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Marlys A. Polking

09/01/1930 –
04/25/2009

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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.

Marlys Polking, age 78, of Breda, Iowa, died Saturday, April 25, 2009, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, April 29, 2009, at St. Bernard Church in Breda. The Celebrant will be Father Joe Dillinger. Lector will be Marlene Goecke. Gift Bearers will be Delores Kanne, Madonna Koster, Marinell Garnatz, and Amanda Crawford. Mass Servers will be Matt Wessling, Matt Koster, and Miriah Masching. Eucharistic Ministers will be Bev Bruning, Dave Grabner, and Judy Koster. Soloists will be Rhonda Polking, Jill Fitzgerald, Sara Heim, and Abby Heim. Casket Bearers will be Kevin Eischeid, Doug Eischeid, Jim Eischeid, Ken Eischeid, Frank Eischeid, Lenny Thelen, Dean Bruning, and Mike Koster. Burial will be at St. Bernard Cemetery in Breda. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Breda after 2:30 P.M. Tuesday. A rosary will be prayed at 3 P.M. Tuesday by St. Bernard Ladies Guild. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Tuesday by St. Bernard Parish. Mrs. Polking was born on September 1, 1930, at Carroll, Iowa, the daughter of Clarence and Clara (Murray) Goecke. She spent her lifetime in the Breda community and graduated from St. Bernard High School in 1948. On August 22, 1953, she was married to Neil Polking at St. Bernard Church in Breda with Father J.P. Hausman officiating. The couple made their home in Breda. She had been employed at the General Electric Plant in Carroll until the late 1970’s and then returned to being a homemaker. She was a member of St. Bernard Parish and the Parish Ladies Guild. Mrs. Polking was an avid fisherman and enjoyed reading newspapers, watching the news on television, shopping, and visiting with her family and friends. Survivors include her husband, Neil Polking of Breda; her children, Russ Polking and his wife Ann of Newton, Carol Heim and her husband Joe of Cedar Rapids, and Rhonda Polking and her special friend John Derby of Ralston, Nebr.; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; three sisters, Delores Kanne of Carroll, Madonna Koster and her husband Linus of Breda, and Marinell Garnatz and her husband Warren of LaVista, Nebr.; and sisters-in-law, Marlene Goecke of Remsen, Marilyn Eischeid of Halbur, and Diane Rosteck and her husband John of Cedar Rapids. She was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, Ken Goecke and Dean Goecke in infancy.

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.

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