Well some bad news, brother Louis died this morning May 20, 2008. The
funeral will be Friday, May 23, 2008, 10:20 AM at Marshall, MO. He has been very
ill all spring and really was needing to pass to be relieved. There are
only three of us left and there are now no first cousins with the passing of
Catherine and Bob Franken this past year.
Latest News: Danniele (Wallace) Heater gave birth to Dominick May 14,
2004. That makes Angela and Mike Grand Parents and John and Catherine Great
Grand Parents.
I dug this picture up because it was the only one that has the entire family
present, including George (far right) who died today 4/6/04. This picture was
taken at our parents' 50th wedding anniversary, in 1967. Pictured left to right
are John, Leo Jr., Don, Mary Loretta, Louis, George. Leo L. Thiel, Sr., and
Katherine (Pfister) Thiel were married October 24, 1917.
Louis, Don, and I flew out for the memorial service held on the 16th and had
a great time visiting with George's children, Georgia Lea and Woody, Mike and
Sharon form Colorado, and David. Shannon (Windsor) gave a really nice eulogy for
George, she is a granddaughter and of course Erin provided the entertainment.
Thanks to everyone for your support.
Leo Jr. died August 20, 2005, so that leaves the four younger children. No,
now we are just three, Loretta, Don and me, John.
Whence ---
My grandfather came
to America from Alsace Loraine with his father and thirteen others on one passport in
1853. That passport, shown below, indicates that one person a Francois Thiel was
responsible for several relatives, fourteen in all, among whom was my
great-grandfather, Joseph August Thiel and my grandfather, George Thiel age 9. I
have the family tree completed for all the descendents of this branch but I know
nothing of the siblings who were on the boat with them.
This page of the web site was included in the hope that some one of the
Thiel name may be looking for the part of the tree that I have completed. If you have information and are not embarrassed to share
it, Please contact me.
The passport is in French and much of it is hand written. Alsace Loraine
was a small area between Germany and France that had its borders moved many
times. At last it came to the ownership of France and France move many times
between a Republic and an Empire, as the passport indicates. This Thiel group
came from the town or community of Bertring, in the Department or Region of
Moselle. There were 14 people listed on this one passport and it was issued to
Francois Thiel who was an uncle to my grandfather perhaps. The family tree
that I have traces back to this passport and one of the children listed on the
passport was my grandfather (center in the pictured below) when he was nine
years old. Surely some one out there is looking for this lost link and
maybe I can complete the rest of my picture.
This
picture is a four generation picture with my Grandfather in the center, George
Thiel, no middle initial, and who was 9 years old when he came to this country
and first settled in Paris, Illinois. The story is that the family group on
the passport first came to Cincinnatti, Ohio but that just maybe where the
lore begins.
The
John Thiel Family
The picture above , taken in 2003, includes our six children, spouses, and
fifteen grandchildren. A real houseful on holidays and a real joy to host. Good thing we
have a large house and nearly an acre yard. Now the group has grown to 17
grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. (Now being as of June 3, 2010)
John Sr. and
Catherine
John
and Catherine (Schnieders) Thiel, the responsible parties for the Thiel clan
pictured above. The process began in 1956 while still students in college. Both
continued their education and earned masters degrees and John completed
requirements for a doctorate at Kansas University in 1968. As a part of the
doctorate program, John was chosen for a Ford Foundation Grant for International
Studies and spent three months in Costa Rica reporting on the vocational
education program there. The couple still reside in the house where they reared
all their children; located in southeast Kansas City.
Greg
This is Greg, our third oldest and
the only one who followed his parents'
vocation and who has chosen a
career in education. He is a natural athlete, was an outstanding basketball
player in high school, and has been a tennis coach in high school. He has chosen to give
up sports but will on occasion play golf with his father. He will play once a
year as a father's day present.
Instead of pursuing sports he has chosen to spend time with his wife Kim and his children Lydia,
Rachel. and Jacob. Greg is active in his church and has led his children in the
same direction. A very nice man.
John
Jr. 
John Jr. in 1971 lining up for a trail ride in the mountains.
His horse had trained himself to play dead each time a new city dude came for a
ride That is Jim
offering Junior some advice. At the right is John Jr. painting the first
house John Sr. built. John has currently a building inspector and continues to
follow his father's habit of stepping and/or drawing outside the lines. John has
two boys, Caleb and Calin (buster boy), and they enjoy being together and
attempt to play every game. Jr. spent ten years in the National Guard serving
his country and paying off his college debt. A very
generous guy. Jr was deployed to Afghanistan for 2009 and 2010, he will be
returning August 2010.
Angela
Angela is the oldest of six children and carries and maintains the oldest
child's characteristics. She is very responsible and takes care of everyone
else's needs before her own. She is a nurse and has always aspired to that
vocation since childhood. Angela and Mike have three children; Danniele,
Joanna, and Jennifer. Angela and her family are active in the First Baptist
Church locally and all the children have been involved and supportive of the
church's missionary work. A very caring person.
Rose
Spirited
Rose, the second daughter has been active and running ever since birth. A
girl with a gift for conversation who became a super salesperson. A born
Optimist who never knew or accepted the concept of failure. Besides being a
success in business, she mothers four children; Afton, Serena, Hunter, and Luke,
and readily accepts help from her husband Ken. Rose has been a personality
ambassador from high school, a person every classmate remembers. If she
had the time she could sell igloos in Arizona. Beauty is more than skin deep
here. Genuine with a personality.
James
Jimmy is the middle boy, the fourth in a line of three girls and three boys.
Whoa is this guy focused! Some would say somewhat retentive. A very intelligent,
engineer type personality, who loves to construct things, and as a matter of
fact, that is what he does today. Jim is a sought after individual contractor
who has a eye for detail and finished carpentry. In addition to being a
designer, Jim is an accomplished artist in his own right but rarely has the time
to devote to this unusually creative gift. Most of his work has been kept by his
family and securely guarded. Jim plays adopted dad to all his nieces and
nephews, This guy is conscientious to a fault, someone you definitely want in
your corner.
Kathleen
Kathleen is the youngest of the group and she received the guidance and
experiences of her parents and her five older siblings. And we got it right. She
was a leader in grammar school, a KAT (Theta) at MU and studied in Paris before
graduating as an accountant. She passed all parts of her CPA exam three months
after graduation. She and Nate have three children; Connor, Jack, and Maggie,
and the entire family have inherited her scholastic aptitude. Although Connor,
who is only 7, is already an attorney, I hope he does not get a degree in the
law someday. Kathleen is active in community affairs and one of her current
interest is the Sanctity of Life cause.
All Six Children
in 1967 -
The Grandchildren
-
