Obituary

Bernard T. Meiners, 95 of Coon Rapids, died Monday, September 1, 2025 at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids surrounded by his family.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 5, 2025 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dedham. The Celebrant will be Fr. Patrick Behm, assisted by Deacon Louis Meiners. Music will be by Jane Heithoff and the St. Joseph’s Choir. Lector for the Funeral Mass will be Jill Klein. Gift Bearers will be Talina Haskins, Caitlin ThongVahn, and Amanda Meiners. Casket Bearers will be Brian Meiners, Ben Meiners, Aaron Meiners, Lucas Meiners, Jason Nees, Mike Nees, Ryan Schultes, Tyler Schultes, Jordan Schultes, Justin Meiners, and Trenton Meiners. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Dedham with military honors conducted by the Dedham American Legion.

A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a rosary at 7 p.m. The casket will be moved to St. Joseph’s Church on Friday morning where additional visitation will be from 9:30-10:15 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for a later designation.

Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Bernard’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.

A link to Alice’s Funeral Mass Recording can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxuw5f8-lNk

Alice Rupiper, age 86, of Roselle, IA, died Saturday, August 7, 2021 at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids, IA. She died peacefully surrounded by her husband Wayne, her 11 children and other family members.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, August 13 at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Roselle. The Celebrant will be Fr. Steve Brodersen. Music will be provided by the Holy Angels Choir, with accompanist Joan Schettler. Mass Servers will be Chance Schultes and Anthony Sibbel Lectors for the service will be Angie Macke, Nikki Rodgers, and Rachel Tigges. A special poem will be read by Paige Rupiper and Lindsey Spellman. Gift Bearers will be Alicia Rupiper, Amber Rupiper, Grace Gottschalk, and Britne Davis. Eucharistic Ministers will be Mary Schoeppner and Charlene Rupiper. Casket Bearers will be Curry Wittrock, Ben Schultes, Andrew Rupiper, Matt Rupiper, Tyler Tigges, Dillon Rupiper, Sam Rupiper, Luke Rupiper, Alex Diers, and Taylor Rupiper. Burial will follow in the Holy Angels Cemetery in Roselle.

A visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a Christian Wake Service being held at 7 p.m. at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll.

A viewing without the family present will be held on Friday at the church from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family for designations that will be decided at a later date.

Arrangements are under the guidance of Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Alice’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.

Alice was born on October 22, 1934 on her parent’s farm near Carroll, IA. Alice was the daughter of Lawrence and Mary (Baumhover) Ocken. She grew up in Templeton, IA and graduated from Sacred Heart School in 1952. On June 18, 1953 she was united in marriage to Wayne Rupiper at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Templeton. The couple made their home in Roselle, IA where they raised their 11 children. Alice was a devoted homemaker who loved sewing, cooking and baking especially her Yum-Yum cookies that were enjoyed by all that visited.

Her strong faith was very important to her. She was a member of the Holy Angels Parish, Holy Angels Altar Society, and the Catholic Daughters of America for many years. She enjoyed dressing up the church altar with beautiful flowers and singing with her many friends on the choir. Working with her friends at the Carroll Livestock Sales was always a highlight of her week. She also volunteered at the Halbur-Templeton-Roselle School Library and the blood bank. Together, for 68 years, Wayne and Alice enjoyed attending their children’s and grandchildren’s activities, ballroom dancing, bowling, and traveling with friends while making new friends along the way. More than anything, the joy of their life was having their home filled with family.

Her last year was spent at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids where she felt that the loving caregivers were her family.

Left to cherish her memories are her husband Wayne, children: Sherry (Steve) Wittrock of Omaha, NE, Barb (Denny) Schultes of Dedham, IA, Randy (Kathy) Rupiper of Ankeny, IA, Keith (Roxane) Rupiper of Roselle, IA, Michelle (Brian) Tigges of Johnston, IA, Dave (Carol) Rupiper of Johnston, IA, Doug (Pam) Rupiper of Carroll, IA, Kent (Tami) Rupiper of Ankeny, IA, Mark (Kim) Rupiper of Phoenix, AZ, Rhonda (Rich) Gottschalk of Omaha, NE and Scott (Mickie) Rupiper of West Des Moines, IA; 29 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren with one due in December; 4 step great-grandchildren; her siblings Janice (Harlan) Wolterman of Bellevue, NE; Robert (Lynn) Ocken of Cedar Rapids IA; brother-in-law Keith (Diane) Irlbeck of Northfield, MN; sister-in-law Nancy Ocken of DeWitt, IA; brother-in-law and sister-in-law LeRoy and Pat Rupiper of Carroll, IA; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter in infancy Mary Frances; siblings Joleen Irlbeck, Leonette Irlbeck, Ron Ocken and Merle Ocken; childhood siblings Larry Ocken and Lavonne Ocken; and brothers-in-law Leo Schoeppner and Vernon Irlbeck; father-in-law and mother-in-law Louis and Carrie Rupiper; great-grandsons Carter and Franklin Schultes.

