Obituary for Robert “Bob” Meiners

Robert Dale Meiners of Caledonia, MN, passed away peacefully on March 13^th at Hillview Health Care Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin, surrounded by his loving family, just four days before his 90th birthday.

Born March 17, 1936, in Eitzen, MN, to Roy and Lora (Haar) Meiners, Bob grew up with strong values that guided his life. He graduated from Caledonia High School in 1954 and proudly served in the United States Army in Germany from 1958 - 1960. On August 3, 1963, he married Marlene Teff at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Dorchester, Iowa. Together they shared 62 wonderful years and raised six children: Mike, Julie, Jill, Lori, Kari, and Kristina.

In 1976, Bob “fondly known as “Bob the Builder” founded Meiners Lumber Company and spent 25 years building more than homes - he built trust and friendships. After retiring, he stayed active with construction projects and enjoyed many years working at Ma-Cal-Grove Golf Course, where he loved catching up with friends.

Bob gave generously of his time, serving with the Eitzen Fire Department, City Council, as a charter member of the Eitzen Lions, and the Houston County NW Turkey Federation. He was also deeply involved with St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Caledonia including St. Mary’s Parish Council and Bazaar.

In 2024, Bob was honored to be inducted into the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame, a testament to his lifelong love of the game and his dedication to community sports.

Family was Bob’s greatest joy. He welcomed everyone with open arms and treasured every moment with his 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. To them, he was ‘Grandpa Buster’ - a legend known for his quick wit and one-liners like “Smell this”, “Do you want a piece of me”, and his classic greeting, “My name is Bob Meiners, I suppose you know what yours is”. These memories will forever bring smiles to those who loved him.

Bob is survived by his wife, Marlene; his children: Mike (Jean) Meiners of Caledonia, MN; Julie (Dave) Hemze of Maple Grove, MN; Jill (Don) Kitterman of Lake Elmo, MN; Lori (Scott) Richards of Cartersville, GA; Kari (Eric) Hanson of Maple Grove, MN; and Kristina (Christopher) Caspare of San Diego, CA.

Grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Erica (Nathan) Rask and children Gibson, Brynn, Waylon, Esmae, Felix, and Odessa of Caledonia, MN; Lexie (Sam) Terres of Plymouth, MN; Kolton (Lana) Kitterman and son Roman and daughter Verona of Oconomowoc, WI; Riley (fiancé Kaley) Richards of Denver, CO; Ian Hanson of Maple Grove, MN; Grant Hemze of Maple Grove, MN; Erin (Ben) Seidel and daughter Hallie of La Crescent, MN; Carter (fiancé Payton) Kitterman of Maple Grove, MN; Gabriel (Rayna) Hanson of Crystal, MN; Jake (Alexis) Richards and daughter Wynn of Cartersville, GA; and Ava Hanson of Maple Grove, MN. He is also survived by his sister Beverly Rud, sister-in-law Bernice Meiners, and many cherished nieces, nephews, and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents Roy and Lora; siblings Ardell, LeRoy, and Ruby Pohlman; and brothers-in-law Elmer Pohlman and Sonny Rud and several other beloved relatives and friends.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the Veterans Affairs teams of Houston County, La Crosse, and Tomah, as well as Hillview Health Care and St. Croix Hospice, for their exceptional care and compassion.

We celebrate his strength, steadiness, caring nature, humor, and faith through a life well lived.

Services:
Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 21^st, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Holy Family Hall in Caledonia, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father Vogel officiating.

Burial with military honors will take place at Calvary Cemetery immediately after the service. A luncheon will be served at St. Mary’s Parish Holy Family Hall following the funeral.

Memorial contributions will be given to charitable organizations in his honor.

Fredrickson Funeral Homes and Crematory are assisting the family. Online condolences may be offered on this website.