Richard “Jim” Gramowski

09/03/1930 –

12/24/2008

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.

Richard “Jim” Gramowski, age 78, of Carroll, Iowa, died Wednesday, December 24, 2008, at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 P.M., Saturday, December 27, 2008, at St. Lawrence Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Father Timothy Schott. Lector will be Greg Odendahl. Gift Bearers will be Megan Gramowski, Daniel Gramowski, Peyton Gramowski, Paige Gramowski, Morgan Gramowski, Melissa Odendahl, Jessica Odendahl, and Cassondra Selonke. Mass Servers will be Liz Yawarsky, Alyson Forbes, and Jake Gute. Eucharistic Ministers will be Ed Murphy, Marilyn Foley, and Arlene Dalhoff. Casket Bearers will be Dean Gramowski, Bruce Gramowski, Dale Gramowski, Corey Gramowski, Greg Odendahl, David Selonke, and Jerry Blum. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion. 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 by the Carroll Knights of Columbus. There will be a Christian wake service at 7:30 P.M. Friday by St. Lawrence Parish. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or church for St. Lawrence Parish or the Kuemper Catholic Schools Foundation. Mr. Gramowski was born on September 3, 1930, at St. Joseph, Missouri, the son of Anthony and Louise (Ciepolowski) Gramowski. At a young age his family moved to Wisconsin where he graduated from Menasha High School in 1948. He entered the U.S. Air Force in October 1948 and was honorably discharged in August 1952. He then served in the Air Force Reserve and Army Reserve until 1977. On June 30, 1951, he was married to Arlene Wyman at Offut Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, with Father Stanley Powers officiating. Following military service he received a Bachelor’s Degree from Iowa State University and did post graduate work at Illinois State University and Drake University. He was employed by Swift and Company, Honegger Farms in Forrest, Illinois, and FS Services, moving to Carroll in 1974. Since living in Carroll he was employed as Carroll County Sanitarian, was a rural mail carrier, taught vocational agriculture at DMACC, and as a side line operated the Lidderdale Tavern from 1975 to 1977. He was a member of St. Lawrence Parish, Iowa State University Alumni Association, Carroll V.F.W., and Carroll American Legion serving as Post Commander in 1961 and 1963. Mr. Gramowsi enjoyed his family, woodworking, fishing, cooking, the Green Bay Packers, and the Chicago Cubs. Survivors include his children, Dean Gramowski and his wife Deb of Glidden, Brian Gramowski of Champagne, Illinois, Diane Odendahl and her husband John of Carroll, Bruce Gramowski of Carlisle, and Dale Gramowski and his wife Renee of Boone; eleven grandchildren; four great grandchildren; a sister, Marie Sparhawk of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc.; and sister and brother-in-law, Irene and Louis Boxrz of Seattle, Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Arlene Gramowski, in March 2005; a sister, Frances Stanke; and a brother, Dr. Walter Gramowski.

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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