Wednesday, 8 February 2023

 James NEWBURY (Brighton) (09:34): It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that I rise today to record the passing of my father Roger Kingsley Newbury. Father to me, Charles and Stephanie and grandfather to six, Roger was 75 years old when he passed. He had lived a full life both professionally and personally. He was proud that throughout his dental career he had helped tens of thousands of people, a career he was destined to take up, with both his father and two older brothers practising dentistry. Throughout his career he became an industry peer, having been elected president of the peak dental body, the dental association, and a leader in other industry bodies. He treasured his time growing up with sand between his toes on Phillip Island. Our family is sure that the island is in the Newbury DNA, with Erehwon Point at Cowes being named after my great-grandfather William Dawson Davie’s guesthouse Erehwon, the name being the word ‘nowhere’ backwards.

But as a father and grandfather, my father’s mind was almost always on his children and grandchildren. His patients, many of whom stayed with him for his 50-year career, would say to me that he would often talk about his family, and as we know, once you have submitted to a dentist you have no option but to listen. Although it is heartbreaking that he is no longer with us, we know that he is now with his beloved parents and brothers, who will be looking down from the stars towards Erehwon Point. On behalf of the Newbury family, our hearts are broken. Vale, Dad.