A Tribute to Bert Tiesen

I first met Bert Tiesen at Hy-Vee on Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls.  He was distributing tastes of apples and pears.  He had a gentle spirit about him; he took time to walk over with me and recommend the best of each fruit.  As we talked, he told me how he had been a chiropractor with his father for many years near Freeman. He retired at the age of 70.  But, now in his 70’s he felt he should be doing something in the community.  Besides he liked meeting and talking to people.  So, he took a job at Hy-Vee.


He asked what classes I was teaching at Augustana and seemed quite interested.  I told him to come and sit in on one of my courses.  For many years after that day, every Fall, Interim and Spring, Bert sat in my classes, purchased all the books, participated in class discussions, took the exams, wrote the essays, and was a fine intelligent student.  In his mid-80’s he still drove himself to Augie, took classes, was excited to learn, continued to read all the books, wrestled with their content and engaged the questions raised in the class.  He was a true student.


Bert died this past week at the age of 92.  To the very end, in pain, he read books in hospice care about World War Two, discussed their content, eager and loving to learn something new even then and even there.


Bert was my friend, his gentle spirit, his thoughtful insights, our lunches at the Golden Bowl, his comments in class appreciated by students, his advice to me, over twenty years his junior, about what he had learned as he’d gotten older.  It was my honor and privilege to be his friend.  In Jewish tradition, we call Bert Tiesen, a mensch.  I’ll miss you Bert.