Maurice J. Prenger

03/05/1922 –

12/18/2008

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.

Maurice J. “Red” Prenger, age 86, of Carroll, Iowa, died early Thursday, December 18, 2008, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 A.M., Saturday, December 20, 2008, at St. Lawrence Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Father Timothy Schott. Lector will be Mr. Prenger’s son, Rick Prenger. Gift Bearers will be his children, Linda Hackfort, Steve Prenger, and Tom Prenger. Eucharistic Ministers will be Marilyn Foley, Dennis Schleisman, and Harold Leiting. Casket Bearers will be grandsons, Tim Hackfort, Nick Prenger, Ted Prenger, Tony Prenger, Mark Prenger, and Chris Prenger. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion. The Bugler for the military honors will be a grandson, Nick Prenger. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 P.M. Friday. A rosary will be prayed at 4 P.M. Friday. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Friday by St. Lawrence Parish. Mr. Prenger was born on March 5, 1922, at Halbur, Iowa, the son of August and Anna (Janning) Prenger. He attended Saint Peter and Paul School in Carroll. Following his education he was employed as a meat cutter at Beiter’s Market in Carroll. He entered the U.S. Army in January 1943 and served during World War II in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater and was awarded seven Bronze Stars. He was honorably discharged in September 1945 at the rank of Sergeant. On February 10, 1947, he was married to Thelma Heath at Saint Peter and Paul Church in Carroll with Msgr. O.W. Koester officiating. Following their marriage the couple lived in Breda where they owned the H. & P. Grocery. The family moved to Carroll in 1950 where he was employed by the Hannasch Grocery, Fareway Store, and Brenny’s Market. In retirement he worked part time at Prenger Furniture in Carroll. He was a member of St. Lawrence Parish and the Carroll American Legion. Mr. Prenger enjoyed family gatherings, fishing, going to Swan Lake, and traveling. Survivors include his children, Linda Hackfort of Carroll, Rick Prenger and his wife Pam of Urbandale, Steve Prenger and his wife Samantha of Dakota City, and Tom Prenger and his wife Shelly of Windsor, Colorado; grandchildren, Jenna Hackfort, Tim Hackfort, Nick Prenger, Tony Prenger, Mark Prenger, Chris Prenger, Stephanie Bowden and her husband Jeff, Heather Naeve and her husband Rod, Kylie Aberhamson and her husband Shane, and Ted Prenger and his wife Teresa; twelve great grandchildren; and sisters-in-law, Rita Prenger of Carroll and Dolores Eason of Carroll. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Thelma Prenger, in July 1981; a son-in-law, Joe Hackfort; sisters, Sally Prenger, Ann Emery, and Stella Prenger; and brothers, Ambrose Prenger, Ralph Prenger, Melvin Prenger, and Louis Prenger, Sr.

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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