Roger D. Tew

Roger Duane Tew, 79, went to be with the Lord, at 12:54 a.m. on Friday March 13th, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was born on March 5th, 1947, in Lansing, Michigan, to Eula (Case) Tew and Ernest Tew. Roger married Karen Ruth (Jennings) Tew on September 12th, 1970, at Gull Lake Bible Church.

Roger graduated from Briarcrest Bible College in 1968. Roger and Karen spent four years in Brazil as missionaries with Unevangelized Fields Mission. Upon returning from Brazil, he was employed by the Gull Lake Bible and Missionary Conference in Hickory Corners, Michigan, for 8 years in general maintenance. Moving to Pennsylvania in 1985, Roger was employed by Foremost Industries, building modular homes where he picked up plumbing as a trade.

Seventeen years later, in 2002, Roger moved to Indiana and was employed by Grace College and Seminary as a plumber. He retired from Grace College in 2016. He then worked part-time as facilities director for the school at Community Grace Brethren Church in Warsaw, Indiana.

Roger will be remembered by his wife of 55 years, Karen Ruth Tew, Winona Lake Indiana; son-in-law Jeff Cremeans, Fairborn, Ohio, son Jeffrey and Olivia Tew, Dayton, Ohio, and daughter Jessica and Daniel Manduka, Warsaw, Indiana.

Roger was the proud grandfather of seven grandchildren: Samantha (Nathaniel Adkins), Abby, Megan, Levi, Abram, Flynn, and Declan.

Roger was preceded in death by his daughter Jennifer Tew Cremeans, his parents Ernest and Eula Tew, his brother Lee Tew, sister Lois and Brent Branham, and sister-in-law Valeeda Tew.

He is survived by his brother Arnold Tew, his sister-in-law Donell Tew, his sister Ruth and Dennis Burris, his sister Martha and Richard Cross.

In 'retirement' Roger took on smaller plumbing projects, helping many people in the Warsaw and Winona Lake area. It seemed at each stop he not only fixed a leak but made a new friend. A true craftsman in work and life, he found great joy in the quiet precision of woodworking, transforming raw timber into heartfelt, handmade gifts. When he wasn't at his workbench, he was most at home on the water, finding peace fishing from his boat while Karen relaxed nearby, lost in a good book. An avid reader himself, Roger was rarely without his Kindle—often deepening his faith reading through the Bible another time—but his greatest joy and favorite way to spend time was always surrounded by the family he loved.

Roger was loved and will be missed by his family, friends and the many people he served/helped in the community.

A service to celebrate Roger's life is planned for Saturday, April 18, at 10:30 a.m., at Titus Funeral Home, 2000 Sheridan St. Warsaw, Indiana 46580.. A live stream link will be available the day of the service. 

We kindly ask for your thoughts and prayers in place of floral tributes.