Anita Maecille Newell, 84, of Big Spring, Texas, went to be with the Lord July 3, 2016, in Amarillo, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at the Nalley-Pickle & Welch Rosewood Chapel in Big Spring with Rev. Mark Lindsey, officiating. Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Park.The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Tuesday evening at the funeral home.Anita was born December 30, 1931, to Gussie and Charles Johnson, in Turnersville, Texas. She attended schools in Turkey and Memphis, Texas where she was homecoming queen and salutatorian of her senior class. She married her college sweetheart, Earl Newell, on August 26, 1950.Mimi, as she was called by her family, was a Christian who had given her life to her savior, Jesus Christ. She was a constant source of comfort to her family and showed them how to live the Christian life by her example.Anita was an accomplished pianist and trained to become a concert pianist. She once performed in concert with the famous Spanish conductor Jose Iturbi. She played piano in almost every church she belonged to. She opened a flower shop, Something Different, in the 1970s. She later added prom, formal, and bridal services, at that time changing the name to Formal Affair. She loved gardening and just being outside. After she retired, she spent many hours working in her yard and taking care of her pond. She could take a blank landscape and turn it into an oasis. She was open to adventure, and she and Earl went on many trips with Marna and her husband, Ron, traveling the country, having fun, and making memories. She and Earl loved to golf together.Anita is survived by her husband, Earl; three children, Marna Moon, of Amarillo, Texas; Rodney (Dana) Newell of Waco, Texas; and Kerry (Donna) Newell, of Cotopaxi, Colorado; seven grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Miranda; her son-in-law, Ronnie Moon; and her granddaughter, Rhonda Dickerson.Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences may be made at: www.npwelch.com ,
