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.

Erwin Vonnahme, age 83, of rural Arcadia, Iowa, died Friday morning, October 2, 2009, at his residence of an apparent heart condition. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M., Monday, October 5, 2009, at St. John Catholic Church in Arcadia. The Celebrant will be Father Joe Dillinger. Lector will be Randy Behrens. Gift Bearers will be grandchildren, Tasha Bothun, Dr. Kate Pedersen, Jessica Vonnahme, Rob Pedersen, Erica Vonnahme, Kayleigh Vonnahme, Alyssa Guthrie, and Corinna DeLost. Mass Servers will be Ashley and Kelsey Blum. Eucharistic Ministers will be Deborah Pedersen, Mary Daniel, and Rosie Obman. Casket Bearers will be Bill Vonnahme, Ernie DeLost, John Guthrie, Rob Pedersen, Scott Bothun, and Doug Schuette. Graveside Services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Monday at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Mt. Carmel with military honors conducted by the Breda American Legion. Officiating at the graveside will be Father Timothy Johnson, Pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Carroll. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3 P.M. Sunday. A rosary will be prayed at 4 P.M. Sunday. There will be a Christian wake service at 6 P.M. Sunday by St. John Parish. Mr. Vonnahme was born on July 4, 1926, at Mt. Carmel, Iowa, the son of Henry and Sophie (Odendahl) Vonnahme. He attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School. He entered the U.S. Army in April 1945 and served during World War II with the 13th Engineering Combat Battalion in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and was honorably discharged in January 1947 at the rank of Staff Sergeant. On September 6, 1949, he was married to Rita Behrens at Holy Angels Church in Roselle. The couple farmed in the Maple River and Mt. Carmel communities until 1957 when they moved to their farm northeast of Arcadia. He was a member of St. John Parish, Breda American Legion, and traveled on the World War II Veterans Honor Flight to Washington D.C. on August 11, 2009, to see the World War II Memorial. Erwin dearly loved his family, especially his grandchildren, and enjoyed gardening, playing cards, fishing, hunting, playing baseball for the Mt. Carmel baseball team, and Chicago Cubs baseball. Survivors include his wife, Rita Vonnahme of Arcadia; his children, Dr. Robert Vonnahme and his wife Janice of Manning, Deborah Pedersen and her husband Robert of Dunlap, Illinois, John Vonnahme and his wife Kathy of Adel, Jane Guthrie and her husband John of San Ramon, Calif., and Connie DeLost and her husband Ernie of San Diego, Calif.; a daughter-in-law, Judy Vonnahme of Des Moines; eight grandchildren; one great grandchild; a sister, Teresa Kasparbauer of Templeton; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Celie Vonnahme of Carroll, Delores Vonnahme of Mt. Carmel, Caroline Vonnahme of Arcadia, Florine Eich of Carroll, Dorothy Behrens of Carroll, Donald and Arlene Behrens of Carroll, James and Margaret Behrens of Carroll, and Virgene Behrens of Carroll. He was preceded in death by his son, Daniel Vonnahme; his parents; brothers, Carl, Fred, Clarence, Ferdinand, and Raymond Vonnahme; and sisters, Margaret Wieland, Gertrude Wieland, and Rita Nepple.

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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Dr. Bob, Janice, and all of the Vonnahme family, You have my deepest sympathy. Please find comfort in all of your memories. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Jackie Hagedorn – October 04 2009 at 5:19 PM

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My sympathy to the Rita and the Vonnahme family. You are in the thoughts and prayers of many! Kathy Singsank

Kathy Singsank – October 02 2009 at 1:15 PM

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