Terry Fewell, a well-known local businessman and supporter of our community, will have his contributions live on for generations with his gift to the Scott County Community Foundation.
Terry, who died May 12 after his battle with cancer, had the foresight to include the Scott County Community Foundation in his trust. Two funds will be established with his gift, the Terry Fewell Memorial Unrestricted Fund, and the Terry Fewell Memorial Youth Fund.
Terry graduated from Scottsburg High School, and attended Purdue University and Indiana University, later telling his wife Marsha that he had no intentions of ever being part of a monument business. But his skills were needed at home, and he returned to help with the family business, Fewell Monument. After his father?s unexpected death in 1964, he traveled to Georgia to persuade the supplier to supply him with monument stones on consignment. The supplier agreed, and a wholesaler from Vermont agreed to extend his credit for a while.
?Terry said that if it hadn?t been for the response of those two men, the business would have gone under,? said his wife, Marsha Reeves-Fewell. ?He said that, later on in life, as a monument wholesaler, he was greatly influenced to help businesses in trouble due to his past experience.?
Terry later completed his college degree in business after he pledged to himself to finish, no matter how long it took and how hard it was.
Terry was interested in having a business pleasing in sight and bringing interested customers to the downtown Scottsburg area, shared Marsha. He personally redesigned the Fewell Monument building and had the grounds landscaped to enhance the property.
?This project was extremely satisfying to Terry,? said Marsha, ?as the attractive, successful business was near bankruptcy when Terry?s father died in 1964. Today, Fewell Monument provides jobs for many Scott County residents and is a prominent business leading the way to the town square.? Marsha said that the employees of Fewell Monument were a vital part of Terry?s life, with Terry calling them the gears that ran the company.
This dedication to his work helped make Fewell Monument well-known not only in Scott County, but also throughout the nation. Some of Terry?s notable granite work includes former Indiana Governor Orr?s monument in Indianapolis, Seymour?s war memorial, West Virginia Miner?s memorial, the granite sculpture in front of the University of Louisville?s Engineering building, Boy Scout emblem in the lobby of the National Headquarters, and celebrities Anna Nicole Smith and Waylon Jennings? monuments.
Locally, Terry contributed several monuments at cost to the community, including the war memorial on the Scott County courthouse square, the firefighters? memorial on the courthouse square, the historical marker at Lake Iola and the monument at the Pigeon Roost historical site. He also contributed monuments that were being replaced by the Scott County Historical Society in small, older cemeteries, as well as helped restore, at no cost, cemeteries harmed by storms.
Terry had served on the Scottsburg Volunteer Fire Department, and had been active in the old Scottsburg Jaycees. He was also active as a member at Scottsburg United Methodist Church until his cancer caused him to cut back on responsibilities.
For all these achievements, it was only fitting that he was nominated and won the 2011 Mayor?s Good Neighbor Award. He was also nominated, before his death, for the Scottsburg High School Alumnus of the Year award, and was chosen as one of two recipients after he passed away.
Terry was also known for his love of the outdoors. He talked of the pleasure he found in teaching his young daughters, Pam and Kim, how to ride their own dirt motorcycles. That reached into the next generation as Terry taught his grandsons how to ride. Terry became all of Indiana and southern Ohio?s Enduro champion in the 200 expert class dirt bike competition. He developed 100 acres of dirt bike and mountain bike paths in the Leota area so local young men could have a place to practice.
?He was an award-winning dirt bike rider, mountain biker, snow skier, ping pong player, and in my book, a grand champion grandfather who did everything with a smile and an undying tenacity,? said grandson Hunter Steinkamp in his eulogy at his grandfather?s funeral.
When Terry received his cancer diagnosis, he said it was not the diagnosis he wanted but couldn?t be upset, shared Marsha.
?I?ve been a very lucky man in life,? Marsha relayed Terry?s words at his funeral. ?I?ve had many wonderful experiences, I?ve overcome some difficult challenges, I feel totally loved and happy, and that?s how I intend to spend whatever life I have left.?
Terry lived true to his word, and celebrated life to the fullest. From a trip to Colorado on his dirt motorcycle, surrounded by family, friends and neighbors, to taking his grandsons Hunter, and Zack Adams, on their first snow skiing trip to Utah, Terry was full of adventure. He was also part of the Paoli NASTAR snow ski team, winning against teams from Louisville and Cincinnati.
?Every time I head down a NASTAR race course on my skis, I hope to one day be the racer that he was,? said Hunter in his eulogy. ?Going through the Terry Fewell Ski Academy taught me well; there was a constant stream of compliments, tips, and laughs and those inspired me.?
?He used a hard work ethic along with a competitive spirit to make things better for family, friends, and community,? said Marsha.
Throughout Terry?s career, he also supported the Scott County Community Foundation?s Youth Grantmaking Council, of which his grandson, Hunter, is a member. This is how he became more familiar with the Foundation, said Marsha.
Terry named the Foundation in his trust with an unrestricted gift. With the two funds established from his gift, one will support charitable projects each year during the Foundation?s Community Grants Program, and the other will support the Scott County Youth Grantmaking Council?s grants cycle for youth-related projects. Because of Terry?s decision to include the Community Foundation in his planned giving, he has been named a member of the Legacy Society. This special honor is given to those who had the vision to use the Community Foundation to help them carry out their charitable goals.
?This is a wonderful way for Terry?s legacy to live on,? said Community Foundation Executive Director Jaime Toppe. ?Each year when grants are awarded to the community, they will be done in Terry?s memory, continuing his spirit of giving.?
