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Viola C. Berger

09/24/1921 –
10/02/2009

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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.

Viola Berger, age 88, of Carroll, Iowa, died Friday, October 2, 2009, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M., Tuesday, October 6, 2009, at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Father Timothy Johnson. The casket will be taken to the church at 8:30 A.M. Tuesday to lie in state until the time of the funeral mass. Lector will be granddaughters, Chelsea Bruening, Jill Pudenz, and Laura Berger. Gift Bearers will be her children, Ron Berger and Jane Bruening. Eucharistic Ministers will be Marilyn Hoffman and Marilyn Steinkamp. Casket Bearers will be grandchildren, Ross Bruening, Ryan Bruening, Chelsea Bruening, Jill Pudenz, Chris Pudenz, and Laura Berger. 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 by the Legion of Mary. There will be a Christian wake service at 7 P.M. Monday by Holy Spirit Parish. Mrs. Berger was born on September 24, 1921, at Halbur, Iowa, the daughter of Bernard and Elizabeth (Kalkhoff) Lange. She spent her younger years in the Halbur and Templeton communities and attended country school and Sacred Heart School in Templeton. On July 31, 1945, she was married to Joseph H. Berger at Saint Peter and Paul Church in Carroll. The couple made their home in Carroll. Mrs. Berger was a homemaker and was employed for many years in the housekeeping department at St. Anthony School of Nursing. She was a member of Holy Spirit Parish, Parish Ladies Guild, Legion of Mary, and volunteered at St. Anthony Hospital and Nursing Home. Viola enjoyed her family, baking, and talking on the telephone. Survivors include her son, Ron Berger and his wife Marian of Carroll; a daughter, Jane Bruening and her husband Wayne of Carroll; grandchildren, Ross Bruening, Ryan Bruening and his special friend Katelyn Goettsch, Chelsea Bruening, Jill Pudenz and her husband Chris, and Laura Berger and her special friend Brandon Gray; a special family friend, Sister LuAnn Hannasch R.S.M. of Livonia, Mich.; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Marie Riesberg of Carroll, Leona Seidl of Coon Rapids, Lucille Berger of Carroll, Frances and Albert Meiners of Coon Rapids, Bernice and Elmer Bluml of Carroll, Edmund and Lavonne Berger of Lidderdale, Dorothy Berger of Lohrville, and Virginia Berger of Carroll. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Berger, in January 2002; her parents; a brother, Lawrence Lange; and sisters, Anita, Eleanor, and Lucille Lange.

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.

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We wish to send our sympathy at the loss of your mother/grandmother. May God help you find peace in your grief. Shannon & Jason Reising & family

Shannon Reising – October 05 2009 at 8:55 AM

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