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.

Shirley Mary (Winker) Leiting of Carroll, formerly of Westside, died July 10th at her son, Dan’s home in Carroll, after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. John Catholic Church in Arcadia on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. The Celebrant will be Fr. Terry Roder. Music will be provided by Sharon Bierl and the St John Choir. Lectors for the Funeral Mass will be Shirley’s granddaughters. Gift bearers will be Shirley’s grandchildren. Eucharistic Minister will be Dan Leiting. Casket Bearers will be Shirley’s grandsons. Burial will be at St. John Cemetery in Arcadia following the Mass with lunch to follow at The Sharp Center in Carroll.
Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Monday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a rosary at 7 p.m. Funeral arrangements were under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home and online condolences may be left for the Leiting family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on January 6, 1938 in Carroll, Iowa, Shirley was the daughter of Lawrence and Regina (Booth) Winker. She grew up with her 5 sisters and 2 brothers on an acreage just outside of Arcadia, Iowa and attended St. John Catholic Grade School. She subsequently worked as housekeeper to Father Cletus Ahmann for 3 years. On February 8, 1958, she was united in marriage to Ronald Anthony Leiting at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. They raised their family of 7 children on their farm south of Westside. Her hobbies included ceramics, painting, crocheting, and decorating. Shirley was an active member of St. John’s Parish in Arcadia and the Christian Mother’s Sodality. In 2016, she and Ron moved to Carroll to the home of their son Dan, who provided their care with the aid of Carroll Area Nursing, Gentiva Hospice, and St. Croix Hospice. Ron passed away peacefully on December 29, 2020. After many years of gradual decline due to Parkinson’s Disease, Shirley passed away peacefully on July 10, 2023.
Survivors include her children: Debra (James) Ervin of Springfield, Nebraska; Dale (Becky) Leiting of Plymouth, Michigan; Dr. Fay (Dr. Rob) Coleman of Spring, Texas; Nancy (Alan) Feinstein of Broomfield, Colorado; Lon (Heather) Leiting of Carroll; Terry (Tricia) Leiting of Crete, Nebraska; and Dan Leiting of Carroll.
Her grandchildren: Kevin (Britt) Redig, John (Stephanie) Redig, Michelle (Sam) Reinhardt, Emily (Matthew) Pflug, Stephanie (Steven) Hoehn, Ann Katherine (Jermaine) Bowman, Giffin (Hannah) Leiting, Jay (Marissa) Coleman, Christina (Mark) Chiarello, Kay (Austin) Darrow, Joe Coleman, Mary Coleman, Teresa Coleman, Nick (Sarrah) Becker, Carolyn (Andrew) Martinez, Laura (Justin) Brewer, Rose (Austin) Stoner, Kaitlyn Leiting, Ashlyn Leiting, Parker Leiting, Spencer Leiting, and Conner Leiting. and 21 great grandchildren.
Surviving sisters include Alice Kramer, Pat Berg, Virginia Schultes and her in-laws, Rose Winker, Vern Berg, Alvina Leiting, Leroy Schultes, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Leiting: her parents, Regina and Lawrence Winker; her siblings, Ken Winker, Bud Winker, Louise Heinrichs, Marlene Roling; In-laws, Ben and Caroline (Sanders) Leiting, Harold and Delores Leiting, Walt and Lucille Riesselman, Alvin and Barb Leiting, Dennis and Marie Leiting, Vince Leiting, Loren and Esther Leiting, Virgil and Bernice Williams, Jerome Halbur, Don Kramer, Corky Heinrichs, Sharon Winker, and Bill Roling.
The family wishes to give special thanks to our brother Dan, Carroll Area Nursing, Gentiva Hospice, and St. Croix Hospice for their years of dedicated service.

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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Our sympathy and prayers. Diane and John Walsh

John Walsh – July 12 2023 at 12:42 PM

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Our sincere sympathy to the Leiting family. I always thought in grade school that Deb really had a neat mom. Many good memories.

Bruce & Mae Vonnahme – July 12 2023 at 2:29 PM

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So many wonderful memories of Shirley & her family growing up around Arcadia & reconnecting again when I moved to Carroll -Hugs & prayers to Shirley’s family & friends - Marilyn JESCHKE

Marilyn Jeschke – July 15 2023 at 2:48 PM

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Lit a candle in memory of Shirley Leiting

Susan Trecker – July 12 2023 at 4:07 AM

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Peaceful White Lilies Basket was purchased for the family of Shirley Leiting.

Comment #44987126 – July 14 2023 at 4:26 PM

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