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.

Madonna Lenz, 87 of Carroll, died Friday, July 3, 2015 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott assisted by Deacons, Pat Lenz and David Klein. Music will be by Kate Cuddy and the St. Lawrence Choir with Steve Schuler as cantor. Lector for the funeral mass will be Kelly Lenz. Gift Bearers will be: Emily Modrow, Kate Modrow, and Grace Schuler. Eucharistic Minister will be Shirley Molitor. Casket Bearers will be: Sara Schuler, Steve Schuler, Kelsey Sikkema, Ryan Sikkema, Lisa Modrow, Peter Modrow, Eric Lenz and Cathy Lenz. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.

Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4:30 p.m. on Monday where there will be a rosary at 5 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m. The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church at 9 a.m. on Tuesday where visitation will resume until time of the funeral mass.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Madonna’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Kuemper Catholic Schools Foundation, St. Anthony Regional Hospital Foundation or St. Lawrence Parish.

Daughter of Carl and Edith (Rosman) Assmann, she was born December 22, 1927, at Earling, Iowa. She attended and graduated in 1945 from St. Joseph’s Catholic Schools in Dunlap, Iowa and worked at The Carroll Daily Times Herald.

On January 7, 1948, she married Louis J. Lenz at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Carroll, Iowa. Louis & Madonna purchased the Brinker family farm near Mt. Carmel in 1948, before moving to Carroll in 1968. Louis worked at St. Anthony Hospital and passed away in August 1984. After 20 years as a farm wife, Madonna started her career at Carroll County State Bank, and after 26 years of service, she retired in 1995.

Madonna married Joseph Ferden April 1987 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church. Joe passed away in December 2001.

She was an active member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church and Ladies Guild and enjoyed volunteering for several Carroll County organizations. Madonna enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing, dancing, rose gardening, puzzles and playing cards. She loved Christmas and was an avid collector of ornaments. In her later years, she took up quilting and enjoyed the thrill of gambling, as well as traveling to visit her children and their families.

Survivors include the following children: Kenny (Kathy Lane) Lenz of Bloomington IL; Keith (Kathy) Lenz of The Colony TX; Kelly (Mary) Lenz of Topeka KS; Karen (Randy) Zubrod of Templeton; and Kaylene (Lance Peterman) Barnes of Norwalk; her grandchildren: Lisa (Peter) Modrow of Davidson NC; Eric (Cathy) Lenz of Celina TX; Sara (Steve) Schuler of Clive; Kelsey (Ryan) Sikkema of Marion; and step-granddaughter, Dede (Raymond) Clark of Showlow AZ; her great-grandchildren : Emily & Kate Modrow; Sophia, Jack and Isabella Lenz; Grace Schuler; and step-great grandchildren Michelle and Dillon Clark; her siblings: sister: Elizabeth “Betty” (Neil) Klein of Omaha; two brothers: Albert (Eunice) Ausman of Lidderdale and John (Jean) Assmann of Earling; sisters-in-law: Mary Ausman of Carroll, and Doris Ausman of LaPalma CA, and a brother-in law: Alfred (Helen) Nielsen of Johnston.

Madonna is also survived by four half brothers-in-law: Dean (Joyce) Lenz of Holiday Springs AR; Maurice (Eileen) Lenz of Decorah; Ray (Carol) Lenz of Carroll; and Merle (Mary Rose) Lenz of Rochester MN; one half sisters-in-law: Phyllis (Arnold) Wiskus of Dedham.

Mrs. Lenz was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; brothers, James Ausman and Francis Ausman, and a sister, Linda Nielsen.

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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John and Jean: Sorry to hear of loss of your sister. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Jerry Boger – July 05 2015 at 2:33 PM

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Mary & Kelly - so sorry to hear of Madonna's sudden passing. My thoughts are with you and your family. Frank Wright

Frank Wright – July 06 2015 at 8:57 AM

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Karen, So sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. Shannon

Shannon Reising – July 06 2015 at 9:48 AM

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Very sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. Thoughts and prayers to everyone. Cheryl

cheryl lenz – July 06 2015 at 10:49 PM

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Dear Keith, Kathy, Lisa, Peter, Eric, Cathy & family - We are so sorry to hear of Madonna's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with your beautiful family. Love & hugs, Paul, Amy, Mike, Beth, Chad & Shelley

Amy – July 07 2015 at 9:05 AM

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