Rite of Christian Burial for Leo "Bud" Thielen were held Thursday, June 29, 2000, at 10:30 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Church in Manning, Iowa. Father Robert Gralapp was the celebrant with Don Zubrod as lector, Matt Hugeback, Jason Hugeback, and Tim Hugeback as mass servers, Leo's grandchildren as gift bearers and Margaret Frees and Merlyn Irlbeck as Eucharistic Ministers. Music was provided by the Sacred Heart Choir with Maureen Halbur as organist. Interment was held at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Templeton, Iowa, with Marty Kerkhoff, Bill Bruhn, Ben Puck, Merlin Borkowski, Merlyn Irlbeck, and Brian Irlbeck as casket bearers. A Rosary was held Wednesday, June 28, at 4:00 p.m. by the CD of A followed by a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. and another Rosary at 8:00 p.m. at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning, Iowa.

Leo Louis, son of Peter and Anna (Kalkhoff) Thielen Jr., was born August 4, 1910, near Templeton, Carroll County, Iowa. He was baptized on August 7, 1910, at Sacred Heart Church in Templeton. Leo attended Sacred Heart School in Templeton and then started farming with his dad on the home place.

On February 6, 1934, Leo was united in marriage with Bertille "Tillie" Reinart at St. Augustine's Church in Halbur. They farmed near Templeton, starting out with a team of horses and later a small tractor. In 1940, they moved to a farm south of Manning in Audubon County. Leo was a grain and livestock farmer. When he was able, he enjoyed fishing and hunting. He and Tillie enjoyed playing cards and square dancing.

Leo was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Manning where he was an usher for over fifty years. He and Tillie celebrated their golden and 65th wedding anniversaries with a special mass at Sacred Heart. In his earlier years, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was always active in his rural community, serving wherever he was needed. Leo did not want to move from his farm and never did retire. Even though he had been diagnosed with cancer in 1989, he was able to fight the disease and actually fed his cattle daily until shortly before he became ill in the middle of June 2000.

Leo died following a short stay in the hospital on Monday, June 26, 2000, at the Manning Regional Healthcare Center, Manning, Iowa. He was 89 years, 10 months, and 22 days of age.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Anna Langel.

Leo is survived by his wife Bertille "Tillie" Thielen of Manning; four children: Melvin Thielen of Manning, Raymond Thielen and his wife Vicki of Manning, Marjorie and her husband Wendell Jr. Feilmeier of Carroll, and Danny Thielen of Manning; seven grandchildren: Kate Thielen, Cindy Janning, Tom Feilmeier, Jan Kinkade, Mary Beyerink, Joseph Thielen, and Laura Thielen; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters Irene Lutwitze of Dedham and Loretta Kommes of Exira; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.