In Memoriam: Officer Andre Newman

In Memoriam: Officer Andre Newman
In Memoriam: Officer Andre Newman

The letter below was sent to the Sidwell Friends community on November 15, 2021.


Dear Friends,

I am deeply saddened to report that Officer Andre Newman, a longtime and highly regarded member of the Sidwell Friends School Security Team, died on Sunday due to injuries sustained in a car accident. I have reached out to his wife, Shirleen, to express our condolences and deepest gratitude for her husband’s extraordinary service. Mrs. Newman shared that Andre loved working at the School; in fact, a fellow employee said that he recently told her that he hoped to write another history of Sidwell Friends.

Mrs. Newman indicated that interment is expected to take place at Lincoln Cemetery in Dallas, Texas. We will provide details for funeral arrangements as they become available. In the meantime, you can express your sympathy to the family by writing to them at 2703 Keystone Lane, Apt. T2, Vienna, VA 22180.

Andre Newman joined Sidwell Friends in August, 2002, and we were delighted that he remained in the community by transitioning to Joffe Emergency Services this past September. A former supervisor of the night shift, he more recently took on mid-day responsibilities, including dismissal. He especially took pride in his meticulous documentation of security incidents and his keen investigative skills, which he developed through the coursework he completed for a Master’s in Education and Security Management. He was a lifelong learner who drew upon the School’s professional development resources to deepen his understanding of the field. 

An engaging and thoughtful friend, Andre conversed on a wide range of topics, including music, sometimes noting that he was the son of the great jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman. Above all, Officer Newman lived with kindness. A year ago, he responded to neighborhood concerns about a homeless man who was vehemently espousing his political views at the Upton Street property. Officer Newman approached the matter with equanimity and compassion, seeking to learn about the individual’s situation and hoping to provide a peaceful and productive end to the conflict. The man explained that he needed to buy some bottled water, so Officer Newman emptied his own wallet of the $16 he carried. Ascertaining that the man was hungry, Andre then used his credit card to purchase lunch. Such acts of compassion and humility came naturally to Andre, who let his life speak and served as an example to us all. He truly embodied the values we seek to develop in our students.

Please join me in thanking the Newman family for Andre’s remarkable service and in holding them in the Light. Officer Newman invested himself fully in the Sidwell Friends community and will be deeply missed. 

In peace,

Bryan Garman
Head of School

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