John Cliett

Family-Placed Death Notice

JOHN ROBERT CLIETT (1919-2005) John Robert Cliett, 85, passed away quietly in his sleep early Monday morning, July 25, at his residence in North Atlanta. He was born 2 September 1919 in Bainbridge, Decatur County, Georgia. His father was a local businessman who managed Cliett Hardware in Bainbridge. Mr. Cliett graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1938 and attended Newberry College for one year. He enlisted in the Georgia National Guard in the 121st Infantry Regiment in October 1939. The 121st was called to active duty in March 1941 and landed at Utah Beach, Normandy, France on July 4th, 1944 as part of the Eighth Infantry Division. The 121st fought in ten battles in four campaigns in France and Germany including the Huertgen Forest. Mr. Cliett served as a company commander and battalion officer and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, and Purple Heart. Mr. Cliett was a resident of Atlanta for 59 years. He attended Georgia Tech and graduated in June 1949 with a degree in Industrial Management. He worked for Gordon Foods, later Sunshine Biscuits for twenty years becoming plant manager of the company's Atlanta bakery. In December 1957 he married Imogene Virginia Pollard, secretary to the pastor at First Baptist Church of Atlanta and daughter of Dr. Ramsey Pollard, then pastor of Broadway Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN and later Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, TN. In July 1970, the Clietts formed the Tri-City Business Institute, which ran business schools in East Point and Kingsport, TN, a short lived enterprise. In June, 1971, the Clietts incorporated as Tenga Inc. and in September 1971, Tenga Inc. opened the House of 10,000 Picture Frames in Chamblee. In 1975 it opened Lithonia Picture Framing, and in 1977 Dunwoody Frames & Gallery. Mr. Cliett was President of Tenga Inc. until his retirement in 1984. He was also instrumental in the formation of United Frames Inc., a buying group often southeastern picture frame stores that was one of the first groups to import wood mouldings directly from Taiwan. Mr Cliett was a faithful member of Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, Atlanta, and the EEE Sunday School Class. He was preceded in death by his parents; Garrett Hoggard and Winnifred Manor Cliett; three brothers, Bill Cliett, George Cliett, and Jimmy Cliett; two sisters, Marcelle Cliett, and Ellender Cliett Elder; and his wife, Gene. He is survived by two daughters, Arden Bowling Starnes (Danny) and Nancy Cliett Horton (Donald) and four grandchildren: Lee Starnes, Patricia Starnes, Jonathan Horton and Valecia Horton. Funeral service will be held at 2 pm Thursday, July 28 in the Chapel of Ivey Funeral Home, Bainbridge, Georgia. Internment will be in the Cliett family plot at Oak City Cemetery, Bainbridge. The family has requested no flowers; memorials may be sent to the music ministry, Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, 2715 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, , GA 30305. Arrangements are being made by Ivey Funeral Home, Bainbridge. (229)246-3232.