Richard Valodin Tieken

Richard ValodinTieken, 88, of Columbus, GA died Monday, November 22, 2021 at his residence.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Wednesday, December 1, 2021 in the chapel of McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907 with full Military honors. A visitation will be held following the services at the funeral home. A private interment will be held at Ft. Benning Main Post Cemetery.

Richard was born March 1, 1933 in Peoria, IL to the late Theodore Fredrick Tieken and Virginia Brown Tieken. One of his lifelong passions was flying after he learned to fly in his mid-teens. Motorcycle riding came a close second if you asked his buddies. A very satisfying skill was his excellent target shooting and resulting trophies throughout his military career. Growing up in Miami, FL he enjoyed fishing and sailing. In 1950 he attended Gordon Military Academy of Barnesville, GA until graduation and then attended and graduated from Mercer University. He served 23 years in the Infantry branch of the U.S. Army and retired as a Major. He later became the owner and operator of Holly Hills Beverage Shoppe until his retirement in the late 1990s.

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Virginia June Tieken of Columbus, GA whom he met when he was 15, his daughter, Angela Chalmers (Chris) of Cataula, GA, grandson, Austin Chalmers (Peyton) of Hamilton, GA and great-grandchild, Reagan Chalmers.Other than his parents he is preceded in death by his son, John Tieken, granddaughter, Cydney Chalmers and brother, Michael Tieken.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Wounded Warriors at 7020 A.C. Skinner Parkway, Suite 100 Jacksonville, FL 32256 or www.woundedwarriorproject.org. We were once soldiers, and young.