Jeanne Roe Newbern, DDS

Published 10:21 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Jeanne Roe Newbern, DDS, 58, of Valdosta, died suddenly on May 9, 2015. Dr. Jeanne, as she was known by her many dental patients and friends alike, was born in Clinton, Tenn.  on May 29, 1956. She grew up in Oak Ridge, Tenn., but graduated from high school in Mt. Vernon, Ind. She went on to attend Vanderbilt University where she met her husband to be, and graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a BS in Chemistry. Dr. Jeanne then earned her DDS from Emory University School of Dentistry in 1983. After graduation, she worked for the U.S. Public Health Service and MEGALS Rural Health Initiative in McCormick, S.C., providing dental care for needy and indigent patients, and began her family with the birth of two of her four children. She relocated to Valdosta in October of 1987. Once in Valdosta, she began her private practice of Dentistry with her husband at Newbern Family Dental Practice, as her family grew with the birth of two more children, and continued until the current time. Dr. Jeanne enjoyed all things aquatic: fishing, boating, scuba diving, or simply being around water, and enjoyed snowskiing most every year. She loved the beach and bicycling its coast especially, traveling frequently to Jekyll Island and visiting the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on most every trip. She loved traveling. She constantly wished to see the world with her beloved family, and made every attempt to do so, ranging from visiting Alaskan Glaciers to Haitian beaches. She was a voracious reader of books and novels, and enjoyed much of the world through reading. Dr. Jeanne was of the Baptist faith, and had attended Perimeter Road Baptist Church, Lee Street Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, Northside Baptist Church, and Crosspointe Church.

Survivors include her husband of 38 years, Dr. Jeff Newbern, III, of Valdosta; a son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Jeff, IV, and Dr. Gretchen Wigand Newbern, of Louisville, Ky.; and son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Jordan Newbern of Marietta; a daughter, Dr. Kayce Newbern of Augusta; and a son, Gabe Newbern of Athens. Also surviving is her father and his spouse, Bob G. and Carolyn Roe of Leesburg, Fla.; a brother and sister-in-law, Kevin and Angie Roe of Hattiesburg, Miss.; a beloved caregiver for many years of Dr. Jeanne’s children, Linda Johnson of Valdosta; her best friend and sister-in-law Laura Lynn Newbern of Valdosta; and many other relatives, staff members — who she considered to be family, and close friends. She is preceded in death by her mother, Thelma G. Roe, of Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The funeral for Dr. Jeanne will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2015, in the chapel of Carson McLane Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7-9 p.m. today. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 214 Stable Road, Jekyll Island, GA 31527.

Condolences may be conveyed to the family on the obituary page of www.mclanecares.com — Carson McLane Funeral Home