Ruth Piertertien "Tiena" (VanPuffelen) Fiske
Marriages
"Mac" Seymour Fiske - 1959
Obituaries
Steamboat Today - February 4, 2012
Ruth Piertertien VanPuffelen Fiske, affectionately known to her family and friends as “Tiena,” passed away Feb. 2, 2012, in Denver from complications of Parkinson’s disease and pneumonia.
Born in Dallas on Dec. 21, 1939, Tiena was the daughter of the Rev. Anton and Virginia Castleman VanPuffelen and was and one of five children. Tiena studied acting and singing at Armstrong Junior College and continued her studies at the University of Denver, where she majored in philosophy.
In 1959, Tiena married McNeil “Mac” Seymour Fiske in Savannah, Ga., and the young couple moved to Denver. Tiena’s legacy is her devotion to family and friends. She has three children, Julia Fiske Parker, Lucy Fiske Carson and McNeil “Neil” Seymour Fiske Jr., son-in-law James Parker, and was adored by her 10 grandchildren.
Her part-time work included group sales for the Denver Symphony. In the early ’90s, she and Mac moved to Steamboat Springs, where she started and ran a small construction company to provide affordable housing for residents in the area. Always the life of the party, fiercely loyal and passionate about her causes, Tiena found time to volunteer and serve the community. She was president of the PTO at the children’s school and volunteered for the Western States Arts Council, for which she wrote and supervised the film guide.
In 1994, Tiena and Mac retired to Tucson, Ariz., where she became an avid golfer. Famous for her cooking and wit, Tiena was the designated “wordsmith” for the Women’s Golf Association at Tucson National. Having left us too soon, Tiena is survived by her husband, children, grandchildren, siblings, and numerous friends.
A memorial service celebrating Tiena’s life is at 5 p.m. March 2, 2012, at First Plymouth Congregational Church, with a reception to follow at the Wellshire Inn. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to Tiena’s Fund, the Arizona Chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association, P.O. Box 40067, Tucson, AZ 85717.
Friends can sign Tiena’s guestbook online at www.ellis
familyservices.com.
