Josie Lee Newland, 75, of Lexington Park, MD died on February 29, 2008 in St. Mary's Hospital, Leonardtown, MD.

Born September 10, 1932 in Vardaman, MS, she was the daughter of the late Vernice Theodore Higginbotham and Lelia Bessie Wiggs Higginbotham. She was a Navy wife and mother, maintaining a home wherever duty assignments took her husband, among which were several stations in California, also Guam, Maine and Maryland. She was a good mother, well loved by her children who were always first and foremost. Her husband of 48 years stated, "She will be sorely missed. She was the glue that held our family together." She enjoyed sewing and needlecraft, particularly crocheting, for most of her life making gifts for friends and family members until losing her vision to macular degeneration. An avid reader before, she then switched to the audio versions recorded on tape or CD afterwards. Health issues caused her to become a virtual shut-in for a long time. While she would rarely leave the house for social occasions, she greatly enjoyed visits from the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mrs. Newland did volunteer work for the Office on Aging at the Garvey Center in Leonardtown, MD.

She is survived by her husband, James R. Newland, LCDR, USN (Ret.), whom she married July 9, 1960 in Memphis, TN, a daughter, Patricia A. Thomas, two sons, William J. Newland and Robert E. Newland all of Lexington Park, MD, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, two sisters, Faye Emerson of Earle, AR, Gladys Archer of Toney, AL and a brother, James T. Higginbotham of Millington, TN. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Jewel Jacobs in 1984 and Thelma Lillie Carlin in 1995.

A Memorial Service will be conducted on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel in Leonardtown, MD. Inurnment will be in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA on March 13, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Macular Degeneration Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 531313, Henderson, NV 89053.

Arrangements provided by Brinsfield Funeral Home.