Kathleen Mae Tegen

Kathleen Mae Roach Tegen, 101, widow of Rev. Dr. Charles R. Tegen, passed away peacefully at the home of her son, Timothy, in Liberty, SC. 

A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she left behind a legacy of faith, service, and love.

Kathleen was born on March 10, 1923, in Akron, Ohio, to the late Duston Z. and Viola (Lewis) Roach. She was the eldest of seven siblings. During the Great Depression, her family moved to a farm near Heflin, Alabama, and later to Birmingham, Alabama during her teen and young adult years.

She attended God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, Ohio. At age 22, Kathleen married her sweetheart, Charles R. Tegen, and together they served in ministry at several district churches in the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Alabama. In 1958, they continued their ministry at First Wesleyan Church and Southern Wesleyan University in Central, SC.

Kathleen was a dedicated pastor’s wife and a devoted member of First Wesleyan/Alive Wesleyan Church for over 66 years, touching countless lives with her smile, wisdom, and servant’s heart. Following her husband’s passing, she continued to support her community by serving at Southern Wesleyan University. She was admired for her loving spirit and unwavering faith, which were the cornerstones of her life.

Surviving are her three sons, Charles A. Tegen (Deanna) of Central, SC, Timothy N. Tegen (Colleen) of Liberty, SC, and Thomas R. Tegen (Susan) of Abilene, TX; nine grandchildren, Laura Hedden, Matthew Tegen, Jason Tegen, Paul Tegen, Alicia Tegen Rios, Sarah Tegen, Travis Tegen, Garrett Tegen, and Joshua Tegen; and twelve great-grandchildren, Reshma Tegen, Madelyn Hedden, Levi Tegen, Hannah Hedden, Lerah Tegen, Kathleen Tegen, Josephine Tegen, Luca Rios, Christopher Tegen, Evelyn Tegen, Lucina Tegen, and Maya Tegen; and a brother, Phil (Sharon) Roach of Woodstock, Alabama and a sister, Ruth Neyman of Madison, Alabama.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her daughter, Anita R. Dowden and her siblings, John Roach, Paul Roach, David Roach, and Helen Walker.

Funeral services will be held at 4 PM on Thursday, January 9, 2025, at Alive Wesleyan Church in Central, SC. The family will receive friends from 3:00 to 3:50 PM prior to the service at the church.

A graveside committal service will take place at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Birmingham, AL.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dowden-Tegen Memorial Scholarship at Southern Wesleyan University.

Visit RobinsonFuneralHomes.com or Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, 108 Cross Creek Road, Central, SC 29630.