Bertilla “Tootie” Andersen

03/15/1924 –

01/06/2014

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.

Bertilla “Tootie” Andersen, 89 of Arcadia, died Monday, January 6, 2014 at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 10, 2014 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. The Celebrant will be Fr. Gary Snyder. Concelebrant will be Fr. Richard Remmes. Music will be by Darlene Leiting and the St. John’s Choir. Lector for the funeral mass will be Mary Andersen. Gift Bearers will be: Sarah Swanson, Andrea Lawler, Jennie Andersen, and Maddie Andersen. Casket Bearers will be: Sarah Swanson, Ben Andersen, Andrea Lawler, Ryan Lawler, Jennie Andersen, Mike Andersen, and Maddie Andersen. The St. John’s Ladies Guild and the Arcadia American Legion Auxiliary will form an honor guard for the funeral mass. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery in Arcadia.

Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday where there will be a rosary by St. John’s Ladies Guild at 4 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m. by St. John’s Parish.

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

Born on March 15, 1924 at Arcadia, Iowa, Bertilla was the daughter of Peter and Mary (Hugeback) Schmitz. She spent her entire lifetime in the Arcadia area and attended St. John’s School. On June 4, 1946 she married Leon Andersen at St. John’s Church in Arcadia with Fr. Mathias Stork officiating.

The couple farmed in the Arcadia area for 7 years and then moved to town where Tootie worked as a bookkeeper for Schmitz Implement and later for Andersen Parts and Service. She then worked for 34 years in the United States Postal Office retiring on July 31, 1987 as postmaster. Tootie was a member of St. John’s Parish, Parish Ladies Guild, and the Arcadia American Legion Auxiliary.

Survivors include her children: Jim Andersen and his wife Mary of Denison, Kathy Lawler and her husband Greg of Aurora, IL, Nancy Schmitz and her husband Dale of Arcadia, John Andersen and friend Shelli Peck of Ames; her grandchildren: Sarah Swanson, Ben Andersen, Andrea Lawler, Ryan Lawler, Jennie Andersen, Mike Andersen, and Maddie Andersen; her great-grandchildren: Alyssa, Brennan, and Camdyn Swanson, and Lyncoln Andersen; her sisters: Marie Speyer of Carroll, and Norma Berger of Carroll; her sisters-in-law: Alice Schmitz of Arcadia, Florence Schmitz of Carroll, and Ruth Andersen of Arcadia; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended relatives.

Tootie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Leon in 2005; and her siblings: Florentine Rupiper, Agnes Rupiper, Lawrence Schmitz, Lewis Schmitz, and Leo Schmitz.

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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Tribute Wall

I will remember Tootie as always being such a caring person. She always had a bandaid for my scrapes from a basketball game in the driveway and a Pepsi from the the basement refrigerator to cool us down on a hot day Living across the street from Tootie always let me know that I was welcome at the Andersen house Leon and Tootie will always have a special place in my memories Your little neighbor boy Doug Leiting

Doug Leiting – January 06 2014 at 8:39 PM

Nancy, Jim, John, and Kathy...Your Mother touched so many hearts throughout her life, I am one of those hearts. The few years that I had the pleasure to share with Tootie were filled with laughs, smiles, incredible stories of her and your father, you kids (dont worry Nancy I wont share them here) and life in general. You were always (and I do mean always) in her thoughts and heart. I hope you all find peace at the passing of your Mom, she is with your Father and this is where she has wanted to be for some time. Remember not these past few years but the years that came before, those are the memories that Tootie would want you to have of her. I will miss your Mother and the random hugs we shared, the kisses she gave on my cheeks, the smiles, the tears, the laughs, I'm going to miss her pink fuzzy socks, we always joked about those pink fuzzy socks and Nancy your name usually came up in the conversation...she was one of my favorites, she will always be a favorite. Rest in Peace my dear Friend, Fear no more for you are home, Worry not for those you left behind, it is through the love you shared and the memories you made for each of us that we will be alright.

Stasia Fehring – January 07 2014 at 5:58 PM

I have fond memories of going into the post office and always being greeted with a warm smile. Your mother was such a caring person and set a wonderful example of treating everyone with kindness. You were so fortunate to have parents that loved each other and their family so much--your mother set the bar high for all of you. Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. Gary and Mary Brazee ( Timmerman)

Mary Timmerman Brazee – January 08 2014 at 6:52 PM

Many fond memories of Tootie, her random hugs & smiles when I took care of her. God bless you all. You have my sympathy.

Katie (Gehling) DeWeese – January 10 2014 at 10:27 AM

Lit a candle in memory of Bertilla "Tootie" Andersen

Stasia Fehring – January 07 2014 at 5:28 PM

Obituaries