Melvin C. Schaefer

09/02/1926 –

03/05/2010

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.

Melvin Schaefer, age 83, of Carroll, Iowa, died Friday, March 5, 2010, at his residence in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 A.M., Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at St. Lawrence Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Father Timothy Schott. Lector will be Laura Schaefer. Gift Bearers will be Ron and Luann Cue. Mass Servers will be Jake Schaefer, Grant Sanders, and Issack Anderson. Eucharistic Ministers will be Ron and Luann Cue, and Marilyn Foley. Honorary Pallbearers will be Melvin’s grandchildren. Casket Bearers will be grandsons, Nick Schaefer, Jeremy Schaefer, Kenny Schaefer, Scott Schaefer, Corey Wieland, and Justin Weeks. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll. Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 P.M. Monday. A rosary will be prayed at 4 P.M. Monday. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Monday by St. Lawrence Parish. Mr. Schaefer was born on September 2, 1926, at Dunlap, Iowa, the son of Cletus and Elizabeth (Feuerbach) Schaefer. He spent his younger years in the Dunlap community and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1943. On May 22, 1946, he was married to Leone Berg in Omaha, Nebraska. The couple farmed in the Dunlap and Danbury area until 1958 when they moved to Carroll. He was employed by the Carroll Compound Company and by Roger “Chico” Kanne for many years. In 1978 he started his mechanic shop “Mel’s Repair” and operated the business until his retirement in 1988. In retirement Melvin helped his son-in-law and daughter on their farm and from 1996 until 2008 was employed part time by the Parks Department of the City of Carroll. He was a member of St. Lawrence Parish. Melvin enjoyed his family, farming, gardening, fishing, and cooking. Survivors include his wife, Leone Schaefer of Carroll; his children, Sandy Lawson of Council Bluffs, Mel Schaefer, Jr. and wife Debbie of Omaha, Nebr., Rick Schaefer and wife Sue of Carroll, Dan Schaefer and wife Linda of Carroll, Kathy Schaefer of Carroll, Pat Peters and husband Don of Carroll, and Linda Weeks and husband Russ of Manilla; 22 grandchildren; 35 great grandchildren; his sisters, Betty Thompson of Wilcox, Ariz., Sharon Greer of Dateland, Ariz., Ruth Wagoner and husband Bob of Conway, Arkansas, Shirley Krajicek and husband Raymond of Dunlap, Dorothy Bartz and husband Fred of Menomonie, Wisc., and Delores Hartwig and husband Ron of Logan; brothers, Jerry Schaefer of Denver, Colo., and Vincent “Butch” Schaefer of Three Forks, Montana; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Elliot “Buster” and Iola Berg of San Antonio, Texas, and Esther Berg of Appleton, Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Roland Schaefer, in infancy; his son-in-law, Leonard Wieland; and parents-in-law, Hilmer and Gunda Berg.

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.

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