Lavina “Tootie” C. Willenborg

03/09/1932 –

12/04/2011

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.

Lavina Willenborg, 79 of Carroll, died Sunday, December 4, 2011 at the Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., Friday, December 9, 2011 at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Johnson. Music will be by Barb McDermott and the Holy Spirit Choir. Lector for the funeral mass will be Patty Alley. Gift Bearers will be: Sara Westphal, David Westphal, and Sarah Weitl. Eucharistic Ministers will be: LaVerne Greving, Marilyn Dopheide, and Julie Willenborg. Casket Bearers will be: Scott Weitl, Travis Westphal, Dan Owen, Jim Dopheide, Denny Willenborg, and Dick Tunning. The Carroll Catholic Daughters of Americas will form an honor guard for the funeral mass. Burial will be at Holy Angels Cemetery in Roselle.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 p.m. Thursday where there will be a rosary at 4 p.m. by the Carroll Catholic Daughters of Americas and a Christian Wake Service by Holy Spirit Parish at 7 p.m. The casket will be moved to Holy Spirit Church at 8:30 a.m., Friday where visitation will resume until time of the funeral mass.
Online condolences may be left for Lavina’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on March 9, 1932 at Dedham, Iowa, Lavina was the daughter of Theodore and Anna (Bekehermes) Tunning. She grew up in Dedham and attended St. Joseph’s School. On January 16, 1951 she married Paul Willenborg at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dedham. Lavina was a homemaker and helped her husband with the grain and livestock operation in the Dedham and Roselle area. In 1991, she moved to Carroll where she was currently living. Tootie enjoyed quilting, camping, cooking, playing cards and golfing. She had a great love for her entire family and especially enjoyed babysitting her grandchildren and her great-grandson. Lavina was a member of Holy Spirit Parish, Parish Ladies Guild, and the Carroll Catholic Daughters of Americas.
Survivors include two daughters: Karen Willenborg of Ankeny, and Jan Weitl and her husband Mike of Carroll; two grandchildren: Sara (Travis) Westphal of Prairie City, and Scott (Sarah) Weitl of Carroll; one great-grandson, David Westphal; one sister, Leona (Edwin) Dopheide of Carroll; one brother-in-law, Ed (Marlene) Willenborg of Carroll; as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Paul in 1988; her son in infancy, Teddy Willenborg; her sisters, Alma Sporrer, and Leona and Dorothy Tunning in infancy; and her brother, Norbert “Nub” Tunning.

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

Tootie was a wonderful person full of life and will be missed! I remember the family get togethers at her house on the farm. We had fun running up and down the stairs playing. I will cherish all the stories I have heard especially the one where Bobby J squirted Tootie when she was changing his diaper. You are all in our prayers.

Teresa and Bob Goodson and family – December 08 2011 at 12:28 PM

Deepest sympathies to the family, especially Mike, Karen, Jan, and Leona. Love, Bonnie (Dopheide) & Luis Melbourne, Australia

Bonnie Dopheide – December 07 2011 at 10:47 PM

Keeping your family in our thoughts and prayers. We were very sorry to hear of your loss. Tootie will be missed by all of us.

Charlotte, Travis, Teresa & Bob Goodson & family – December 07 2011 at 10:19 PM

We wish we could be there to celebrate Tootie's life! Please know we are thinking of the entire family and remembering what a great woman she was. We enjoyed having her attend the many ISU vs. Iowa tailgates and playing cards. My favorite memory is when the boys always called her Lavina and smoothered her in kisses. She both loved and hated it at the same time. She was a great person and will be dearly missed. God needed another angel to watch over all of us. :)

Shelly Greving – December 07 2011 at 10:54 AM

Jan & family, you all are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Cathy Lawyer – December 06 2011 at 8:23 PM

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