Roger M. Tinti

Roger Tinti, age 86 of Mishawaka, Indiana passed away April 12, 2024.Roger was born on May 28,1937 to Hugo and Anna Tinti who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 62 years Jeannie Tinti, nephews Ronald Denno of Chicago, Min Hong of Granger, Soon Pil Hong of Granger, grand-nephew Daniel Denno of Mishawaka and nieces Michelle (Jeremy) Donaldson and Mi Suk Song of Seoul Korea.

Roger was preceded in death by his older brother Ronald who died in a fatal accident in 1957. Roger was in the US Army from 1960 to 1962 and stationed in Korea. While in Korea he helped the people of the village and in one instance repaired the electricity in their hut. He became a regular helping the people. There he met a young lady named Chong Hwa (Jeannie) Hong. They fell in love and went to the Embassy on October 30, 1962 and got married. Shortly after they married, Roger was shipped back stateside. It took six months before Jeannie could come to the States. The rest is history, they lived happily ever after.

Roger retired as an Engineering Technician from Honeywell Aerospace Corp. (Bendix) in 1999. He had previously worked for the South Bend School Corp. as Audio/Video technician. He also did maintenance work for the area television stations. Roger’s family and friends knew him as the man who could help them with anything. He would always help everyone with repairs to vehicles, tractors, TV’s and never expected anything in return. Roger followed his father’s passion for hit and miss engines and Roger and his father built over twenty small tractors with hit and miss engines. He had a whole family of people who shared that passion. Many young men who are involved today in this passion got the spark of interest from Roger. Roger displayed the tractors in many parades around the area and always had his friend’s young children driving them in the parades. During the peak time he had all twenty of them driven by children in the parades with the parents walking along side. Roger was involved with the clubs of Americana Antique Engine Society, River Valley Antique Power Association and the Tri- State Gas Engine and Tractor Association and the Heston Steam Show. “Old engines never die…. They just chug along” Roger was known in the amateur radio groups as WA9OKC, his FCC call sign. Roger operated a VHF and UHF repeater for the local Hams. Roger helped many young men to get involved in the amateur radio hobby. Roger was also involved with the Firesiders Camping Group, a camp group of Bendix retirees.

Services for Roger will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, April 18, 2024 at Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 61770 Miami Road, South Bend where the family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until service time.  Rev. Dick Matteson will officiate the service.  Graveside services and military honors will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola.

The Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

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