1913
2013
James T. Tiernan was born September 29, 1913, on a farm in Lee Township. He attended W.H.S. for 1 year and 1 month in 1930 – 31 until his father needed him to help work the family farm. Though his formal education was cut short, he remains proud of Winterset High School. Jim left the farm in 1932 and worked for Koss Construction in Des Moines and later for a variety of other construction companies building highways and dams. He worked on the Mississippi River for 2 years making channel markers. In 1941, he joined the U.S. Army and served in W.W. II, the Korean Conflict and helped train soldiers for the Viet Nam. He served first as a supply officer and later as a Warrant Officer in engineering, electrical and welding. He left the Army April 30, 1962, with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. Jim began work for NASA in 1962 as a final design, welding and test engineer at the Solar Plant in California. As the chief test engineer for the Apollo program, he was a design, inspection and testing engineer for radar, electrical and fuel systems which were manufactured at Solar. He was a final quality test engineer for all aspects of the moon landing program for Apollo 5 through 11
Though never able to finish high school, and while in his early years with the Army, Jim studied at nights and in 1946, in Yokohama, Japan, he scored a perfect test to obtain his High School G.E. D. He then went on to earn a 2-year college GED. These achievements allowed him retain his Officer status in the Army, showing us all how important is our education.
Jim retired from NASA July 30, 1970, and has spent the rest of his life in Southern California. Before settling into their home in San Diego with his wife, Marie, who has since passed away, he spent many years traveling the U.S. in a recreation vehicle. They had previously traveled in Europe, England, Ireland and Japan. Jim worked as a volunteer for the V.A. Hospital in San Diego for 25 years.
Funeral Service January 2, 2014, 11:00 AM Clairemont Mortuary, 4266 Mt Abernathy Ave. San Diego, California. Place of Rest St. Patrick Cemetery Cummings, Iowa.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
0 Entries
Be the first to post a memory or condolences.
The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.
Read moreWhat kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read moreWe'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read moreIf you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read moreLegacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreThey're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.
Read more