Evelyn Cecilia Tieken

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Evelyn Cecilia Tieken, 82, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012.

Evelyn was born Sept. 29, 1929, in Moulton, to Otto and Lillie Schoenfeld Pilsner. She married Max Hugo Tieken on Nov. 27, 1950, in Moulton. She was a member of St. James Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters of America, St. James Altar Society and the Pink Ladies of Gonzales Memorial Hospital.

Evelyn had worked at Turk Florists for many years before moving to Person’s Flower Shop which had been purchased by her son and daughter-in-law. Evelyn was the lead florist for the 1987 Papal visit to San Antonio, requiring to her to design truckloads of flower arrangements she would use to decorate the grounds for the Papal Mass and reception. After Evelyn retired, she continued with her craft by making small flower arrangements to be sold at the hospital for those wanting to take flowers to their loved ones. She made personalized spiritual cards for friends and family and did some needle point as well.

Evelyn was an attentive mother. She attended everything her children were involved in such as band concerts and marching band, sports activities, girl scouts, boy scouts, school functions and PTO. She was certain to have her children registered in CCD classes and involved as alter servers. She had a tender loving nature about her as a mother and wife, but she recognized the value in teaching her children to share chores and to care for each other and friends outside the home. Evelyn loved to throw a party, and genuinely believed the more attending, the merrier the party. She loved having everyone home for Christmas, for Christmas is a season of love and Evelyn clearly loved her family.

She and Max enjoyed attending dances in the early days, and she favored collecting faux butterflies to adorn her garden and home. Her faith in God and her church was authentic and remained a large part of her life. She and her husband Max brought a young deacon into their home to help him as he worked toward his ordination to the priesthood. Fr. Mike Boulette returned to Gonzales to pastor St. James Catholic Church, and Evelyn was as proud of him as if he were her very own son. Evelyn’s favorite Saint was St. Francis, the founder of the Franciscan Order, who never sought ordination into the priesthood, but devoted his life to preaching the word of God and begging to feed the poor and care for very ill. He represented a selfless, caring life style, not unlike the manner in which Evelyn lived her life. Evelyn had touched so many lives, whether it was through her selflessness or through prayer. She devoted so much of her time to prayer as she believed communing with God through prayer was the best way to help those in need of His love and strength.

Evelyn is survived by her doting and loving husband of 61 years, Max Hugo Tieken of Gonzales; daughters Beverly Gayle Parker of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Rosemary Sue Hindman and her husband Joe Britt of Cost; sons Gregory Charles Tieken and his wife Debbie of Gonzales, Rodney Paul Tieken and his wife Donna of Wichita Falls, and Wesley James Tieken and his wife Tina of Pompano Beach, Fla.; grandchildren Brent Tieken, Lauren Tieken Combest, Kelli Tieken Kenney, Britt Hindman, Ashley Tieken Pierce, Lindsey Tieken, Jillian Parker Maxwell, Scott Hindman and Josh Parker; and great-grandchildren Madelyn Maxwell, Benn Maxwell, Jack Kenney and Lane Pierce.

She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Loretta Tieken and brothers Dan and Melvin Pilsner.

A rosary will be recited for her at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, in St. James Catholic Church with Fr. Paul Raaz as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. James Cemetery. Pallbearers include Brent Tieken, Sgt. Scott Hindman USMC, Matt Pierce, Cpl. Britt Hindman, USMC, Steve Combest, Graham Kenney, Stanley Tieken and George Bozka. The family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the St. James Altar Society, Knights of Columbus Scholarship Fund or the St. Peter Upon the Water Retreat Center, P.O. Box 509, Ingram, TX 78025. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.

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