Funeral Today

J. Linwood Tew

Durham - J. Linwood Tew, 81, a resident of 804 Latta Circle went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 27. He was born in Portsmouth, Va., the son of the late William Floyd and Irene Cox Tew and was a resident of Durham for most of his life. He graduated in 1945 from Durham High School and in 1949 from the Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, TN. He was a Funeral Service Licensee in the state of North Carolina for 43 years, beginning his career in 1945 at Clyde Kelly Funeral Home. In 1957, Linwood along with Robert Wicker and Ed and Travis Clements bought Clyde Kelly Funeral Home where he was co-owner and President until his retirement in 1993. He was a director with Durham Cremation Service since 1992 and served for two terms on the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors.

As a youth, Linwood was active in Grey Stone Baptist Church where he and his wife, Margaret, were married on March 25,1948. In 1950, Linwood was instrumental in helping to organize Westwood Baptist Church as a mission church from Grey Stone in the chapel of Clyde Kelly Funeral Home . He served the church for many years as Chairman of the Deacons, Superintendant of the Sunday School and teacher of the Men's Sunday School Class. In 1993, Linwood was instrumental in organizing Dayspring Fellowship Baptist Church. He served as an Elder, Home Group Leader and a member of the Global Impact Conference for as long as his health allowed. Linwood and his wife shared a love and passion for the international students at Duke University. Several of these students looked up to them as their adopted grandparents.

He was a member of the Tobaccoland Kiwanis Club for over 40 years. He was on the original school board for Holt Elementary School and he helped organize the Homestead Heights Swim Association where he served as its first President. He was an avid Duke fan.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Wade, Ed, John and Howard Tew; and one sister, Mary
Elizabeth Tew. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Margaret Cameron Tew; two daughters, Lynn Browning (Ray) of Durham and Susan Okada (Derek) of Oakville, Ontario; one son, Richard Tew (Faye) of Durham; two sisters-in-law, Ada Mae Tew of Newport News, Va. and Linda Hicks of Four Oaks; seven grandchildren, Todd Lewis (Cathy) and Matt Lewis of Durham; Cam Lewis serving with the US Navy in San Diego, CA; Julie Armstrong (Ben), and Sarah Okada of Oakville, Ontario; Brian and Brandy Tew of Durham; and one great-granddaughter, Jordan Lewis of Raleigh.

Due to inclement weather, Linwood's Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 11:00 a.m. in Clements Funeral Chapel by Rev. Mac Bare. Burial will follow in Maplewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the funeral at Dayspring Fellowship Baptist Church, 922 Ninth Street, Durham, NC 27705.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Tew, Eddie Tew, Danny Tew, David Tew, Jay Pittard,
Eddie Cameron, Dr. John Allen and Jim Earp. Honorary pallbearers will be Elders of Dayspring Fellowship Church (present and past), members of the Tobaccoland Kiwanis Club, Directors of Durham Cremation Service, Rudy Griffin, Harry Inscoe, J.K. "Charlie" Bock, Bill White and Robert Wicker.

Flowers are acceptable. Memorial contributions may be made in Linwood's honor to Dayspring Fellowship Baptist Church, 922 Ninth St., Durham, NC 27705.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Regional Cancer Center and Duke Hospice for the love and compassion they showed our family during his illness. They are truly God-sent people.