Melvin Thien 1922-1979

THIEN, JOHNSON, MITTELSTADT, SUCHOMEL, TECHAU

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 8/23/2023 at 08:52:36

3 May 1979 - The Tipton Conservative

Last rites for Melvin Edward Thein, 56, Mechanicsville, were held at the United Methodist church, Mechanicsville April 27 with the Rev. Dick Harberts officiating. Burial was in Rose Hill cemetery. Mrs. Calvin Robinson was organist and Nancy Hipple was vocalist.

Pallbearers were Robert Grismore, Kenneth Koch, Web Lantz, Buell Pieper, Glen Gadke and Harry Schroder. Honorary pallbearers were Clark Burns, Glen Hurt, Bob Mineck, Emil Pnovsky, Jerry Fowler, Kenneth Printon and Howard Peiffer.

Mr. Thien died at Mercy hospital, Cedar Rapids, after he became ill at his home in Mechanicsville April 24.

The son of Edo and Luella Butterbrodt Thien, he was born in Center township Dec. 8, 1922. He graduated from Tipton high school in 1939.

He was married to Jenira Johnson at Mechanicsville Feb. 20, 1944. They farmed for his parents east of Tipton. He was a member of the US air force from October, 1946 until 1949 and served in the army infantry reserve until June, 1953, when he transferred to the army medical reserve.

He was called to active duty in the army during the Korean Conflict and the Thiens lived in California for a year. Upon his release from active duty they returned to Mechanicsville where he worked for Woods Hardware. He graduated from the Police Academy in Des Moines and, in 1952, started working for the state of Iowa as a weight officer. He was discharged from military service July 19, 1976.

During his military service he took part in the Berlin Airlift and had crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific by plane and by boat. He was a member of the United Methodist church in Mechanicsville and had served as Sunday school superintendent and in other leadership capacities in the church.

He is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Melinda Mittelstadt, Cedar Rapids; 2 sons, Timothy, Ames and Tarrance, Mechanicsville; his father, Edo, Tipton and 2 sisters, Norie Suchomel, Tipton and Mrs. Lawrence (Marian) Techau, Manchester and 2 granddaughters, Megan Marie Mittelstadt and Brandi Jo Thien. He was preceded in death by his mother.