Lorraine “Penny” Sporrer

07/09/1929 –

06/17/2009

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.

Lorraine “Penny” Sporrer, age 79, of Carroll, Iowa, died Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at her residence of an apparent heart condition. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, June 20, 2009, at St. Lawrence Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Father Timothy Schott. Lectors will be grandchildren, Mindy Bennett, Nichole Anderson, and Jason Brinker. Gift Bearers will be granddaughters, Dawn Epperson, Mindy Bennett, Nichole Anderson, Carrie Wittrock, and Kelsey Knorr. Mass Server will be Cassie Sporrer. Soloist will be Kelsey Knorr. Eucharistic Ministers will be Robyn Brinker, Shirley Molitor, and Marilyn Foley. Honorary Pallbearers will be Linda Prince, Wanda Lehrkamp, LaVonne Peterson, Delane Cleveland, Julie Sibbel, Pam and Ron Schiltz, and Dottie Dalton. Casket Bearers will be grandsons, Chris Heim, Scott Snyder, Robert Sporrer, Tyson Brinker, Jason Brinker, and Todd Snyder. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 P.M. Friday. A rosary will be prayed at 4 P.M. Friday. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Friday by St. Lawrence Parish. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or church for St. Anthony Nursing Home. Mrs. Sporrer was born on July 9, 1929, at Aberdeen, Maryland, the daughter of Hugh and Florence (Sanner) LaPenotiere. She spent her early years and received her formal education in Maryland. On June 20, 1946, she was married to Don Sporrer at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen, Maryland. The couple made their home in Carroll where she was a homemaker and helped with the family business. From 1986 until her retirement in 2006 Mrs. Sporrer was employed at St. Anthony Nursing Home as the Activity Aid for the nursing home and adult day care. She was a member of St. Lawrence Parish and Parish Ladies Guild. Mrs. Sporrer enjoyed her family, knitting, word search books, reading, playing cards, and jig saw puzzles. Survivors include her children, Sherry Caventer and her husband Fred of Lidderdale, Tom Sporrer and his wife Joan of Council Bluffs, Karen Heim and her husband Ed of Carroll, and Robyn Brinker and her husband Mike of Carroll; eleven grandchildren, Scott Snyder and his wife Shelly, Dawn Epperson and her husband Scott, Todd Snyder and his wife Shirley, Robert Sporrer and his wife Michelle, Mindy Bennett, Nichole Anderson and her husband Curtis, Chris Heim and his wife Heidi, Carrie Wittrock and her husband Chad, Kelsey Knorr and her husband Ryan, Tyson Brinker, and Jason Brinker; twenty great grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, Deb Close and her husband Rick and Pam Serafyn; four step great grandchildren; a sister, Rosemary Woodland of Baltimore, Maryland; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Earl McIntyre of Churchville, Maryland, Duane and Vera Sporrer of Carroll, and Larry Sporrer of Carroll. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don Sporrer, in February 1985; her parents; a grandson, Stephen Snyder; sister, Joan McIntyre; and her father and mother-in-law, William and Elsie Sporrer.

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

Grandma Penny was an amazing woman and I will remember her always. She helped me to feel very welcome and like one of the family. My love, sympathy and prayers go out to all those who loved her. xoxo

Deb Caventer Close – June 21 2009 at 10:37 PM

I wish more than anything that I could be with you the way you were with us when our parents died. Your family has a place in our hearts that cannot be described and we are broken hearted over Penny's passing. We know your hearts are full of memories and remembered laughter and the stories that were shared. And also with the emptiness of loss. Our love and prayers are with you all in the days ahead as you try to figure out life without Penny. With our love, Greg and Sandy

Sandy & Greg Winchester – June 21 2009 at 7:45 PM

Wish Me and the boys could of been there. We will all miss grandma alot!!!! She is definately a one of a kind!!!! Love Always Shelly

scott,shelly, chris, steven snyder – June 20 2009 at 3:05 PM

Sherry,Karen,and Tom,and all the Grandchildren. Sorry to hear about your Mother & Grandmother. She put up a good fight the last years to be with you all !! Remember all the good times with her, for Mothers are special people. Thinking of all of you ! Love to you, Ruth

Ruth(Sporrer) Julich – June 18 2009 at 5:09 PM

Obituaries