Ephraim’s Milton Tew says ‘do jobs right’
Possibly the oldest man in Ephraim, Milton Tew learned the value of hard work and good humor at a young age. He was born in 1921 and grew up during the Great Depression. With nothing to waste, he learned to work hard and do a job right the first time, according to his son Paul.
With help from his father, Milton graduated high school and went to Snow College in 1939. It was there that he met his wife, Fern Amelia Larsen. “They had a milk cow and Dad needed milk, and I think he was sweet on my mom, so I think it kind of worked out that he kept getting his milk from there, and one thing led to the next,” says Paul. “…He kept asking her to marry him over and over and over, and she finally acquiesced.”
Milton and Fern both graduated from Snow and went on to Brigham Young University. Milton had to pause his education for a few years during World War II, when he served in the Army Corps of Engineers in Europe.
Milton finished his education at Purdue in Indiana. He was an educator, at one point being the vice principal of a large high school in California.
He had four children—David, Susan, Melanie, and Paul. Paul recalls the lessons his father taught him as a boy. “He deeply ingrained, if you’re going to do a job, do it right… I appreciate that. It was a challenge being a kid, but I now understand the value of hard work.”
Milton retired at the age of 60. He and his wife served an LDS mission in the Philippines. He was also in the Manti Temple presidency, and served as a patriarch for Snow College student stake. Now, at 96, he mostly keeps to himself. He lives in his home in Ephraim, where his children take care of him. His wife passed away ten years ago, and he misses her terribly, but he retains a sense of humor.
“He’s a fun-loving fellow. He loves to laugh. He’s happy. As he gets older, he’s kind of losing that, but he likes to laugh, and he thinks he’s funny,” his son says.
Milton will turn 97 in September.
