Carl (Bud) August Tuenge passed peacefully with family by his side November 28, 2013 at Indian Hills Manor Nursing Home, Ogallala, Nebraska.
Born February 22, 1918 in Grand Island, Nebraska, Carl (Bud) was the second child of Carl Albert Tuenge and Mabel Mildenstein Tuenge. Attending schools in Grand Island and North Platte, Carl graduated from North Platte High School in 1936. After graduation he hired on as a Fireman with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Bud enlisted in the Navy, January 3, 1942 serving in the Pacific during World II as a Ship Fitter First Class and was certified as an underwater welder instructor.
While stationed in San Diego at the end of the war, he met Mary Virginia Cooper in Los Angeles. They married May 5, 1945 in Bell Gardens, CA. After his discharge, the newlyweds moved to North Platte in September, 1945 and Bud returned to the Union Pacific. As a Union Pacific engineer he served as a Union Griever, a Local Chairman and as General Chairman for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. Representing local B of L F&E he worked with state and national railroad and political figures to resolve the full crew law in 1964 and in 1966 was instrumental in the success of the widely tested railroad union strike advocating collective bargaining. He retired in 1979 after 43 years of service.
Carl and Mary were married thirty one years. Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1966 at the age of 40 and passed in April, 1976. He married Marie Liedtke in 1977. Marie passed in 1994 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Over the years he was a member of P.R. Halligan Post No. 163 American Legion, Valley Masonic Lodge No. 32, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, and First Evangelical Lutheran Church, North Platte, NE.
Carl is survived by his daughter, Suzanne ( Bob) Wiederrich of Broomfield, CO, son Michael Tuenge of Lemoyne, NE, daughter-in-law Siti Manaf (Carl) Tuenge of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, three grandchildren Nathaniel Tuenge, Eugene, OR, Aaron Tuenge, Loveland, CO, Megan Tuenge, Lincoln, NE , step grandson Marc (Pam) Wiederrich, Broomfield, CO, three great grandchildren Kira, Kaelyn and Conner Wiederrich, sister Phyllis Tuenge (Dale) Smith , Hamilton MT, sister-in-law Wanda (Cecil)Tuenge, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Mabel Tuenge, wife Mary Virginia, son Carl Eugene, sister Bernice Jones, three brothers Cecil, Donald and Larry, and his second wife Marie.
Memorial services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday, December 2, 2013 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with Rev. Frank Fitch officiating. Private family inurnment with military honors will be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, NE. Visitation will be 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel.
Condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Memorials are suggested to The American Cancer Society.