A Life Story

Ernest Leon Tiedemann, 74, of Talahi Island, retired after 40 years of service to the Savannah-Chatham Board of Education, died Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at home, after a nine month, courageous, battle with cancer. He was born in Washington, D.C. on the 6th of January, 1950, to Ernest Sigfried Tiedemann and Margaret Ackermann Tiedemann. Ernest grew up in Savannah and spent the last 22 years in his beloved Richmond Hill, Georgia. He recently moved back to Talahi Island in Savannah. He graduated from Georgia Southern University and later earned his doctorate from Nova University. He was honored to be chosen the Savannah-Chatham Specialized Education Teacher of the Year in 2005.He was a devoted collector and enjoyed many weekends with friends at Keller's Flea Market. He loved photography, and reading, and writing poetry. He had several photos win publication in local magazines. One of his poems was printed in the jacket of a local high school annual. The last verse of his most recent, "Blessed am I to see all this, to be the lucky one. Some folks never get to know all that life can become."Ernest is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Mary Ann Werntz Tiedemann, his sons, Ernest Stuart Tiedemann (Elizabeth Marie) grandsons, Elliott Asher and Oliver Ashton and Stephen Leon Tiedemann ( Saray Rebecca Tiedemann) granddaughter Stella Gill, his stepson, Cole Saturday (Vanessa), grandsons, Everett, Wyatt, and Bennett, and Cole's eldest son, Landan (great granddaughters, Layla and Lainey) and stepdaughter Jenny Saturday, granddaughters Anna Templeton and Katherine Long, and brother John (Cheryl) nephew Conor , his sons, Weston and Lennon, niece Cayce. Ernest will be greatly missed by his sidekick, his basset hound, Chloe.A graveside service will be held at 1:00, Saturday, October 12th, at Bonaventure Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Savannah Foundation, Inc. Special thanks to Nurses Sean and Melissa and care givers Pat and Angela whose compassion and support were priceless.Special thanks also to brother-in-law, Eddie Werntz, and sister-in-law, Kay Sheppard, for their constant support throughout this battle