Richard Lee "Bear" Tietjen

He was born on November 2, 1945, in Columbus, Indiana, to Herbert and Doris (Milnes) Tietjen both deceased. He was a 1963 graduate of Columbus High School in Columbus and a 1967 graduate of Milligan College in Tennessee. He began his career as a math and business teacher for seven years at Hartford County High in Maryland, where he was also a varsity basketball and tennis coach and assistant football coach. Later, he worked as a Project Manager at Lockheed Martin in the Baltimore-Washington area and retired after 23 years. Continuing as a Project Manager, he worked at Affiliated Computer Services in Blythewood, South Carolina and ended his career as a Sr. Financial Analyst at Comprehensive Health Services in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Richard was an avid fan of the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Tony Stewart.

He is survived by his adult children, sons, Andy Tietjen, Tom Tietjen, and Sam (Marina) Tietjen and daughters, Rindy Tietjen and Stephanie (Alex) Farias; eight grandchildren, India, Andrew and Zaine Tietjen, Gabriel Tietjen, Priscilla Romera and Shane Tietjen and Dominic and Damien Farias; sister, Kathy (Paul) Headley; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was cremated on Tuesday, Sept. 22, in Columbia, South Carolina. Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Service on Friday, October 2, 2015, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Myers-Reed Chapel, 3729 25th Street, Columbus, to reminisce, grieve, and support one another. At 6 p.m. Kathy and Paul will share loving memories of Richard with an open invitation for others to share as well. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the American Liver Foundation through the funeral home.