WILLIAM F. “SONNY” NEWTON, JR.,

born December 7, 1943, passed away on October 10, 2020.

He was preceded in death by his parents, W.F. “Bill” Newton and Clara Shank Newton; wife, Claudia Curtis Newton; one infant son, Christopher Newton; one brother, Fred G. Newton; and a niece, Andrea L. Newton.

Sonny is survived by his sister, Patricia Newton Bass; her children, Lynda Bass Gaiser and James C. Bass; Fred’s widow, Susie Chamberlain Newton; and their children, Ashley Newton Harrington, William Carroll Newton, Virginia Gayle Newton; Claudia’s sister, Anne Curtis Frazier; and beloved brother-in-law, John Frazier and their children, Angela Bachelor, Dana Gettys, Melissa Brothers, Jenny Howell and Brandy Frazier; and sister-inlaw, Sherry Goforth and husband Warren and their son, Chuck Goforth; brother-in-law Robert Curtis and wife Melissa and their children Shannon and Matt Curtis; and other great-nieces, nephews and cousins.

Sonny loved to fish from a young age and enjoyed deer hunting with his Dad, Fred and Johnny. He attended University of AR before being recruited by the Detroit Tigers Baseball Team. Once he retired from baseball, he worked as a dock supervisor for Roadway Trucking.

Graveside service will be 11 a.m., Friday, October 16, 2020, at Morgan Cemetery, Morgan Cemetery Road/Highway 10, Little Rock. State of AR COVID-19 directives: Face coverings required. Maintain social distancing. Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home. Guestbook at www.SmithFamilyCares.com