Albert James Timko

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Albert James Timko Sr (1965)

Albert James Timko was born on March 3, 1928 in Dixonville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest son Joseph John Timko and Anna Veronica Berish and the last of their children to be born in Pennsylvania.

Description

Albert had a slender build and stood about 5 foot 8 inch in height. He was clean shaven with dark brown, wavy hair and blue eyes. In his later years he wore eye glasses.

Early Years

A Young Edward and Albert Timko

Childhood - While Albert was born in Dixonville, Indiana County Pennsylvania, he only lived there for a few months as the Joseph John Timko Sr family moved to Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio in 1928. This gave Albert the unique distinction of being the last of the Joseph Timko Jr. children to be born in Pennsylvania.

Albert’s family often balanced themselves on that fine line between comfort and poverty. While the children never went hungry, they were not awash in the niceties of life. The children did not have many toys but were never at a loss for other sources of entertainment. Albert often told the story of how he, his brother Edward, and possibly his brother Stephen, decided to build a boat. It is presumed they wanted to take it on the Mahoning River to fish or possibly just for the bragging-rights that they had actually constructed a boat. They spent days gathering the materials, nails and wood, and then began to assemble their crude nautical craft. When it become evident the craft would leak, to seal the numerous cracks and seams, they gathered tar from the surrounding streets, melted it and filled the numerous voids. Presumably, they took the craft for its maiden voyage. Unfortunately, boatbuilding was not one of their innate skills and the craft never stayed afloat, at least for its intended purpose.

In later years, Albert shared a bed with his older brother Edward. It seems Albert was not known to be an early riser. On one occasion Edward, who had worked late the previous evening, was trying to sleep and Albert was being called from downstairs to wake up. Not wanting to leave his warm bed, Albert was doing his best to ignore the unwanted summons. Finally, Edward frustrated by the continual interruptions of his sleep took matters into his own hands, so to speak. He placed his foot behind Albert's back and shoved him out of the bed and onto the floor with a resounding thump. it was only then did the family members downstairs heard the thump did they know Albert was finally up.

Siblings

• Mary Martha Timko
• Anna Joan Timko
• Susanna Timko
• Joseph John Timko Jr.
• Stephen Michael Timko
• Elizabeth Margaret Timko
• Edward John Timko
• Emma Marie Timko
• Dorothy Alice Timko

Education

In Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, Albert first attended First Street Elementary School at the corner of Highland Avenue and First Street. As the family moved to other locations in the area, he then attended Todd Avenue Elementary School that was located behind the famous Hot Dog Shoppe at Todd and Buckeye Streets. When it came time to attend junior high school, he attended West Junior High School on Palmyra Road.

He graduated from West Junior High School in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio on January 26, 1940.

Albert quit high school to join the U.S. Marine Corps in 1945. He served four years in the service. When he was discharged he pursued his high school diploma.

He graduated from Warren G. Harding High School in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio on January 27, 1949.

Religion

Albert was baptized into the Catholic faith on 18 March 1928 at Sacred Heart Church in Dixonville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

He received his First Holy Communion on 9 May 1937 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Warren, Trumbull County, Pennsylvania.

His was a member of St. Williams Catholic Church in Champion, Trumbull County, Ohio and an active member of the Knights of Columbus (Council #7491).

Albert James Timko Sr in uniform

Military Service Years

S/Sgt Albert James Timko, Sr served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Began serving on 22 Aug 1945 (Cleveland, OH) and was discharged on 21 Aug 1949 (USMCAS, Cherry Point, NC). He served as a Cosair aircraft mechanic while stationed in China. He reenlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves as a sergeant and served in Graves Registration. He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, China Service Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, American Theatre Campaign Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Medal.

Albert enlisted in the Corps during the waning years of World War II. When asked why he wanted to join, he replied that he didn’t want to “miss the war.” In fact, at the time of his enlistment, Al was too young to enlist without his mother’s permission. It would have to be one on the hardest duties a mother would be asked to perform. However, Baba signed the documents allowing her son to become a Marine.

During his time in the Corps, he served at a variety of duty stations in support of the push towards the end of the war in the Japanese Theatre of Operations. On board a ship bound for China, with hundreds of other Marines who were far away from home for the first time, Albert was shocked to learn one of his long-time friends, Gene Sanders, from his old neighborhood, was also aboard ship. For someone who was thousands of miles from home, that meeting proved to make for a more enjoyable trip.

Albert served with the Marines as a Corsair aircraft mechanic while stationed in China, earning him the distinction of being a “China Marine.”  The term China Marine originally referred to those United States Marines from the 4th Marine Regiment who were stationed in Shanghai, China from 1927 - 1941. They served to protect American citizens and their property in the Shanghai International Settlement during the Chinese Revolution and the Second Sino-Japanese War. Later, another group of Marines, also referred as China Marines, were those of the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions sent to occupy northern China after the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II, from 1945 – 1948.

