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.

Paul Henry Oswald, 92, of Carroll, died, Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at the Hawkeye Care Center in Carroll.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, January 14, 2017 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Craig Collison. Music will be by Kate Cuddy and the St. Lawrence Choir. Lector for the funeral mass will be Bev Vonnahme. Gift Bearers will be Paul’s children. Eucharistic Minister will be Florence Oswald. Casket Bearers will be: Clifford Neumayer, Tim Vogl, Ed Vogl, Tony Vogl, Pat Soyer and Mike Reicks. The Carroll 4th Degree Knights of Columbus will form an honor guard for the funeral mass. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Breda American Legion.

Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4 p.m. on Friday where there will be a rosary at 4:30 p.m. by the Carroll 4th Degree Knights of Columbus followed by a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m. by St. Lawrence Parish.

The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church on Saturday morning where visitation will resume at 9 a.m. and continue until time of the funeral mass. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for St. Lawrence Parish.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Paul’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.

Born on April 4, 1924 at Willey, Iowa, Paul was a son of Peter and Teresa (Goecke) Oswald. Paul grew up on farms near Willey and Mt. Carmel, attended school in Mt. Carmel and Arcadia and graduated from Arcadia High School in 1942. He entered service in 1945 and served until 1947.

On June 21, 1950, Paul married Darlene Neumayer at St. Bernard’s Church in Breda, Iowa. The couple made their home in Breda, Wall Lake and Carroll. Paul worked as a mechanic at several garages including Mt. Carmel, Breda, Wall Lake and Carroll. He worked as a mechanic, loader and eventually delivery driver for Old Home Bakery in Carroll. In his retirement he worked at the Carroll Golf Course. He was well known as a beautiful rosary maker. He made hundreds of rosaries, many from the roses from funeral memorial flower arrangements. He was a member of the Carroll 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, Breda American Legion and St. Lawrence Church.

Paul is survived by his children, Danny Oswald of Carroll, Daryl (Joan) Oswald of South River, NJ, Donald (Nancy) Oswald of Omaha, NE, Deanne (David) Caulfield of Bellevue, NE, and David Oswald of Carroll; his granddaughter, Taylor Caulfield of Bellevue, NE; his brothers: Leon (Florence) Oswald of Carroll, William Oswald of Kyle, TX, Arthur (Virginia) Oswald of North Platte, NE; his sisters, Lola Heim of Sioux Falls, SD, Gladys Nieland of Breda, and Marge (Robert) Tigges of Carroll; his sister-in-law, Betty Oswald of North Palm Beach, FL; his stepbrother-in-law: Duane (Betty) Ludwig of Sioux Rapids, IA; his stepsisters-in-law, Norma Jean Ludwig of Vail, Mary Ludwig of Breda and Edna Ludwig of Carroll; as well as many nieces, nephews, other extended family and many friends.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Darlene Oswald: his parents: Peter and Teresa (Goecke) Oswald; his parents-in-law, Tony and Mary Neumayer; his stepfather-in-law Tony Ludwig; his children: Joseph, Dennis, Mary, Elizabeth and Jerry; his sisters: Rita (Ray) Reicks, Maizie (Albert) Soyer, Dorothy (Ed) Vogl; his brothers: Charles Oswald and Louis Oswald; his brothers-in-law: Cletus Heim, and Norman Nieland; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law: Virgil (Betty) Neumayer; and his stepbrothers-in-law: Romaine Ludwig, Norman Ludwig and Orville Ludwig.

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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Tribute Wall

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My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family.

Eric Lampman – January 11 2017 at 6:48 PM

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We are very sorry for the Oswald family, losing both Darlene and Paul so close to one another, we know that Paul passed from a broken heart after losing Darlene, our heart and prayers go to the entire family for their loss. Jack and Theresa Falk

Jack and Theresa Falk – January 12 2017 at 3:34 PM

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I just wanted to take a moment to thank Paul for the way he accepted me and my family into his. Both he and Darlene welcomed me with open arms, hugs ans kisses. They both had open hearts filled with love. I am so proud to have had a chance to experience their love. They will forever remain within my heart. God Bless and together remain in Gods love. Joan Ventura

Joan Ventura – January 12 2017 at 4:17 PM

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Our deepest sympathy to Dan, Darrell Don, Deanne and Dave.. Just can't believe that Uncle Paul is in heaven with Darlene already. I guess they never were too far apart.. Thanks Paul for being such a good friend to mom & dad and may you rest in peace. We won't be able to make the services but will be thinking and praying for your family through this difficult time. Lots of Love

Bruce & Mae Vonnahme – January 12 2017 at 6:31 PM

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Dan, I want to express my sympathy again to you and your family. Your mom and dad are with each other again. May they both rest in peace. Your dad and all of you will be in my thoughts and prayers. Fr. Merlin

Fr.Merlin – January 13 2017 at 11:33 AM

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