Dewey Tietz

Duane "Dewey" Tietz, 63, Bismarck, passed away December 8, 2010, after a brief fight against colon cancer, with his family at his side. Services will be held at 2:00 pm Monday, December 13, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Craig Schweitzer officiating. Interment will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday, December 14, at the North Dakota Veteran's Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm Sunday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Dewey was born December 7, 1947, in Elgin, ND, the son of Arthur and Lydia Baesler Tietz, of New Leipzig, ND. He was baptized and confirmed at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, New Leipzig, ND. Dewey attended New Leipzig public school and graduated from New Leipzig High School in 1965. After high school he attended ND State School of Science in Wahpeton and graduated with a major in Architectural Drafting and Design. Following college, Dewey enlisted in the US Air Force Academy and was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, NE. He was honorably discharged in 1973. Dewey started his career at an engineering firm in Bismarck and then spent many years at Melroe as a draftsman. On January 1, 1980, he started CrossTown Delivery Service which became CrossCountry Courier, Inc in 1990. Dewey retired in 2004. He was then able to follow his life-long passion of working with students to help them find their passion. After helping establish the Harold Schafer Leadership Center at the University of Mary, he and Karel Sovak founded the IDEA Center in 2007 to help students and businesses find their niche. When asked by City Magazine in 2008 of what his approach to life was he replied, "Be the most curious person you know. Never stop looking and asking. Everybody has a talent they can be passionate about. Find out who you are at a young age and find your passion. Find what you love and you'll be happy and you'll have the best chance of having a great life." Dewey is survived by his wife, Barb Aamot Tietz; his children, Chris Tietz and Jennifer Dan Polk; three grandsons, Darien, Adam, and Mason Polk, all of Bismarck; his father, Arthur Tietz, Elgin, ND; his sister, Marlene Murlin Hintz, Joplin, MO; his brothers, Gary Nyla Tietz, Bruce Roxann Tietz, and Brian Tietz, all of New Leipzig, ND; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lydia Tietz and father-in-law, Odell Aamot. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dewey Tietz IDEA Foundation, care of IDEA Center, 2720 E Broadway Avenue, Bismarck, ND, 58501, or the donor's choice.

Dewey Tietz

December 7, 1947 - December 8, 2010