Tonight, I would like to adjourn in memory of Dr. X.X. Skip Newhall—a remarkable man of science who was also the great-great grandson of Henry Mayo Newhall.
Known as “Skip” to family and friends, he dedicated his life to science, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Physics in 1960 from Stanford University, before working as a member of the technical staff for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.
His areas of work and research included spacecraft trajectory calculation, spacecraft mission operations and spacecraft orbit determination, among many other things.
After retiring, he spent years on personal and science-related projects, including a project he started in 2004, taking the temperature at Death Valley National Park.
Among his notable findings was recording a temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit on July 17, 2005, which tied the world record set there in 1913.
Known for his eccentricity, Skip legally changed his birthname, Nicholas, to X.X. in the 1980s.
He held birthday parties for his trusty 1988 Toyota Celica, which racked up over 500,000 miles over the years.
He also held annual July 4th beer-tasting parties and a “Leap Second Party,” which celebrated the addition of an extra second to the world’s 24-hour clock in 2012.
He was an active supporter of many SCV non-profits, including serving on the College of the Canyons Foundation Board of Directors from 2010-2013.
Newhall was also involved in the early years of the Boys & Girls Club of the Santa Clarita Valley.
He is survived by his wife, Lorena Sumaoang, and his brother Tony Newhall.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
We are deeply grateful for the joy and lasting impact Skip brought to our community.
