Camille C. Newsom
A native and life-long resident of Rayville, Camille C. Newsom was a graduate of Rayville High School and Louisiana Tech University.
As an educator, she began her career as a math teacher and guidance counselor in the Richland Parish school system in 1962. She served as principal of Rayville High School for fifteen years, from 1976 to 1990, becoming Louisiana’s first female high school principal. During her tenure as principal she understood the important role of athletics in education and became involved with the Louisiana High School Athletics Association. In 1981 she was appointed to the Executive Committee of the LHSAA, also a first for a woman. From 1984 through 1987, she was the first female vice president of the LHSAA. Then in 1988, Camille was elected President of the LHSAA. To this day she remains the only female who has ever served as president of this prestigious governing body. Despite retiring from her duties as RHS principal in 1990, she continued to serve in many vital roles for the LHSAA. As a result of her dedication to the LHSAA and Louisiana sports, she received the two highest awards that the association gives. She was named recipient of the LHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 1991and was named to the LHSAA/Louisiana High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1996. Camille dedicated her life to her family, friends, and community. As mother, grandmother, business owner, social organizer, Sunday school teacher, and the Number One Hornet Fan, she enriched the lives of countless people.
She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Kenneth E. (Shug) Newsom and their two children, son Ken and his partner Tony of Rayville, LA, and daughter Karla Venkataraman and her husband Vijay of Baton Rouge, LA; grandchildren Natalie and Jackson Venkataraman of Baton Rouge, LA; sister, Susan C. Cochran and husband, Walter of Rayville, LA; brother, Carlton Clark and wife, Susan of Rayville, LA; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Frances and A.C. Clark, Jr.
Funeral services for Camille C. Newsom included visitation on August 4, 2018, from 5-8 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Rayville, and the services were on Sunday, August 5, 2018, at 2 p.m. with Dr. Eddie Wren officiating. Burial was in the Rayville Masonic Cemetery, Rayville, LA under the direction of Brown-Holley Funeral Home, Rayville.
Camille C. Newsom passed away on August 2, 2018, after a brief illness at the age 80.
Pallbearers were Rob Newsom, Jess Cochran, Ryan Lowe, Hunter Brown, Charles Adams, and Stacey Newsom.
Condolences may be left at brownholleyfuneralhomes.com.