Lt. Col. Edward Ed Vincent Tiernan, USAF, Ret.

Edward Vincent Tiernan, age 83, a retired Air Force officer and meteorologist who worked for twenty years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) died on Aug 8, 2011 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident Wed Aug 3. The accident, which shut down the outer loop of the beltway at Eisenhower Avenue, was caused when Mr. Tiernan’s vehicle struck a guardrail and then was hit by a tractor-trailer. The cause of the accident is unknown. During his military career Lt. Col. Tiernan served in New Mexico, Travis AFB in California, St. Louis, Tokyo Japan and Terrejon Airbase in Madrid, Spain. Prior to serving in the Air Force, he was in the United States Navy from 1946 to 1948, stationed at Mare Island in San Francisco. Lt. Col Tiernan received numerous accommodations, including the Meritorious Service Medal in 1971, for his contributions to the National Space Program (1969-1971). As a meteorologist at NOAA, Mr. Tiernan was recognized for his service on the Global Weather Experiment (1978-1979), which took him to Russia and Africa. He supported the GATE Project in 1974, and worked closely with the Small Business Administration in the latter part of his civil career. After retiring, Mr. Tiernan was active in the community, as a long-time member of Springfield Golf & Country Club. He was part of the pulmonary rehabilitation group at Fairfax hospital for over 15 years, representing the group at the Heart and Lung Games held in Chicago IL, to demonstrate the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation. He volunteered at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A geneology and technology enthusiast, Mr. Tiernan spent his days researching family history and keeping tabs on his grandchildren and extended family through facebook. Mr. Tiernan was born to Lawrence Tiernan and Francis Grigsby on 12 March 1928 in San Francisco, the youngest of four children. He graduated from San Jose State University in 1952, and received a Masters degree from St. Louis University in 1963. He married the former Lily Marie Perez from Monterey, California in 1950. She preceeded him in death by seven years. They lived in Springfield, Virginia, since 1969. Mr. Tiernan is survived by four children; Kathleen Tiernan Fox of Springfield, Edward Tiernan of Ashburn, Patricia Tiernan Donelan of Burke and Shelly Tiernan Tunell of Columbia, MD. In addition, he had nine grandchildren; Aaron M. Fox of Lake Ridge, Meagan L. Donelan of Manassas, Cassandra M. Donelan of Bethany, WV, Airman Ryan E. Fox of Ft. Meade, MD, Brittney L. Tunell and Gregory M. Tunell of Columbia, James P. Donelan of Burke, Edward D and Muriel A. Tiernan of Ashburn. Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 2pm at Demaine Funeral Home, Springfield, Virginia. Burial will be at a later date at Arlingon National Cemetery.