February 2, 1929 – March 7, 2026
Joan Wellhouse Stein Newton passed away on March 7. She was 97 years old.
Joannie was born on Feb. 2, 1929, the only child of Louis and Rhoda Wellhouse of Tampa, Florida. Joannie’s spirituality was born in her years at the Academy of Holy Names. She went on to attend Briarcliff Junior College and, through a roommate, she met University of Florida senior Martin Stein. The two quickly fell in love and decided to wed. Upon hearing their plans, Joannie’s father advised Martin to quickly find a job to support his only daughter. Following his future father-in-law’s advice, Martin dropped out of college with just three months until graduation to find a job. The two were wed in 1950 and moved to Jacksonville, where, a few years later, they started a real estate business building apartment complexes, houses, and some land, and engaged in some land brokerage.
Joannie was actively involved in the business, even while raising three sons and participating in several community endeavors. It was Joannie and Martin who built Regency Square, the first major regional shopping center in Jacksonville. Nearly 15 years after it first opened, Martin and Joannie doubled the mall’s size and used that expansion as a springboard to grow their company, which would become one of the state’s top real estate firms. Joannie was chairman of Regency Centers when it went public in 1993, several years after Martin passed. Since its IPO, Regency Centers has grown to be a highly regarded national shopping center company.
Joannie was committed to the city in which she and Martin raised their family, giving her time, talent, and treasure to several organizations and projects. She chaired the Jacksonville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. She served on the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the board of directors of Barnett Banks of Florida. She was also involved with many community institutions and organizations, including The Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens, The Women’s Giving Alliance, The Late Bloomers Garden Club, The University of North Florida, The Jacksonville Symphony, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Jacksonville Arts and Music School, The YMCA, and the Episcopal Church’s Ministries.
She was a lover of the written word, learning and teaching Braille, studying the Bible from an intellectual perspective, reading several newspapers every day, and reading fiction and nonfiction. She was a master bridge player, an exceptional cook, and a skilled flower arranger and fashionista.
Her greatest joy and devotion were to her family and friends, with endless love for her sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends.
Joannie married Russell Newton in 2000, and the two were happily married for 23 years, during which they pursued their shared love of travel – particularly to their shared homes in London and Linville, North Carolina – and philanthropy, staying actively involved in several Jacksonville charities, including Jacksonville education, Mayo Clinic, and Baptist Hospital.
Joannie’s family shared heartfelt thanks to her nurses Rose Johnson, Isis Belton, Carl Jordan, Zlatan Pecar, Keith Knue, Theo Johnson, Jack Revels, Angeila Mills, Maria Vargas, Dr. Lynn Peterson, and Zane Shaw. The family also extended a special thanks to the Mayo Clinic, particularly Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, Dr. Kent Theilen, and Dr. Arphita Ketty, and Dr. Mike Stephens.
Joannie is survived by her three sons, Martin “Hap” (Brooke), Rick (Rebecca), and Bobby (Polly). Her grandchildren, Ashley (Matt Wotiz), Kimberly (Ken Tonning), Kelly (Billy Kuntz), Ashley (Bo Flurry), Laurie (Collier McRae), Mary Martha (Lucas Waterworth), Richard Stein (Lauren), Blakely Stein and Ted Stein. She also leaves 19 great-grandchildren and 5 stepchildren: Helen (Raymund Hartung), Rusty Newton (Kathy), Matt Newton (Vicki), Julie (Marc St John) and Will Newton (Karla).
