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.

Jeanette Venner, age 86, of Carroll, died Friday, April 3, 2015 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 9, 2015, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Johnson. Music will be by Barb McDermott, and the Holy Spirit Choir. Lector will be Peg Scheidt. Eucharistic Ministers will be Roberta Tigges, Jan Coon, and Dorothy Bellinghausen. Honorary Casket Bearers will be Debra Thielen, Debra Tranel, and Judith Halbur. Casket Bearers will be Christopher Killion, Brian Webber, Robert Bender, Peter Nadeau, Leroy Schlichte, and Larry Muhlbauer. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, at St. Augustine Cemetery in Halbur. The Carroll Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and the St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary will form an honor guard for the funeral mass.

Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, where there will be a Catholic Daughters of the Americas Rosary at 5 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m.

The casket will be moved to Holy Spirit Church at 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning where visitation will resume until the time of the funeral mass.

Memorials may be left at the funeral home or at the church to be directed to the Kuemper Catholic Schools Foundation.

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

Born on February 23, 1929 at Carroll, Iowa, Jeanette was the daughter of Philip and Catherine (Eischeid) Dentlinger. She grew up near the Halbur community, where she attended St. Augustine School, and later attended St. Angela’s Academy in Carroll. On May 26, 1948 Jeanette was united in marriage to Edward Venner at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Halbur. The couple made their home northeast of Manning, where both Edward and Jeanette were active in the farming operation. In addition to farming, Jeanette was a dedicated homemaker, and accomplished artist with oils and porcelain.

Jeanette enjoyed world travel with her family and friends. She traveled many times to the east coast to visit her daughters, and grandchildren. She also enjoyed landscaping, and her many flowers. Jeanettte was a member of the St. Augustine Altar Guild, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary, the Manning General Hospital and Plaza Auxiliary, and Holy Spirit Parish.

Left to celebrate Jeanette’s life are her children: Barbara Nadeau, husband Peter of Brunswick, Maine, and Sandra Venner, husband Robert Bender of Merrimac, Massachusetts; grandchildren: Christopher Killion, wife Colleen Nadeau of Bowdoin, Maine, and Deana Webber, husband Brian of Augusta, Maine; 3 great-grandchildren: Willa Ruth Killion, Hanna Jean Killion, and Michaela Ann Webber; her brother: Jim (Rita) Dentlinger of Glidden; her brother-in-law, and sisters-in-law: Cyril (Anita) Venner of Arcadia, Elaine Dentlinger of Carroll, and Dorothy Bellinghausen of Maple River.

Jeanette was preceded in death by her parents, husband Edward in 2003, and her siblings: Angie Riesberg, Agatha Fischer, Jerome Dentlinger, and Gladys Halbur.

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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My thoughts and prayers are with the Venner family. I will always treasure the summer days spent at the golf course with mom and Jeanette. The only time a dog was allowed in our house was when Jeanette convinced my parents to dog sit Dusty. I also have to laugh at the evenings spent watching Jeanette and mom fry the rocky mountain oysters while Ed and dad watched and enjoyed some whiskey and water. Amy Muhlbauer Borkowski

Amy Muhlbauer Borkowski – April 05 2015 at 10:22 AM

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Our thoughts and prayers for the Venner family. Always enjoyed the visits we had with relatives from the Carroll area. Always had good times with the relatives from there and with with cousins from Algona. She always had a great smile and a joy to talk to.

George and Janis Bierstedt – April 05 2015 at 7:55 PM

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My deepest condolences to the family of Janette Venner. May you find comfort in your loving memories and in God's promise to soon "swallow up Death forever " and wipe away the tears from all faces " (Isaiah 25 : 8 ). While grief at the loss of Jeannette is great, joy at welcoming her back in the earthly resurrection will be greater. (Mark 5:42).

Teri Morgan – April 10 2015 at 1:20 PM

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I always enjoyed stopping at Aunt Jeanette's house when visiting from Idaho. If it was in the summer time, she always had such beautiful flowers and plants growing around her house. I also have a lot of fond memories visiting her and Ed when they lived on the farm. Ed would have me doing some farming for him with his John Deere's. With her and Gladys both gone now, it's going to be a little sad coming over to the Halbur area. I loved to visit both of them when ever I could. God Bless them both and also the families the left behind. Dennis and Elaine Fischer - Boise Idaho.

Dennis & Elaine Fischer – April 08 2015 at 4:03 PM

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Blooming Garden Basket was purchased for the family of Jeanette Venner.

Comment #15209921 – April 06 2015 at 12:13 PM

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