Kenneth H. Tigges 1924-2010

TIGGES, STECKLEIN, KOPPES, GRAHAM, MOORE, CLEMENS, PETERSON

Posted By: j.n. (email)
Date: 12/26/2010 at 19:57:55

Telegraph Herald
Dubuque, Iowa
Sunday, December 26, 2010

Kenneth H. "Tony" Tigges

Kenneth H. "Tony" Tigges, 86, of 1692 Kathy Drive, formerly of 11629 Kennedy Road, passed away peacefully at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010, in the warm and loving comfort of his home. He was at peace with God and ready to embrace eternal rest.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Key West, Iowa, with the Rev. Donald V. Bakewell officiating. Entombment will be in St. Joseph's Chapel Mausoleum, Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West. To celebrate Ken's life, friends may visit from 2 to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St., where there will be a parish wake service at 6:30 p.m.

He was born on Dec. 18, 1924, in Sherrill, Iowa, son of George and Mary (Stecklein) Tigges.

Ken served with the Army during the Korean conflict in Korea from 1950 to 1952.

In his younger years, he worked at the Battery Factory, Morrison Bros. and Farley & Loetscher. He then purchased a milk route and delivered for local dairies, establishing lifelong friendships with many of the farmers. He later sold the milk route and established Tigges Trucking, which he operated until his retirement.

Ken married Janice M. Koppes on Sept. 3, 1955. He later married Mary Jo "Heidi" Graham on Sept. 25, 1992, in Dubuque.

He was a longtime member of Holy Ghost Church and recently a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Key West. He was instrumental in getting busing for the students at Holy Ghost School.

Ken loved dancing at the Melody Mill and other dance halls. He also enjoyed coon hunting and playing shortstop in various baseball leagues. He never missed a Tigges gathering, where one could find euchre, poker, whiskey and lots of yelling. During his retirement, he rebuilt cars for many family and friends lovingly as KT Auto, basically a not-for-profit business!

Dad was just a great guy in so many different facets of life. He was a go-getter and always had a project in the works. He could fix almost anything, from trucks to a granddaughter's broken dolly. Dad loved his yard and spent hours grooming it and chasing gophers. He was self-taught on the guitar, keyboards and accordion, working his way up to the harmonica. Dad loved when people stopped to visit, and if they didn't, he would visit them! He was famous among many in later years for his homemade wine.

Always up for a laugh, Dad had a good story to share, whether it was about the grandchildren or years ago when living at home with Mammy and Pappy. It started out years ago as a joke when we said he was "Our Hero," but little did we know how that phrase would impact all of our lives over the years. Dad, you are, and always will be, "No. 1 in our hearts."

Surviving are his wife of 18 years, Heidi Tigges, of Dubuque; three children, Terry T. Tigges, of Hazel Green, Wis., Thomas T. (Conna) Tigges, of Carmel, Ind., and Julie A. (Kenny) Moore, of Maquoketa, Iowa; three stepchildren, Ben T. (Cindy) Graham, of Dubuque, David W. (Angela) Graham, of Littleton, Colo., and Katie M. Graham, of Dubuque; nine grandchildren; nine stepgrandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a brother, Eugene "Doc" (Katie) Tigges, of Peosta, Iowa; a sister-in-law, Doris Tigges, of Dubuque; many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a stepson, Joseph S. "Little Joe" Graham; his former wife, Janice M. Tigges; two sisters, Dorothy "Missy" Clemens and Mary Jane "Peony" Petersen; and six brothers, Cyril "Boots," Clarence "Chick," Frank "Feb," George "Chess," Norbert "Jake" and Richard "Richie" Tigges.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Holy Family Catholic Schools, 2005 Kane St., Dubuque, IA 52001, to support Catholic education, and Hospice of Dubuque, 1670 Kennedy Road, Dubuque, IA 52002.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com.

The family would like to thank Hospice of Dubuque, especially Kelly and Amy, Mercy Medical Center 3W nurses and staff and neighbors Jerry and Marilyn Shanahan for their care and concern. A special thank-you to his granddaughter, Amanda "Mandy" Renne, for her famous gift, dessert of the month.