Bonnie Tew carrying the ceremonial mace during a recent graduation ceremony. The mace bearer leads the graduation procession as a symbolic protector that represents dignity and authority. Dena Blair | WCC Communication Department
Yana McGuire
Deputy Editor
On March 13, a valued member of the WCC community, Bonnie Tew, full-time communications instructor, died after courageously battling a prolonged illness.
Tew obtained an associate’s degree from Kellogg Community College, according to her obituary posted on Ochalek-Stark Funeral Service’s website. She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Communication and a Master of Arts in Communication and Theater Arts from Eastern Michigan University, which she completed in 1988.
During her academic career, Tew had multiple works of creative writing published and won several awards.
After college, Tew began to hone her skills as a teacher by instructing communications at Wayne County Community College and the same colleges she obtained her degrees from.
Tew brought her expertise to WCC in 1994 and taught classes all the way up until the beginning of the winter 2026 semester.
“She cared so much, even towards the end of her days, she was still so concerned about others versus herself,” said Dena Blair, department chair of the communication, media, and theater arts departments and lead faculty of the broadcast media arts program.
At the beginning of Blair’s career at WCC, Tew was on her hiring committee and was one of the first people that Blair met and befriended. Over the course of 20 years, the two worked closely together. Their last joint effort was being members of the LA Innovate Committee, which brings awareness to the importance of liberal arts education.
Blair believes that it was a privilege and an honor to work beside Tew.
“Bonnie Tew was one of a kind,” Blair said. “She was the most caring and generous individual — not only on a personal level, to all of us that knew her, not only as a colleague, but as a friend.”
Many students have shared with Blair how much they adored having her as an instructor, and how much of an impact she made on them.
“She was so passionate about her students and their educational journeys that you could see the dedication that she had for them every moment of every day,” Blair said. “It was incredible.”
According to Tew’s obituary, Tew “loved teaching and loved her students, doing her best to exemplify the love of Jesus Christ to them, and to encourage them in the pursuit of excellence.”
Outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, fishing and a heavy love for cooking over an open fire were also listed as things she enjoyed outside of her dedication to her career.
“I will quote my friend Allison Fournier, who read these remarks the other night at the Board of Trustees meeting Bonnie, which really was the heart and soul of our department. The loss is immeasurable for us,” Blair said.
