Melvin T. Thieme

Melvin T. Thieme, 83, died in his home April 22, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Mel was born in Decatur, Indiana on October 25, 1925 to Edwin Henry and Caroline (Ewell) Thieme. He graduated from Decatur High School in 1944 and enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. After leaving the service, he entered Purdue University. He earned his BS in '49, his Masters in '51 and his PhD in Nuclear Physics in 1955 from Purdue. While still a graduate student, he married Meta Loretta Luke. After graduating, they moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico. Mel was employed as a Nuclear Physicist in May 1955 at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. He worked at LASL for 31 years until his retirement in 1986. Mel and Loretta had 3 children, 2 daughters and a son, during their marriage. After his retirement, Mel and Loretta moved to Albuquerque for many years until 2001 when they moved to Highlands Ranch, CO. Mel is survived by his wife of 60 years, Loretta Thieme, of Highlands Ranch, CO, daughter Ellen and son-in-law David Briscoe of Albuquerque, daughter Rita Thieme and grandson Cameron of Highlands Ranch, CO, son Randall Thieme of Newberg, Oregon, and sister Eileen Macke of Michigan. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 11:00 am at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. Interment will be at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Donations in his memory can be made to the: Lymphoma& Leukemia Society, 5353 West Dartmouth Avenue, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80227, (303) 984-2110 Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 East Hampden Avenue, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado 80113, (303) 758-2820 Porter Hospice Foundation, 7995 East Prentice Avenue, Suite 204, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111, (303) 715-7600 Please share your memories of Melvin and condolences with his family by selecting the ""sign guestbook"" button below.