Lucy Kirsch, age 84, of Omaha and formerly of Manilla died Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy in Omaha, Nebraska.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated 1:30 p.m. Friday, January 26, 2024, at Holy Spirit Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. The celebrant will be Fr. Craig Collison. Music will be provided by Kathy Halbur with Kathleen Macke as cantor. Lector will be Brian Mackey. Gift Bearers will be Harley Kirsch and Mia Kirsch. Casket Bearers will be Andrew Nellesen, Charles Kirsch, Curt Kirsch, Michael Klocke, Kevin Kirsch, and Brian Drees. Burial will be in Holy Angels Cemetery in Roselle.
Visitation will be held from 5-7p.m. Thursday at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll. A rosary will be prayed at 6:45 p.m. Additional visitation will be held from 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Friday at the church.
Those wishing to send a memorial gift may have it delivered for the visitation to Holy Spirit Church, 421 E. Bluff Street, Carroll, IA 51401
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Lucy’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Lucy Kirsch was born to Joseph P. and Anna G. (Pierick) Meinhardt on July 24, 1939, in Carroll, Iowa. Following graduation from Kuemper High School, Lucy attended AIB in Des Moines, and then she went to work at Carroll County State Bank. Lucy married Art Kirsch on February 4, 1961, and four children were born into this union.
They settled down in Coon Rapids until 1971 when they moved to a farm southeast of Manilla. They made Manilla their home for many years. She helped on the farm, at the local grocery store and eventually as the Manilla High School secretary. After the youngest child graduated, they commuted from Manilla to Omaha every day where they each worked. They finally made Omaha their home. Lucy worked for National Indemnity until retiring in 2020 at the age of 80.
Family and her faith were the two most important things in the world to her. She really looked forward to the seminarians that would visit her each year and those who brought her communion when she wasn’t able to go to mass. Lucy said the rosary and watched mass on t.v. on a daily basis. She was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She loved her Dairy Queen outings with the neighbors and former coworkers, but when the grandkids or great-grandkids stopped by, there was no greater joy for her than to see them.
Lucy is survived by her four children: Ramona Kirsch of Urbandale, Daryl Kirsch of Omaha, Annette (Tim) Goeser of Norwalk, and Joe (Sarah) Kirsch of Springhill, TN. Five grandchildren, Jessica (Ken) Karwoski of Ankeny, Jacob (Whitney) Goeser of Auburn, IN, Cody Goeser of Norwalk, Harley Kirsch of Springhill, TN, and Mia Kirsch of Clarksville, TN. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren Allie Karwoski, Kori Karwoski, Luka Goeser and Jace Goeser. Also surviving are the following brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Andrew Kirsch, Jr, Lloyd Drees, Duane and Betty Kirsch, Virgil and Peggy Kirsch, Monica and Norm Nellesen, and Marife Meinhardt, along with many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Kirsch, her parents, brother Nicholas Meinhardt, five siblings in infancy, parents-in-law Andrew and Leona Kirsch, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Janice and LeRoy Klocke, Mary Ann Kirsch, Joe and Shirley Kirsch, Mercedes Drees, Diana Pletchette Ludwig, Dean Ludwig, and Ron Pletchette.
