Theresia M F Bialas

Thea was born in 1938, in the small Bavarian town of Rennertshofen to Maria and Johann Bauernfeind. They farmed and operated a shoe store out of their home on the main street of the village. Thea grew up assisting with the livestock and the shop along with her three siblings, Hans, Helmut, and Christa. The war years left Rennertshofen largely intact, and Thea was able to complete German primary school. For her secondary school, she chose a boarding school in Ingolstadt/Neuburg an der Donau that specialized in office administration and accounting. She then worked in several offices in München before traveling to London to be an au pair and learn English. After exploring the British Isles, she returned home to continue working. She regularly traveled with her friends, hitchhiking, and staying in hostels throughout Europe. During one hitchhiking vacation, Thea and her sister Christa were picked up by an American serviceman, Manfred (Fred) Bialas, traveling to Nürnberg to visit his father. Fred had immigrated to the U.S. from Germany as a young man, and returned as an airman, working on the base in Evreux, France. Fred was smitten, and the two remained in communication. Thea took the opportunity to work as an au pair in Paris and study French in the Institut Catholique, and Fred would come to the city to woo her while walking along the Seine and sitting in cafes along the Champs-Élysées. The two married in the Rennertshofen church in 1962 and then lived in Evreux.

Later Fred and Thea traveled to Vacaville, California, where he was stationed at Travis AFB, and Thea worked as a waitress at the Nut Tree Restaurant. He received an early out from the Air Force to pursue an education in aeronautical engineering at the Northrup Institute of Technology in Inglewood. Thea gave birth to their first daughter, Christina (Tina) in 1966. After graduating, Fred worked at McDonnell-Douglas in Long Beach, California. Fred’s work took them to Naples, Italy, where Thea gave birth to their second daughter, Catherin (Cathy) in 1970. Thea loved Italy, making several life-long friends while there. The family returned to California and then moved back to Germany for a couple of years before returning to the Tustin area. While in California, Thea took several classes in history and the social sciences at Saddleback Community College while also caring for the girls and taking them to explore the beaches and cultural features of the region. In 1977 she and Fred, along with close family friends, bought a dairy farm in Wimer, Oregon. Life back on a farm was not for her, but by 1984 they were back in California with Fred again working at McDonnell-Douglas. Fred took the opportunity to facilitate construction of aircraft in China, and Fred and Thea along with Cathy moved to Shanghai to continue their exploration of the world. Thea was back in her element, riding her bicycle through the crowded streets and investigating the backstreets of a fascinating city. She was active in the expatriate community, became a proficient Maj Jong player, took Chinese painting classes, and enjoyed many short trips around Asia.

After years traveling the world, Thea and Fred settled in West Linn, Oregon where Tina had married Larry Minor Jr. and started a family. They spent time with their two grandchildren, Adrian and Claire, while still traveling far and wide to visit friends and family. Thea’s home in West Linn overflows with her books, travel treasures, flowers, berry bushes, and fruit trees. Cathy moved into the area and married James M. Beriault. Thea delighted in the extended family backyard BBQs, card games, Public Television watching marathons, and Portland Timbers Football Club viewing parties. She could regale anyone with stories of her adventures and was endlessly curious about other people and the world. Fred, Tina, Cathy, and their families, are now without her special light, and miss her deeply.

If you are interested in donating to a charity in her name, Fred suggests Love INC or the Zion Lutheran Church roof fund and Tina and Cathy suggest the Public Broadcasting System.