Obituary: Herbert R. Tiede (1930-2024)

Herbert R. Tiede (Age 94)
Memorial service info

Colonel Herb Tiede, USMC (Ret.), passed away on September 5, 2024 in Woodbridge, VA. He was 94 years old.

Born in New Britian, CT, he was the son of Julius and Bertha Tiede. In high school, he excelled in math and sports. He enlisted in the Navy and after certifying as an electrician, he attended Naval Academy Prep School for a year. At Annapolis, he was a good football player and student in math and Russian language. His notoriety, however, was more about his room’s weight set and deli food section than academics. Upon graduation in 1953, he was commissioned as a Marine Corps second lieutenant.

With the Corps Herb’s first duty station took him to Korea where he patrolled the DMZ. Herb met Hazel while both were working in Washington DC and playing tennis during down time. Their 62-year marriage started soon after. Herb excelled as a Marine, using his curiosity, enthusiasm, and persistence to solve problems and make the world better and safer for everyone. Over his 30-year career Herb learned Russian and French, and traveled to Garmisch, Germany, Headquarters, USMC, Baltimore, MD, Okinawa, Japan, Quantico, VA (several times), Vietnam, Moscow, Russia for 3 years (then Soviet Union), Camp Lejeune, NC, and Beirut, Lebanon. As an intelligence officer, his work supported national defense and relationship building at strategic levels. He led a battalion of motor transport Marines and ignited his passion for having quality preventive maintenance and logistic products. In life, his goal was to prevent problems, fix what was broken, and keep learning, repeating the cycle as often as needed.

After the Marine Corps, Herb worked as a preventative maintenance specialist for a company that served factories and transportation systems around the U.S. He and Hazel continued touring the world, meeting new people, and making friends everywhere. He also remained active in community volunteer work, specifically Kiwanis Woodbridge and Salvation Army.

Predeceased by his parents, siblings, and wife, Herb is survived by his children Karen (John), Jan (Paul), and Paul (Laurie); grandchildren, Sierra, Samantha, Allison, and Timothy, and his brother’s children Carolyn (Mike), and Albert (Ana).

Services will be held at Westminster at Lake Ridge Senior Living Community on November 1, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., followed by interment at 1:00pm at Quantico National Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Woodbridge Kiwanis Club Foundation, ATTN: Brian Bell, 4691 Fisherman’s Cove, Montclair, VA 22025.

Semper Fi, Herb!