Felicitas A. Polking

07/10/1918 –

04/21/2010

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.

Felicitas Polking, age 91, of Breda, Iowa, died Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Carroll Health Center Nursing Home in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 A.M., Saturday, April 24, 2010, at St. Bernard Church in Breda. The Celebrant will be Father Joe Dillinger. Lector will be Clare Polking. Gift Bearers will be Mrs. Polking’s children, Dr. Gary Polking, Patricia Hogan, and Jan Miller. Eucharistic Ministers will be Ruth Feldmann and Roger and Sue Dentlinger. Honorary Pallbearer will be Kathryn Polking. Casket Bearers will be Ryan Hogan, Jerod Hogan, Colin Hogan, Mark Polking, Mike Wolterman, and Doug Polking. Burial will be at St. Bernard Cemetery in Breda.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Breda after 3:30 P.M. Friday. A rosary will be prayed at 4 P.M. Friday by St. Bernard Ladies Guild. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Friday by St. Bernard Parish.
Felicitas was born on July 10, 1918, at Breda, Iowa, the daughter of Joseph and Rose (Scheirholtz) Knobbe. She spent her lifetime in the Breda community and graduated from St. Bernard High School. She then attended the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls and graduated with a Teachers Certificate. On September 12, 1946, she was married to Marcellus J. Polking at St. Bernard Church in Breda. The couple farmed west of Breda until 1982 when they moved to their home in Breda. Felicitas taught elementary school at St. Bernard School in Breda for twenty-five years retiring in 1989. She was a member of St. Bernard Parish, Parish Ladies Guild, St. Bernard Choir, charter member of the National Catholic Society of Foresters, and the Breda American Legion Auxiliary. Felicitas enjoyed her family, traveling, reading, playing cards, quilting, sewing, porcelain painting, and having her one cold beer a day.
Survivors include her children, Dr. Gary Polking D.D.S. and wife Clare of Boone, Patricia Hogan and husband David of Waukee, and Jan Miller and husband Randy of Sioux City; grandchildren, Ryan Hogan, Jerod Hogan, Colin Hogan, Kathryn Polking, and Mark Polking; a brother, Mark Knobbe and wife Mae of Carroll; her sisters, Mary Ann McGillicudy of Silver Springs, Maryland, Joan Heiman of Jefferson, Lucy Wolterman of Jefferson, Barbara McCabe of New Hampton, Ruth Feldmann and husband Tom of Jefferson, and Karen Eason and husband Frank of Morton, Illinois; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Edna Knobbe of Rose Creek, Minn., Irma Knobbe of Carroll, Virginia Knobbe of Templeton, and Larry Tompkins of Burke, Virginia.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marcellus Polking in 1987; her parents; three daughters and one son in infancy; a sister, Rita Tompkins; and brothers, Linus, Mello, and Raphael Knobbe.

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

The world has lost a very special person. Mrs. Polking was adored by many students over the year. She had my mother for 5th grade and I had her for 6th grade. She was always a joy. Shannon

Shannon (Nees) Reising – April 29 2010 at 4:52 PM

Pat, Gary and Jan, I want to extend to you my prayers and support at yours and our great loss. Felicy was a truly remarkable Mom, Person and Teacher. She was a loving and warm person who had a great sense of humor. I remember with loving memory the days years ago when we all would gather at Grandmother Rose Knobbe's Home in Breda. And the one person who stood out loud and clear was Felicy! She was truly the Matriarch of the Knobbe clan; she was the GLUE that kept the love- bond strong between the siblings in the Knobbe family. Her heart was immense in her love for others. She will be greatly missed. I was touched today by your comments Pat. Thank you for those. I was moved to tears at the sound of the amazing tenor at the end of the funeral today. It was as though Felicy was singing her Spirit for all of us. Everything stopped. People were moved. It was at that very moment that a flood of beautiful memories of your and OUR Mom came flooding through my heart. Thank you for sharing her life with us. She was also another Remarkable Woman! May she rest in peace. I am sure she is up there singing "Schnitzelbank" with Linus, my Dad, with Raphael, Rita and Mello. Yes, she was special. I am blessed to have known her. She enriched my life. Peace and Love! Ron Knobbe

Ron Knobbe – April 24 2010 at 7:35 PM

Jan: I'm sorry to hear of the passing of your mother. Shirley and I will keep you, Randy and the rest of your family in our thoughts and prayers.

Rick Larson – April 23 2010 at 2:49 PM

Pat, Gary and Jan, I send you my thoughts and prayers during this time. I am sure it is very overwhelming and difficult for all of you. Your mom was a fun and kind lady. I remember when we were little and how nice she was when we came from MN to spend time with our cousins. I will always remember her laugh and then how she would stop and ask questions about what ever we were laughing about. The picture you have of her is beautiful and such a nice written memorial. I cannot get away to come. I wish I were closer instead of the 8 hrs. away. I will drink one cold beer and say a prayer for all of you. I wish you peace Felicy, and I wish your children comfort. Kathy Schammel

Kathy Schammel – April 22 2010 at 7:55 PM

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