Church Service

Friday, September 5, 2025 10:30 a.m.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
420 3rd Ave, Dedham, IA 51440

Burial

Sharp Funeral Home ~ Carroll, Iowa

226 W. 8th St., Carroll, IA, 51401

712-792-4301

[email protected]

https://www.sharpfuneral.com

Church Service

Thursday, September 4, 2025
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Rosary at 7:00 p.m.
Sharp Funeral Home – Carroll
226 W. 8th St, Carroll, IA 50401

Friday, September 5, 2025
9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
420 3rd Ave, Dedham, IA 51440

Obituary

Born March 31, 1930, he was the son of Bernard and Catherine (Rotert) Meiners. He grew up in the Dedham-Willey area and graduated from St. Mary’s School in Willey in 1943. He entered the U.S. Army July 8, 1953 and was stationed at Wurzburg, Germany. He was discharged on May 20, 1955.

Bernard married Dolores S. Halbur on January 24, 1956 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Halbur. After being married Bernard and Dolores lived 3 miles north of Dedham for two years. In 1958, they moved to the farm they purchased four miles east of Dedham. They were the parents of six children: Daniel, Dale, David, Cathleen, Christine, and Gary. Dolores passed away January 21, 1978.

On August 9, 1980, Bernard married Marita Eickman at Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids. In May 2011, Bernard and Marita moved off the farm into the town of Coon Rapids, Iowa. They made their home there for 14 years. In April 2025, they moved to Parkview Assisted Living in Coon Rapids, Iowa.

During Bernard’s lifetime, he farmed, had a dairy operation, had a cow/calf operation, and raised hogs. He retired in 1992. He is a current member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Dedham, a member of the Dedham American Legion Post #20, and a member of the Manning VFW. In July 2001 Bernard, being a Korean Veteran, had the privilege to go on the Military Honor Flight to Washington DC. Just recently he was presented with a Quilt of Valor at Thomas Rest Haven, and at the age of 95 he still enjoyed attending the Legion meetings.

Bernard loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Holiday gatherings were a treat for him to get to see most of them at one time. In his spare time Bernard enjoyed gathering black walnuts in the fall and kept busy shelling the walnuts during the winter. Family and friends benefited from the fruits of his labor.

Bernard is survived by his wife of 45 years, Marita Meiners; his children, Dale (Mary) Meiners of Carroll, David (Jane) Meiners of Varna, IL, Cathleen (Larry) Nees of Coon Rapids, Christine (Mark) Schultes of Dedham, and Gary (Barb) Meiners of Manson; 19 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren with 2 more coming in October; a brother Anthony (Colleen) Meiners of Carroll; 2 sisters, Catherine Wittrock of Carroll and Marcella Naberhaus of Carroll; his sisters-in-laws, Margaret (Tom) Denker of Manning, and Pat (Joe) Goblirsch of Jesup. He is also survived by Marita’s children, Richard (Sandy) Eickman of Omaha, NE, James (Joni) Eickman of Dyer, TN, Dave (Joan) Eickman of Macungie, PA, Randy (Rose) Eickman of Coon Rapids, Nancy Eickman and Jim Springer of Warren, NJ, and Karen Heck of Delano, MN, and many nieces and nephews.

Bernard was preceded in death by his first wife Dolores S. Meiners; a son Daniel J. Meiners; Marita’s son Bill Eickman; his parents Bernard and Catherine Meiners; his brothers John (Margaret) Meiners, Albert (Frances) Meiners; his brothers-in-law Clarence Wittrock, Norbert Naberhaus, Cletus (Emaline) Halbur, Norman (Inez) Halbur, Larry (JoAnn) Halbur; his brother-in-law, William (Marie) Halbur; Dolores’ parents, William and Frances Halbur, and stepmother-in-law, Josephine Halbur.

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Bernard T. Meiners, please visit our Sympathy Store.

Tribute Wall

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A wonderful lady, so very kind and sweet. And it showed as all her kids are too! Sincere sympathy to you Barb, Randy, and Shell, and to all of you.

Kev & Sandy Wittrock – August 15 2021 at 11:58 PM

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Lavender Reflections Spray was purchased for the family of Alice Rupiper.

Comment #34882919 – August 10 2021 at 8:50 AM

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Peaceful White Lilies Basket was purchased for the family of Alice Rupiper.

Comment #34883845 – August 10 2021 at 11:13 AM

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Country Basket Blooms was purchased for the family of Alice Rupiper.

Comment #34884449 – August 10 2021 at 12:33 PM

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My sympathy Sherry and Rupiper families. What a remarkable mother she was. She will truly be missed by all of you. May she Rest In Peace.

Bev Vonnahme – August 10 2021 at 6:05 PM

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