Obituary of Evangeline "Lena" Tietjen

Evangeline "Lena" Rose Tietjen, age 5, gained her angel wings on November 5, 2018 at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with her loving parents by her side, as always. She was known to many she inspired as "Lena the Lion," as they followed her courageous year-long battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. However to those who loved her she was so much more than her disease. She was a devoted sister and partner-in-crime to her twin brother. Uniquely independent and free-spirited, she was a beautiful dancer, talented athlete, expert Memory card player, proud kindergartener, and accomplished stuffed animal trainer. Lena is loved, "to infinity and beyond," by her parents, Matthew and Erin Tietjen, her brother Clark, and her constant companion, Lady. She is also survived by her paternal grandparents, Debra Tietjen and John Schwartz; her maternal grandparents, Joseph and Michelle Bocchetti; aunts and uncles, Arnold and Asunda Peters, Sean and Lindsay McCarron, Jonathan and Jolanta Schwartz, and Greg Bocchetti; cousins, Alessandra, Joella, Reid and Jacob; three great-grandparents; and the true friends and family who had the privilege to know and love her over the past five years. While we say our tearful goodbyes we are comforted knowing that Lena is flying with the unicorns as she did every night in her dreams. A celebration of Lena's life will commence at 11 o'clock on Monday at Rone Funeral Home, 1110 E Chestnut Ave, Vineland, NJ 08360 for close friends and family. In addition, a public visitation will be held at Rone on Sunday evening from six to eight o'clock, for all those who wish to say goodbye. To honor Lena, guests are invited to wear purple, her favorite color, or grey, to support brain cancer awareness. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lena's memory to arnoldpalmerhospital.com/honor to support the ongoing work of caregiver Dr. Samer Elbabaa and the Pediatric Neurosurgery program and thank them for the priceless gift of time that they gave the Tietjen family. "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." AA Milne