SIEBIEDA, Joseph Thomas, Jr., 92 of Bethlehem, died Saturday, November 29, 2008 at Peterson Rehabilitation Hospital and Geriatric Center.
He was born in Wheeling on September 16, 1916 a son the late Joseph and Antonia Drabek Siebieda.
He was retired from Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, he was an Army Air Corp Veteran of World War II, a member of the Elm Grove Eagles, a member of the American Legion, a member of the PAP Club, Wheeling and a member of Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Stella, and four brothers, Carl, John, Walter and William.
Surviving is his wife, Helen Virginia Hoblitzell Siebieda, two daughters, Pamela Farrow and her husband Brent of Wheeling and Barbara Raab and her husband Jeff of West Palm, FL, a brother, Matthew Siebieda and his wife Freda of Bellaire, two sisters Wanda Viloa Porter and Helen Horbatak both of Wheeling, 5 grandchildren and 1 great-grand-child. Friends will be received at Altmeyer Funeral Home, 1400 Eoff Street, Wheeling on Monday from 4-8pm where a vigil service will be held at 7pm.
Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10:00am at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church with Rev. Chris Turner as celebrant. Interment will be held at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling.
On-line condolences may be expressed to the family at altmeyer.com
Past Services
Visitation
Monday December 01, 2008
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Service
Tuesday December 02, 2008
10:00 am
Cemetery
Tuesday December 02, 2008
11:30 am
Dear Great Uncle Joe, I rememeber so many stories from my grandfather Carl “Casmir” that he has told of you and his other brother Walter when I was young. I will hold them to my heart for the rest of my life and will share them with my children as they grow. You and your brothers will never be forgotten.
My condolences goes of to my Great Aunts Helen and Wanda. I will keep you in my prayers.
Below, Is a story that I found searching around on the internet that I thought everyone would find very interesting about John.
We were crouched low in a landing barge headed for the 50-yard-wide channel into Hyane Harbor. These GI’s were men from the 2nd Squadron, 5th Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, who had left their horses back in the States. Pvt. Planthaber, dripping like a gargoyle, shivered in the rain.
‘Put a slug in that tommy chamber,’ he told another cavalryman. ‘You think we’re going to a picnic?’
As we neared the channel, the Navy men in the bow hollered to us to keep our heads down or we’d get them blown off. We crouched lower, swearing, and waited.
It came with a crack: machine-gun fire over our heads. Our light landing craft shuddered as the Navy gunners hammered back an answer with the .30-calibers mounted on both sides of the barge.
As we made the turn for the beach, something solid plugged into us. ‘They got one of our guns or something,’ one GI said. There was a splinter the size of a half- dollar on the pack of the man in front of me. Up front a hole gaped in the middle of the landing ramp and there were no men where there had been four. Our barge headed back twoard the destroyer that had carried us to the Admiralties.
White splashes of water were plunging through the six-inch gap in the wooden gate. William Siebieda S1c of Wheeling, W. Va., ducked from his position at the starboard gun and slammed his hip against the hole to plug it. He was firing a tommy gun at the shore as fast as wounded soldiers could pass him loaded clips. The water sloshed around him, running down his legs and washing the blood of the wounded into a pink frappe.
Voices from America’s Past New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1963, pp. 154.
Dear Helen and Wanda–To let you know so many thoughts and prayers are with you and yours–Take care–Keep the faith and May God Bless you with His Peace and Love–“When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure!”–Sincerely Sylvia McNeilVirginia Bilo’s daughter
Helen & Wanda: I was so sorry to hear about your brother. I’m sure he is resting peacefully in the hands of God now. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Cheryl & Mark Linton Lillian Brozovich’s daughter
We wish to extend our sympathy Dick & Nancy Klimas