Julia “Star” Newsom, 63
February 10, 1961 – February 14, 2024
TUPELO — Julia “Star” Newsom, 63, of Tupelo, Mississippi, passed away on February 14, 2024, after a brief illness. Star was born and raised, the youngest of 4, in Memphis, TN.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Sarah Newsom, and her brother, James (Patti) Newsom. She is survived by her wife, Lena Conwill; her brother, Bill (Sondra) Newsom Jr., and sister Andrea (Ed) Wills; as well as a bunch of nieces and nephews who knew her as the aunt who brought the fun. She is also cherished by her “tribe” who assisted in “walking her home”: Laura Leigh and Jen Fowlkes, Teresa Stafford, Kris Deaton, Christine Elbert, Mark and David Endsley Wells, Moe Bristow, and Bobby Joe Britt.
An early love for Girl Scouts led Star to a career at Camp Tik-A-Witha where many a lifelong bond was forged. In 1996 she opened a coffeehouse called STARting Over in Tupelo. Star was a constant presence and a listening ear for so many. Her “coffee house kids” were not much different from her campers after all. In December 2004, Star opened a restaurant in downtown Tupelo, the Two Tone Cafe. A lively and delicious place for lunch, Two Tone quickly developed a following and was voted Best New Restaurant by the NE Mississippi Daily Journal in its first year. Star was ever present to remember your favorite drink, congratulate you on your good news, offer a hug when you were sad. Just before her illness, Star retired from management at Barnes and Noble. For many seasons, Star was the one matching people to books day after day. Star knew how to connect with people.
Star loved nothing more than her wife, Lena, and her dog, Jack. Their cabin, overlooking a lake and surrounded by Mississippi flora and fauna, was the hub of activity in all seasons. A chef whose roux could stand against the best, Star loved to entertain. All of Star’s entertaining reached its pinnacle every year on January 1, with an It’s a Wonderful Life Party. Early in the morning, the Tribe, Star’s nearest and dearest, would gather for breakfast. In the afternoon, the party would begin to swell with folks from throughout Star’s and Lena’s life. Perhaps the guiding principle in Star’s life came from the words of Clarence, the angel:
No man is a failure who has friends.
Star was rich indeed.
Star’s last It’s a Wonderful Life Party was January 1, 2024.
A celebration of the constellation of Star’s life will be on Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Link Centre, 1800 West Main Street, Tupelo MS. Memorials are requested to be sent to Girl Scouts of America or lift up a wayward soul and tell them they are “loved.”
Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.
