Colonel Donald W. Wieteki

Published 10:06 am Thursday, June 30, 2011

Colonel Donald W. Wieteki U.S. Army (RET) passed quietly at his home Sunday, June 26, 2011, surrounded by family and friends.

He was born April 3, 1922, in Ironton. He was the son of Donald Henry Wieteki and Pansy Dickens Wieteki, and the grandson Franz Joseph Wieteki and William Sherman Dickens.

He graduated from Ironton High School in 1940, and attended The Ohio State University. Colonel Wieteki entered military service in 1943.While in serving in France in WWII, he was commissioned as an Infantry Second Lieutenant in Fountainbleu, France.

After WWII, he met and married Roberta Elizabeth Hogan and together they raised four children. Colonel Wieteki proudly served his country as an Army officer for 28 years; with combat service in Korea, where he received a Purple Heart for wounds sustained May 23, 1951 as platoon leader in E Co., 187th regimental Combat Team (Airborne), and Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star. He commanded two Infantry Rifle companies, the 2/50 Mechanized Infantry Battalion, and the 2nd Brigade of Second Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Other awards included the Combat Infantryman Badge with wreath and star, the European Campaign Medal, the Korean Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak leaf clusters, and the Legion of Merit. He was Airborne qualified and wore his wings with distinction.

Following his retirement from active duty, he returned to Ironton with his wife and family and became a gentleman farmer and breeder of Standardbred racehorses. He was a member of the Ironton BPOE 177, United Trotting Association, Iron Rakkasans (187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team Association), and the Bellefonte Country Club. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and loved to play golf.

He was preceded in death by his wife Betty in 1973, and he is survived by Marimartha Wieteki Crenshaw of Tucson, Ariz., Carolynne Wieteki Lehmkuhl and Phillip D. Lehmkuhl of Marengo, Donald Henry Wieteki and his spouse, Debbie Wieteki of Muskegon, Mich. and Colonel (RET) and Mrs. James E. Katherine Wieteki Moentmann of Round Hill, Va.

Colonel Wieteki was also “Grandpa Bear” to 10 grandchildren, Asa Duane Crenshaw, Amiee Crenshaw Dickinson, Katherine Marie Lehmkuhl, Donald William Wieteki II, Kari Elizabeth Lehmkuhl, 2LT Thomas Werner Moentmann, Phillip D. Lehmkuhl II, Alva Maxwell Wieteki, Kirby Aurora Lehmkuhl and Audrey Augusta Moentmann.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Phillips Funeral Home with Father David Huffman officiating. Burial will follow in Woodland Cemetery with military graveside rites. Friends may call Friday 12-1 p.m. at the funeral home. In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org or Community Hospice, 1538 Central Ave., Ashland, Ky. 41101. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.phillipsfuneralhome.net.