Cletus J. Tigges 1934-2018

TIGGES, LINDEN, SPELTZ, DRESS, DUGGAN, PIERCE, WIMER, WHITE, HELLING, BRIMEYER, CHASE

Posted By: j.n. (email)
Date: 9/22/2018 at 19:50:32

Cletus J. "Clete" Tigges, age 84, of Dubuque, was called home peacefully at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 29, 2018, at Stonehill Care Center, surrounded by his loving family. To honor Clete's life, funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Monday, September 3, 2018, at Holy Spirit Parish, Holy Trinity Church, 1701 Rhomberg Avenue, with Rev. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah officiating. To celebrate Clete's life, family and friends may visit from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., on Sunday, September 2, 2018, at Holy Spirit Parish, Holy Trinity Church, where there will be a parish scripture wake service held at 6:30 p.m. Entombment will be in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum. Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, is in charge of arrangements.

Clete was born on May 30, 1934, in Dubuque, Iowa, son of Edmund and Ella (Linden) Tigges.

Clete was a proud lifelong Dubuquer who worked at the General Dry Battery Company for 6 years before venturing over to John Deere Dubuque Works, where he spent the next 30 years diligently working on the assembly line until his well earned retirement in 1987.

He found the love of his life, Coletta Speltz, and they were united in marriage on February 27, 1954, at St. Columbkille's Church. The loving couple was blessed with 55 wonderful years together, and 6 adored children, before Coletta was sadly called home ahead of Clete on June 26, 2009.

Clete was an active member of the community and was a proud member of the U.A.W. Local #94. His faith life was a very important part of Clete's life, and he was not only a long-time member of Holy Ghost Church, but he also faithfully lived out his life in such a manner that his Christian values and principles were visibly on display for all to witness. Clete was an honest man, a hard worker, a true friend, but above all he was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather each and every day. Fortunately, all 6 of his children remained in Dubuque, which made for large family gatherings every Sunday. Clete consistently role-modeled and instilled great family values for the generations behind him to follow. This behavior was so obviously rewarded by the barrage of regular daily visits to Stonehill from his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Not only were Sunday dinner's with his family a priority in his life, but the countless gatherings centered around great food, and the Sunday games will continue to provide an outlet for his legacy to be carried forward within the treasured stories which will now be shared in his honor. His unwavering devotion to those he cared for was never in question and we will miss Clete more than words could convey, but we are forever grateful for the lessons and memories he leaves behind, as they will assist us along our own earthly journey we must travel until we, once again, see Clete face to face.

Those left to cherish Clete's memory include

his children,
Steven (Marsha Braun) Tigges,
Debra (Richard) White,
Diana (Anthony) Helling,
Christina (Daniel) Brimeyer,
Julie (Jeffery) Chase,
Randy (Lisa) Tigges, all of Dubuque, IA;

19 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren;

and his siblings,
Anna Mae Wimer, Dubuque, IA,
Eileen Pierce, LaCrosse, WI
and Ralph (Marilyn VanOstrand) Tigges, Dubuque, IA.

Clete was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Coletta Tigges, 3 sisters, Arnelda Dress, Mildred (William) Duggan and Marge (Joseph) Keenan; 2 brothers, Robert (Judy) Tigges and Eldon (Louise) Tigges; a sister-in-law, Carol Tigges; and 2 brothers-in-law, Ozzie Pierce and Jim Wimer.

Clete's family would like to give a heartfelt thank you everyone who helped with his care through this past year, especially the compassionate staff in the memory unit at Stonehill and at Hospice of Dubuque; we couldn't have done it without your kindness!

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