Adolf Nikolaus Minaschek

Mr. Adolf Minaschek passed away on September 17, 2025.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leopold and Maria, and his brothers Leopold, Draho, and Georg. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lucette of Saint-Nazaire; his sons, Christoph and David; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one niece and nephew in Germany.

Mr. Minaschek was born on December 6, 1941, to ethnic German parents in Moravia, Czech Republic—a heavily German-populated area. His father served in the German Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front. After World War II, his father was interned as a POW for five years, working in a Czech coal mine. During this time, the family lost their home. Adolf’s mother passed away shortly before their deportation to West Germany in August 1950. His father joined them a year later after being released by the Russians.

The family found refuge with a relative already living in Germany. Adolf’s father later remarried and moved to Cologne to join his new wife. From 1956 to 1959, Adolf attended trade school in Cologne to become a machinist.

His brother Leo, who had immigrated to Cleveland and had three sons, sponsored Adolf’s immigration to the United States. On May 2, 1960, Mr. Minaschek arrived in New York City. In December 1962, although still a German citizen, he entered the U.S. Army. As a volunteer, he traveled to Vietnam on a German passport with a one-month tourist visa. Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhut Airport in OD green, no one checked his papers. He overstayed by 11 months.

After returning to Fort Lee, he re-enlisted for three years and was later stationed in Saint-Nazaire, where he met and married his future wife. Mr. Minaschek served 20 years in the military, including assignments in Vietnam, Alaska, several stateside locations, and overseas in Nuremberg and Munich, Germany. His final three years before retiring were spent as a senior instructor at the Intelligence Center and School at Fort Huachuca, where he taught interrogation techniques.

Before leaving Munich, he submitted a job application to the Civilian Personnel Office. In 1987, he received a long-awaited call offering him a civil service HUMINT position. His first duty station was Giessen, Germany. Due to his native fluency in German, he served in a sensitive role, working in a refugee camp as part of the in-processing team. In September 1995, the German government shut down all American intelligence offices and requested their relocation, bringing an end to a dream job.

Adolf and Lucette enjoyed many yearly vacations to Camp Darby near Pisa and to Saint-Nazaire, her hometown. Their youngest son, David, was born at the Nuremberg military hospital and attended American schools until graduating high school in 1992 in Nuremberg.

Adolf declined reassignment to Arlington Hall and returned to Sierra Vista, where Fort Huachuca was his preferred location. He later accepted a position as an ammunition technician at the Ammunition Supply Point (ASP).

After retiring at age 60, Adolf and Lucette began annual vacations to France, which continued until 2013 when their beloved dog became ill with diabetes. Their dachshund, Adolf’s best friend, passed away in early 2019.

Adolf’s father and both sons were soldiers, both serving in the US Army. He had a deep love for WWII history and visited Normandy three times. He also cherished Saint-Nazaire, rich in history and home to Hitler’s submarine bunker.

His hobbies included reading Western European history, small game hunting, and working on his 1989 Mustang GT while listening to 1960s and 1970s music. He attended many “Cars in the Park” car shows.

Adolf and Lucette made Sierra Vista their home after being assigned to Fort Huachuca in 1982. He loved the excellent weather and the rich history of the Southwest.

He will be dearly missed.

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