Emma Newman

On March 21, the first day of spring, at age 33, after a brief but powerful struggle with mental illness, Emma Newman sought relief from the person she had become.

The oldest of four siblings, Emma always led the way (whether they wanted her to or not). She graduated from Trumansburg high school in 2002 and earned her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State in 2006. She lived on the west coast, Hawaii, Colorado, before returning to Ithaca where she worked in the hospitality industry, bringing food, drink, love and humor to so many. She loved to travel and even earned her private pilot’s license.

She was bright and beautiful, complicated and funny, generous and full of curiosity about our universe. She expressed her passion for social justice in advocating for workers’ rights and fighting for those who needed a voice; her compassion in caring for her friends and fostering pets.

Her family misses her wit, her smile, her laughter, and her love for a good debate. Emma is survived by her mother, Susan Beckley, of Ithaca; her father, David (Lesley Adams) Newman, of Trumansburg; her sisters, Eliza A. Newman and Valerie L. Newman, both of Trumansburg; her brother, Hank A.T. Newman, of Ithaca; her adoring niece, Fina; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

The family will be present to receive friends at the Ness-Sibley Funeral Home, 23 South Street, Trumansburg from 4:00 to 6:00pm on Saturday, March 24 and on Monday, March 26. A service will follow Monday’s calling hours. There will also be a gathering to celebrate Emma’s life on Sunday, May 28 at her childhood home. Committal Rites will be held privately at St. James Cemetery in Trumansburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a donation in Emma’s memory to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) or to the Humane Society of Schuyler County.