George Tiemann

George B. Tiemann, age 95 of Melrose, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at the CentraCare Health Nursing Home in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11a.m. Tuesday, March 5 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grey Eagle with Rev. Ronald Dockendorf officiating. Inurnment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Melrose following the lunch.

Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church in Grey Eagle.

George B. Tiemann was born July 16, 1923, in Melrose, Minnesota to Bernard and Elizabeth Tiemann.  George graduated from Melrose High School.  In his early years he worked in the Yukon Territory for REA; later he joined the Navy civil service and worked at Pearl Harbor and was stationed on the cruiser USS Baltimore, working on radar and radio equipment. On April 29, 1950, he married Zida Lorraine (Kaproth) Tiemann. In 1951, he began his professional career with the Northern Pacific Railroad. After starting their life together in Dickinson, North Dakota; George and Zida later moved to Staples, Minnesota, and then moved to White Bear Lake, Minnesota where he continued to advance his career. He retired after 30 years of service to the Northern Pacific and Burlington Northern railroads as General Manager System Car Maintenance, Mechanical Division. In addition to providing exemplary leadership and service to the railroad, George was a very devoted husband, father and grandfather. In addition, he possessed a strong respect and love for the great outdoors. He started hunting, trapping and fishing when he was young. George also enjoyed traveling and photography. In 1944 he purchased a cottage and land on Big Birch and Little Birch Lakes in Grey Eagle, Minnesota. In the 1940's he started monitoring the lake with Game Warden, Leo Peyton, and Ed Wiehoff. He was one of the founders of the Big Birch Lake Association where he served a term as Vice President and Director for many years. He volunteered his time and service with the Sauk River Watershed and DNR. George was clearly an outdoors man. He was thrilled with every chance he had to be in the woods, hiking and hunting, or on the lake, fishing, not to mention enjoying the mouth-watering fish fries hosted by his wife! He spent countless hours bonding with family and friends, teaching and enjoying the natural surroundings.

Survivors include his wife, Zida Lorraine of Melrose and five children, Joan Carlson of Sauk Centre, Contance (Robert) Koch of Grey Eagle, Mary Lou (Craig) Tweedale of Grey Eagle, Kathryn “Kitty” Hennemann of Grey Eagle and William Tiemann of Sauk Centre; his seven grandchildren, Lorne (Amanda) Koch and their children, Keira and Kade, Dale (Kimberly) Koch and their children, Cohen and Khloe, Christopher Tweedale, Katie (Nick) Zastrow and their daughter, Adelyn, Curtis (Rachel) Hennemann, Andrew (Stephanie) Tiemann, Alex Tiemann; and sister-in-law, Ann “Trinka” Tiemann.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Carol Ann, parents, son-in-law Carl Hennemann, brothers, Edmund (Geraldine), Leonard (Terry), Gilbert, Walter, and sister Viola (Jerry) Stanislowski.

Serving as urn bearer will be William Tiemann. Honoraries will be his grandchildren, Lorne Koch, Dale Koch, Christopher Tweedale, Katie Zastrow, Curtis Hennemann, Andrew Tiemann, and Alex Tiemann.