Transitional Care Center in McAllen for the quality care given to Louise. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Food Bank RGV, P.O. Box 6251, McAllen, TX 78502 or online at . Services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan.