It has been a labor of love in preparing today’s blog as I continue to honor members of my family’s military service in honor of Flag Day 6/14 and National Flag Week this whole week! Today I am featuring two Tieking brothers who served in WWII. And this has been a labor of love as the Tieking Girls (as Mom and I always called them!) stepped up with much enthusiasm on short notice to provide the heart of this blog about their Dad Joseph John Tieking and his brother Uncle John Tieking!
Love you, Tieking Girls!
The Tieking girls
Joe and John were two of the three sons (the youngest brother and youngest in the family was Oscar) of John and Lena Obringer Tieking who had emigrated at different times from two different parts of Germany (Grandpa from Leer in northern Germany and Lena from the Black Forest in Alsace-Lorraine). They met and married in the US. Grandpa was a blacksmith known far and wide in Kansas for his workmanship and craftsmanship. Grandma Lena was known for her feistiness, great sayings (Burnt toast puts roses in your “sheeks!”), and awesome fortitude and faith.
Joseph John Tieking was an incredibly kind, down-to-earth man of great faith and wonderful smiles who was always helping others. One of my favorite stories told by his niece Mary Stevenson Miller was that he bought her a coat when she was in nursing school because she could not afford it. They also together helped care for Grandma Lena when her arthritis got so bad she needed help getting up in the mornings and going to bed at night.
Uncle Joe and his wife Aunt Irene had twin sons (John Joseph and Joseph John) who died in infancy. They then had their four girls Pat, Joan, Janet, and Chris. My own family was very close to them and often visited with them. Janet and I have known each other since birth and she is one of my closest friends!
I just learned that Uncle Joe was called up for service in WWII but would not have had to go due to having a family. However, he and a friend enlisted anyway! He served in the 12th Armored Division in Europe driving a tank. (Check out his picture in front of his tank and the map of where he served).
Three of Joe’s son-in-law also served in the military. Terry Newell, a husband of Pat, served 20 years in the Navy and then “retired” to become a firefighter at Ft. Riley, Kansas. Terry Householter who you met recently was his namesake!
Larry Perkins, husband of Joan, was a Marine from 1966-1970 and served in Viet Nam.
Jerry Grant, who you met in Terry Householter’s story, served in Viet Nam as a Marine and was in the Marines from January 1968-August 69.
John Francis Tieking was the second Tieking son who served in WWII in the Navy. Uncle Johnny, as we called him, had been a talented athlete in all sports, especially baseball, if I remember correctly, before entering the Navy. However, he was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when it was attacked. He was wounded and spent at least 8 months in the hospital recovering. Sadly, he suffered many disabilities and issues for the rest of his life. He lived with my Mom’s family at different times in his life. He died in a Veteran’s Hospital in Othello, Washington in 1991. SO, we also honor all those who have suffered one way or another after serving our country!
It is an honor for me to salute the many of our families who have served!
I will introduce you to the rest of the Stevenson family who has served later this week!
Blessings,
Carolyn
