Francis R. Tierno

Francis Robert Tierno, 87 years old.Born July 9th, 1921 in Berlin N.J.Francis attended grammar school in Berlin. After graduation, he attended Camden County Vocational School in Pennsauken, NJ. After completing four years, he graduated top of his class. He then went to work at a local American Store.At the age of eighteen, he joined the Army Air Corp with training at Fort Dix, NJ serving as a cook. Later, he joined the regular Army when WWII broke out; training at many Army forts around the United States.In 1939, he went to Fort Bragg, NC to become a paratrooper and worked his way up to Jump Master where he had upwards of 50 jumps. In Oct. 16, 1944, he married Mildred Coble in Southern Pines, NC.When the war ended, he was in Japan, and in 1946 he mustered out of the Army and returned to Berlin, NJ to work as a Gray Hound Bus Co. driver for three years. Francis then joined the active Army National Guard full-time as a helicopter mechanic.In 1968, he retired as a Sgt. Major E9, and then he and Mildred moved to Middletown, RI to manage The Grinder Shoppe and Spaghetti House. After four years the restaurant was sold, so he worked for RCA Aviation Division in Trenton, NJ and worked there for twelve years.He returned to Middletown, RI and worked at the transfer station on Burma Road until its closing in 2008.Francis passed away on April 8, 2009 at the Grand Islander Health Care Center in Middletown surrounded by his family. He is survived by his brother, Henry J. Tierno, Jr and his wife Phyllis of Middletown, RI; three nephews, Henry J. Tierno III and his wife Nancy of Middletown, RI, Anthony F. Tierno and his wife Diana of Cranston, RI, and Dennis L. Tierno and his wife Judy of Pompano Beach, FL; his brother-in-law, Jerry Coble and his wife Mabel of Winter Haven, FL; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.He was a member of the North End Club in Middletown, the Knights of Columbus in Middletown, Elks Lodge #104 in Newport, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the US, Trenton, NJ, and a member of the American Legion in Portsmouth and the Middletown Senior Center.Calling hours will be held Monday, April 13, 2009 from 5-7 pm in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, followed by a funeral service at 7 pm in the funeral home.Burial will be privateIn lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, 1010 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02878.