More detail on this person: We sadly announce
the closing of another flight plan - Warren D.
Tinseth, 1934-2014, died Saturday morning, 22
March 2014. He just wore out! Warren was fondly
referred to as "the Great White Father" by many of
us "RLO's" who worked with him at the "Fightin'
Five Oh" - the 507th Med Co (AA) when there were
13 aircraft, two platoons, and the maintenance
platoon at the Old Charles L. Kelly heliport on
Fort Sam Houston. Warren was a gentleman! Pure
and simple. He was confident in all he did. He was
a mentor and respected by everyone who worked
around him. And he was a friend. Rest in Peace,
brother.
Memorial Services for CW4 Warren Tinseth - a
great aviator, DUSTOFF Association Member, and
one of the true gentlemen who ever wore a uniform
are as follows:
The family has requested the following: The
family would like to collect some of your memories
about Warren (or both Warren and Joyce), whether
they are old Army stories, tales from the
university, or other personal remembrances. I have
hopes of compiling them in a way that we can share
with others. (This certainly would not preclude
anyone from speaking during the memorial service!)
Since he was such a world traveler, please be as
specific as you can about dates and places. Send
your stories to me, Jen Sansbury, at
jsansbury@earthlink.net. Thank you in advance!
Obituary: Decorated U.S. Army aviator Warren
Dale Tinseth, Sr., 80, took his final flight on
Saturday, March 22, 2014. He died at Brooke Army
Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston due to
complications resulting from a five-month battle
with congestive heart failure.
He was born Jan. 8, 1934, in Duluth, MN, to Otto
and Gladys (Almos) Tinseth, and attended Duluth
Central High School. Growing up, he enjoyed
playing hockey and worked at a golf course.
Warren joined the Minnesota National Guard in
1949 at the age of 15. During a two-week camp in
Brainerd, MN, he went to a roller-skating rink and
fell in love at first sight when he saw a local
girl, Joyce Carol Walker. They married on Feb. 23,
1952, a union which lasted nearly 59 years until
her death in 2010.
Warren entered active duty as a Sergeant First
Class in 1953. The following year, he enlisted in
the regular U.S. Army, planning to spend 20 years
in the military and retire young. However, he
didn't retire until 1980, as a Chief Warrant
Officer W-4, having been deployed two times each
to Korea and Vietnam and serving three tours in
Germany.
In 1958-59, he attended warrant officer flight
school. During the next two decades as a pilot, he
flew both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. He also
became an instructor pilot, an instrument flight
examiner, and an aviation safety officer. He
enjoyed mentoring new pilots and was
well-respected by fellow aviators.
Among his assignments, he served with Co. C of
the 5th Regimental Combat Team in Korea in 1954;
the 196th Transportation Company, deployed to
Quin Yong, Vietnam, then infused with the 179th
Transportation Company in Pleiku in 1966; and
HHC 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion,
1st Air Cavalry Division in Phouc Vien, Vietnam,
from 1969 to 1970.
Warren was assigned twice to Fort Sam Houston,
first from 1972 to 1977 with the 507th Medical
Company in support of the Military Assistance to
Safety and Traffic (MAST) Project providing
helicopter ambulance service to South Texas. In
1978, he returned to Fort Sam, serving as the
Aviation Safety Officer to the Flight Detachment
at Randolph Air Force Base prior to his
retirement.
He received high honors for his military service,
including the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished
Flying Crosses, three Bronze Star Medals and the
Purple Heart, along with a number of other
commendations.
He pursued higher education during his military
service, earning a Bachelor of General Studies
from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, in 1972,
and a Master of Public Administration from the
University of Oklahoma in 1976.
After retiring from the military, he embarked on a
second career working for the State of Texas,
first as the fire and safety officer for the San
Antonio State Hospital and State School. In 1984,
Warren went to work for Southwest Texas State
University, now Texas State University, as the
safety officer. He served as the director of risk
management and safety from 1992 until his second
retirement in 2003.
In his spare time, Warren taught courses in
industrial safety, nursing home administration,
and safety engineering technology at Southwest
Texas, St. Philip's College and San Antonio
College. He also was a food critic extraordinaire
and enjoyed golfing and making annual trips back
to Minnesota.
He belonged to the Kerrville Hangar of the Quiet
Birdmen, the Alamo Chapter of the Vietnam
Helicopter Pilots Association, the Dustoff
Association, the Army Aviation Association of
America and the Military Officers Association of
America. As a Mason, he was a member of Army
Lodge No. 1105, the Alzafar Temple of San Antonio,
and the Scottish Rite-Valley of San Antonio.
Warren is survived by his three children, daughter
Glenda Vancil and son-in-law Gerald of Killeen,
son Warren "J.R." Tinseth, Jr. and daughter-in-law
Diane of San Antonio, and daughter Julie Tinseth
of San Antonio; three grandchildren, Jen Sansbury,
Jessica Weese-White, and Emily Tinseth; and two
great-grandchildren, Kayla and Braylen White. He
is also survived by his brother, George A. Tinseth
of Sacramento, CA., and by many nieces,
nephews, cousins and close friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents,
and his sister, Donna Anderson.
A memorial service to celebrate Warren's life will
be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 4, 2014, at
Alamo Heights Baptist Church, 6501 Broadway in
San Antonio. His cremated remains will be buried
at a later date at his final resting place,
Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Sauk Rapids, MN.
In lieu of flowers, his family requests that
donations be made in his honor to
http://honor.americanheart.org/goto/wtinseth (
American Heart Association)
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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