Happy Birthday Newton Falls

by Sara Davison
posted February 15, 2006

Newton Falls is now in its 200th year. This year we hope to celebrate the people and traditions of our city. For 44 years, The Newton Falls Herald held an annual New Year’s Baby Derby. They began their baby derby in 1949, with Janet Kandrac, being the first baby derby winner. Various businesses would donate prizes for the mom, dad, and baby. The family with the new baby would be featured on the front page of the paper with a list of all the gifts and sponsors. Requirements for the winner were that the parents live in Newton Falls or Newton Township and of course be able to provide proof that the baby was the first born in the township or city for that year.

Some years, the New Year’s baby would be born on New Year’s Day . Other times we would need to wait patiently for the arrival of the winner. The list of babies appears below. Some of have left our area over the years, while others still here in our hometown. We would like to feature as many of them as possible on our website. If possible we will try to obtain a copy of their baby picture and copy of them now. If you know one of these pas New Year’s Babies or their family, please contact Sara Davison with the information.

You can reach her via e-mail at NFBicentennial@aol.com or write to her at ATTN: Baby Derby, NF Bicentennial Committee, P.O. Box 554, Newton Falls, Ohio 44444. All photos will be returned.

Although we can’t offer you any prizes, we would be interested in who the first baby born to a family in Newton Falls or Newton Township in 2006. If you think you might be that family or know that family, please send the information of the date and time of birth with a way to contact you to Sara Davison at the above e-mail address or at the post office box. If you are the first, Sara will ask for verification. All interested persons should have their information to us by the end of February.

Baby Winners are

1949 Janet Kandrac
1950 Cindy Lou Matthews
1951 Ronald Lee Raepke
1952 Deborah Ann Nemet (Stull)
1953 Thomas Thompson
1954 Barbara Ann Shelton
1955 Lou Ann Caldwell
1956 Kenneth Daywalt
1957 Lewis Porter Root
1958 Ronald and Donald Kelley
1959 Mary ann White
1960 James Edward Serotko
1961 Raymond Alex Kovacs
1962 Jane Leslie Earl
1963 Shirley Mae Held
1964 Diane Lynn Pregibon
1965 Shelly Downes
1966 Cindy Marie Oller
1967 Lawrence Michael Smith
1968 Connie Sue Blaney
1969 Philip Andrew Starr III
1970 Debra Lee Peace
1971 Andrea Marie Warren
1972 Tina Marie Spragg
1973 Tina Lou Sowers
1974 Kenneth Wayne Lareu
1975 Emily Raquel Conoico
1976 Tammy Lynn Thompson
1977 Jennifer Lynn Wright
1978 Erin Elizabeth Maughan
1979 Jamie Lynn Soos
1980 Paul Gaeson Smith
1981 Adam Gregory Hartman
1982 Don Edward Davis
1983 Amber Lynn Magargle
1984 Ashley Marie Walters
1985 Christopher William Westfall
1986 Michael Steven Richter
1987 Grace Margaret Spletzer
1988 Noelle Kristine Howard
1989 Jamie Lynn Sekora
1990 Michael John Layshock
1991 James Kyle Cook
1992 Jerrica anne cooper
1993 Michael Aaron Bluto