Obituary: Thiele, Arthur L. “Dude”
Age 87
on September 3, 2014.
He was born in Spokane, WA., March 25, 1927 to Arthur and Helen Thiele, second born of five children.
Like so many other young men in his day, Dude graduated from 8th grade, worked various jobs in and around his community and then entered into military service starting September 1945 with the Navy and later completing his duty with the Army in 1948.
He married the love of his life, Leola Buckner, in 1950. Who, in Dude’s own words, was “a looksome and likeable girl….a keeper for sure”.
Dude and Leola lived in Seattle for a short time where he worked as a Seattle Metro Bus Driver and for the U.S.
Postal Service.
They moved back to the Republic/Curlew areas and raised their family.
Dude logged for many years before working at the Curlew Job Corps Center and after 27 years as the Heavy Equipment instructor he retired in 1990.
In retirement he was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of raising cows and hay in their fields by the Kettle River.
When he could no longer care for his cows he pondered for weeks where he could send them so they would have a good home, finally deciding on a few like-minded cow lovers.
Dude was always a good supporter of his kids, grand kids and those in the community.
He was a Boy Scout Master, a baseball coach for Little League and Babe Ruth and served on the Curlew School Board for 27 years.
Dude and Leola attended countless games and events in support of their community.
He touched many lives with his quiet demeanor, caring personality and overflowing love.
Dude was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert and his sisters Betty and Berneice.
His is survived by his wife of 64 years, Leola of Curlew, his sister Gerry Hilderbrant of Republic, his children Terry (Linda) Thiele of Curlew, Roland (Debra) Thiele of Curlew, Roger (JoAnn) Thiele of Curlew, Joy (Ron) Russel of Ritzville, Susie (Keith) Wakefield of Curlew, 12 grandchildren and 19 great- grandchildren.
A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, September 13, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. in the main gym at Curlew School.
Graveside service will be at Curlew Cemetery followed by a luncheon at the Curlew Civic Hall.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Curlew Ambulance Volunteers, PO Box 98 and/or the Curlew Cemetery Association, PO Box 155, Curlew, WA.
99118.
For your convenience, an online guest book is available at www.berghfuneralservice.com.