Stephen “Kip” W. Newcomb – Age 66, died peacefully but unexpectedly on Wednesday, November 30 at his home in Tewksbury. He was born in Needham on January 14, 1956, a son of Richard Newcomb of Englewood, FL, and the late Jean (Woodward) Newcomb, neither of whom could tell you the origin of his well-known nickname. He grew up in Lexington and raised his family in Billerica for many years, and then moved to Tewksbury in 2001.
Kip was the owner of the former Athletic Sports in Billerica Center for over 20 years. If you’re a fellow Billerican, yes, he was in fact that tall guy that sharpened your skates. He was a former coach and umpire for Billerica Little League for several years, most memorably as the head coach for the Giants. His greatest joy was his family and the time they spent boating and fire pitting at Lake Winnipesaukee, snowmobiling in the mountains with his brother, nieces, and nephews, and making surprise visits on sunny days on his motorcycle. That is, when he wasn’t building or tinkering with various apparatuses around the family cabins. If you couldn’t fix it, he could; with a quiet confidence, surprising ease, and a big bear hug.
In addition to his father, Kip is survived by his children, Michael Newcomb, Christina McLane and her husband Ryan, and Jennifer Meehan and her husband Kieran, all of Dunstable; his sister and brother-in-law, Pamela and Jack Blalock of Portsmouth, NH, his brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Jeanne Newcomb of Billerica; his grandchildren Kyla and Max, who affectionately dubbed him Grumpy; beloved nieces Kathleen Sanville and Jaclyn Jensen, nephews Richard Blalock, Gary Newcomb, Jr. and Christopher Newcomb; grandnephews, and grandniece.
Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, December 7 at the Sweeney Memorial Funeral Home, 66 Concord Rd., Billerica, from 3-6 p.m. We will be hosting a celebration of life dinner and raising a Bud Light in his honor immediately following at the Billerica VFW, 12 Phiney St. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to Billerica Little League, 330 Boston Rd., Suite 10, N. Billerica, MA 01862.
