Funeral services for Luther “Sonny Boy” Newton, 87, of Rayville, La. will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, June 4, at Dunn Baptist Church, Dunn, La. with Bro. Bernard Duchesne officiating. Interment will follow in the Gwin Cemetery, Mangham, La. under the direction of Brown-Holley Funeral Home, Rayville, La.

Luther was born June 30, 1933, in Lake Providence, La., and passed away Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in West Monroe, La.

Luther graduated from Louisiana Tech with B.S. in Civil Engineering on May 28, 1956. He started his career in June 1956, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District. In October 1956, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served for four years as a base site engineer in Anchorage, Alaska. He was released from active duty in February 1959 as a First Lieutenant. After his service, he returned to Vicksburg District and was assigned to a four-month position on Kwajalein Island in the North Pacific. Here he performed inspections on reinforced concrete missile launch tubes and reinforced concrete ammo storage buildings. In 1961, he was assigned to the Design Branch, Vicksburg District as a structural engineer, where he developed plans and specs for the initial earthwork for the Columbia Lock and Dam. December of 1966 he was moved to Jonesville, La., to oversee construction of the Jonesville Lock and Dam. He then returned once again to Vicksburg in April 1972. He served as the Chief of Inspection and Evaluation section until he retired with 38 years of service in 1992. After retiring, Luther went back to work on the Red River maintaining and overseeing the Red River Locks and Dams. He retired from there and took a position at a private engineer consulting firm, Brown, Cunningham, and Gannuch in New Orleans in 1994. He retired from there after 12 years of service.

Luther was a member of several Masonic Lodges, with his original membership at Pecan Grove Masonic Lodge in 1954. He has also served as a Shriner for many years.

Luther is preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Mary Katherine Newton; son, Luther Alford Newton; and his parents, Luther Newton and Marie Garrett.

Survivors include his daughter, Jennifer Boles and husband, Tim of Rayville; grandchildren, Kaitlyn Boles, Raylee Boles, Laureanda Ray, Stormy Newton, and Alex Newton; sister, Yvette Pace and husband, Mac of Springhill, La.; special friend of the family, Sandra Gix; and his numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are David Ford, John Randall Fryer, Todd Dixon, Les Cruse, Troy Dennard, and Paul McDonald. Honorary pallbearers are John Mosely, Wendel Shoemaker, Jimmy Fairchilds, Wiley Flowers and members of the Masonic Lodge.

Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday, June 3, at the Dunn Baptist Church.

Condolences may be left at brownholleyfuneralhomes.com.