Albert’s time in China was cut short due to the rise to power of Mao Tse Tung and his followers who directed that the Marines leave their land. He also served on the USS Midway and served tours in California and Cherry Point, NC, the largest U.S. Marine airbase in the world at that time.

He later served with the American Graves Registration Division at Columbus, OH until he was discharged as a Master Sergeant E6. Albert was always proud of his rapid advancement to Master Sergeant. After his discharge from the Marine Corps, he returned to work as a forklift mechanic at the Lordstown Ordnance Depot in Warren, Ohio for a couple of years.

Family Years

Married Pauline Joann Petiya on April 22, 1950 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. The couple was married by by Msgr. Joseph Krispinski and remained married for 44 years.

They would eventually have seven children: four boys - Albert James Jr., Allen Jeffery, Timothy James and Ronald Lawrence, and three girls - Sheryl Ann, Paulette Suzette and Louise Karen.

• Albert James Timko Jr
• Allen Jeffery Timko
• Sheryl Ann Timko
• Paulette Suzette Timko
• Karen Louise Timko
• Timothy James Timko
• Ronald Lawrence Timko

Albert and Pauline began their lives together at a house at 792 Fourth Street SW on the southwest side of Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. It was a house that Pauline purchased from her father before Albert and her were married. It was only a few houses down from the house of Albert's parents. The industrious Pauline rented out the upper portion of the house to one of her brothers in order to pay the monthly mortgage payment.

It wasn't until 1957, that the couple decided to build their own house to accommodate their rapidly growing family. They built a new house at 2886 North Leavitt Road NW in the northwest corner of Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.

Married Peggy Jean Shank on August 19, 1994 in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. The couple was married for almost 14 years. They had no children.

Residences

During the family's years in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, Albert's family rented or owned a total of seven houses on the southwest side of the city. He would later reside or own two more.

• 1xx Parkman Road [Note: The exact address of the family's first rental house is not known. My paternal Aunt Emma (Timko) Burin said that while driving with her mother Anna, Anna pointed to a small collection of houses next to the railroad tracks on Parkman and said that was the house the family lived in when they first arrived in the city. At the time, it never occurred to Emma to ask exactly which of the house had been the family's first home. However, from city records, the address would have to have been either 160, 170 or 178 Parkman Road, hence the 1xx designation.]
• 985 Hunter Street NW
• 1437 Tod Avenue SW
• 487 Fourth Street
• 481 Oriole Place SW
• 770 Fourth Street

After he married Pauline Joann Petiya, they lived at the following addresses:

• 797 Fourth Street
• 2886 North Leavitt Road NW

After he married Peggy Jean Shank, they lived at the following address:

• 366 Belmont Avenue NW
• 3047 Beal Street NW

Working Years

• Worked as a Salesman for Pepsi Cola (1943 - 1944)
• Worked as a Salesman for Canada Dry Bottling Company
• Worked for the Warren Police Department in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.
  • 1955 - 1962 Uniform Division
  • 1962 - 1981 Detective Division, Retired as a Lieutenant
• Worked for the Warren Township Police Department in Trumbull County, Ohio.
  • Retired as Chief of the department in 1991.

Business Ventures

• For a time he sold Wearever Pots and Pans [Note: He sold a set to his brother Edward John Timko.]
• 1961 to 1978 - Owned and operated Warren Burglar Alarm Systems in Leavittsburg, Trumbull County, Ohio. He operated his business from his home.
• 1973 to 1975 - Was partners in TEKO Engraving Company in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.
• 1976 to 1979 - Owned and operated Trading Post which dealt in the buying and selling of used furniture. It was based in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.

Personal Life

Enjoyed fishing, league bowling, boating, auto mechanics and gardening.

Al was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 7491, the Warren Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 34, Ohio Police Chief Association, the Trumbull County Police and Firemen Retirees Association, Ohio, the Police Benevolent Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Lodge of Cortland and the Golden Agers Club of St. William Catholic Church in Champion, Trumbull County, Ohio.

Death

Albert died from heart attack on May 12, 2008 at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.

He was buried on May 16, 2008 at All Souls Cemetery in Cortland, Trumbull County, Ohio.The grave of Albert is located in All Souls Cemetery on Hoagland-Blackstub Road, one mile north of SR 305 in Cortland, Trumbull County, Ohio. This cemetery is approximately 7-8 miles north of Warren, Ohio. Albert and his wife Pauline's graves can be found in Section 4, Lot 1202, Graves 1 and 2. Albert's is Grave 1.