Don E. Terman

Don Elwood Terman died Friday, May 5, 2023 in Fort Wayne, surrounded by loving friends and family. He was 89 years old.

Don was born March 5, 1934 in Troy Township (now Etna-Troy), Whitley County, at the farm of his parents, Anna Bonita (Tannehill) and Russell Stewart “Pete” Terman. He attended Troy Township elementary school and graduated from Larwill High School in 1952.

On October 23, 1952, he married Sheran Lea Ward (divorced in 1974). The couple had four daughters, Donna, Valerie, Barbara, and Jill.

On April 12, 1975, Don married Carol Ann (Smith) Roe and instantly became a father to three additional daughters, Treasa, Chris, and Deb. To Don’s great sorrow, Carol preceded him in death a mere five weeks before his own passing.

Don loved being a “girl dad” and helped raise seven strong women. All of them will tell you that he was a wonderful example of honesty, integrity, and reliability. He often told his grandsons that women are stronger than men.

Don worked many years for the Dana Corporation in Fort Wayne. In his later years, he worked in sales for ZF Corporation. In addition to the full-time work, Don continued to pursue his first love, farming, in partnership with his father Pete, retiring from farming when Don was 60 and Pete was 84.

Don loved to travel. Here are just two examples of the many trips he took with his family.

In about 1962, he took his wife Sheran and four daughters, ages 2, 4, 6 and 8, on a three-week camping trip to Maine, complete with station wagon and canvas tent. His older daughters vividly remember seeing moose feeding in a lake, climbing Mt. Katahdin, and watching bears feast on garbage at the dump in Acadia National Park.

In 1975, his daughters remember another long road trip, this time to New Mexico. Along for the ride were Carol and daughters Treasa, Chris, Deb, and Jill (and a friend of Jill’s, just in case there weren’t enough kids in the car already!). Jill remembers that she had a learner’s permit and Dad allowed her to drive on the interstate, while Treasa remembers that Jill was a terrible driver. She has since improved.

Don realized he was blessed, and he wanted to share with others. A lifelong blood donor, he gave so many gallons we have lost count. In retirement, he loved to volunteer to drive cancer patients for doctors’ appointments and treatment. On one especially memorable trip, he drove a young Amish girl and her family to St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis so she could receive treatment.

All his friends and family can tell you that Don loved to laugh. Visitors to his home would likely find Don and Carol watching Indiana basketball, and would be treated to cookies and regaled with stories that left everyone helpless with laughter. Don and Carol also loved spending time with grandchildren, gardening, and traveling together, especially to Florida.

Survivors include daughters Donna (Bill Brown) Terman of Menlo Park, CA; Valerie (Raimundo Nilton Silva) Terman of Indianapolis; Barbara Terman (Dave) Gardner of Salt Lake City, UT; Jill Terman (Richard) Potter of Hanover, NH; Treasa Roe (Peter) Sideris of Columbia City; Christine Roe (Daniel) Murphy of Pewaukee, WI; Debra Roe Perry of Fort Wayne; grandchildren Russell (Haley Kovacs) Brown, Rachel “Sky” Brown, Travis (Therry) Kliever, Daniel Kliever, Alexandra (Andrew) Solomon, Katherine Sideris, Ryan Murphy, Colin Murphy, Dillon Murphy, Payton Fiedler, and Hailey Woodward; and seven great-grandchildren.

There will be a visitation on Saturday, May 20 from 12-2:30 p.m. at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City and friends are invited to come share condolences with family and with each other, followed by a sharing of memories of Don beginning at 2:30 pm

The memorial celebration will be followed immediately by interment in Adams Cemetery in Etna-Troy township.

Memorial contributions in memory of Carol may be made to St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital or to Stillwater Hospice.