Stephen Michael Timko
Page edited 28-Feb-24. ET
Stephen Michael Timko - Born on September 7, 1923 Aultman, Indiana County, Pennsylvania to Joseph John Timko and Anna Veronica Berish. He was the fifth oldest child and the second eldest son to Joseph and Anna.
Description
Stephen was a stocky individual who stood about 6 foot in height. He was clean shaven with dark brown, wavy hair and brown eyes. He was the fifth oldest child, and second eldest son, to Joseph and Anna.
Early Years
- Childhood
- Siblings
- Mary Martha Timko
- Anna Joan Timko
- Susanna Timko
- Joseph John Timko Jr.
- Elizabeth Margaret Timko
- Edward John Timko
- Albert James Timko
- Emma Marie Timko
- Dorothy Alice Timko
Education
He completed the ninth grade at Warren G. Harding High School in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. (Entered the tenth grade for only a few days before he quit school)
Religion
Stephen was baptized in the Catholic faith in 1923.
On May 1, 1932 two of Joseph and Anna’s children celebrated their First Holy Communion together. Joseph John Jr and Stephen Michael received Holy Communion for the first time at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church and by doing so were the first of Timko children to do so in their new home of Warren.
He was a member of St. William’s Parish in Champion, Trumbull County, Ohio.
Civilian Conservation Corps
Stephen served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at Challis National Forest in Idaho.
Military Service Years
Cpl Stephen Michael Timko, Sr served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He began serving on 10 Dec 1942 and was discharged on 22 Oct 1945. He served nearly 34 months in the U.S. Marine Corps with 32 months of that time spent in the Pacific Theater. There he served as an AntiAircraft Machine Gun Crewman in the Pacific Theatre. He received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal and the WWII Service Lapel Button.
He enlisted on December 10, 1942 at Cleveland, Ohio into the US Marine Corps while he was living at 481 Oriole Place SW. He was sent to Twenty-Nine Palms at San Diego, California for his basic training.
From San Diego, Stephen was shipped to Pearl Harbor on February 18, 1943. He was only afforded ten days to take in the beauty of Hawaii because on February 28, 1943 he embarked on the USS Midway, an escort aircraft carrier, also known as a “baby flattop.” The USS Midway sailed to Palmyra Island, which is due south of Hawaii. He arrived there five days later on March 4, 1943.
He later embarked on board a LST-480 on January 20, 1944 and set sail for the war. On February 1, 1944 he arrived at Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands where he disembarked. He participated in an initial occupation of the Majuro Atoll from February 1 to February 10, 1944. Then from April 24 to April 27, 1944, Stephen participated in reconnaissance on Arno Atoll in the Marshall Islands, which are northeast of Australia. Sometime later he returned to Hawaii.
He next embarked on the Attack Transport USS Karnes (APA-175) at Nawiliwili, Kauai in Hawaii on April 1, 1945. The ship sailed on April 2, 1945 for Ryukyu Island in the Pacific. The Karnes arrived at Okinawa-Jima in the Ryukgy Islands on May 3, 1945 after being at sea for thirty-one days. There Stephen participated in the occupation and defense of the island until December 23, 1945, 112 days later. Stephen would find himself participating in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
During his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served 34 months, 32 months of which were spent in the Pacific.
Military Service(s): U.S. Marine Corps
Family Years
Married Mary Margaret Spurrier on September 14, 1946 at St. Mary's Church in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. The couple had six children: two boys - Stephen Michael Jr. and John Joseph, and four girls - Susan Margaret, Joanne Louise, Margaret.Louise and Mary Beth.
- Stephen Michael Timko Jr
- Susan Margaret Timko
- Joanne Louise Timko
- John Joseph Timko
- Margaret Louise Timko
- Mary Beth Timko
Residences
He lived in Dixonville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania until his family moved in 1928 to Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.
During the family's years in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, he lived with his family in a total of nine houses, rented or owned, on the southwest side of the city and elsewhere.
- 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
- 769 Third Street SW
- 2016 McMyler Street NW
- 4405 Kincaid East Road, Trumbull County, Ohio
Working Years
Worked as a tire builder and later worked in the maintenance department as an oiler at Denman Tire Corporation in Leavittsburg, Trumbull County, Ohio.
Stephen worked at Youngstown Pressed Steel in 1942.
Personal Life
Enjoyed gardening, camping and traveling.
He was a 3rd Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus, Council 7491 of Champion, Trumbull County, Ohio.
Death
Stephen died from heart failure on June 6, 2002 at St. Joseph’s Health Health System East in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio.
He was buried on June 8, 2002 at Sager Cemetery in Bristolville, Trumbull County, Ohio.