Irene Ann Meislahn

Irene Ann Meislahn, the daughter of Anton and Clara (Mersman) Stoberl, was born December 16, 1922, at her parents’ home near Manning, Iowa and died March 8, 2019, at the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa at the age of 96 years, 2 months, and 22 days.
Irene was baptized and confirmed at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manning, Iowa. She attended rural schools near Manning then graduated from the Manning High School with the Class of 1940. Irene then helped at home and worked as a hired girl for other families.
On October 11, 1941, she was united in marriage to Herman Bernhardt Meislahn at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manning. They were blessed with five children Linda, Janet, Jonnie, Connie, and Gloria. Irene and Herman farmed in the Gray, Iowa area for 67 years. In 1969, Irene was employed at the Post Office in Templeton, Iowa. In 1980 she became the Postmaster and remained in that capacity at the Post Office until she retired in 1990. Herman died September 28, 2009. Irene continued to live in their home until she moved to the Manning Plaza in 2014 and later moving to the Char-Mac Assisted Living in Manning and most recently to the Friendship Home in Audubon, Iowa in January of 2019.
Irene was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Audubon, Iowa and was past president of the St. Patrick’s Catholic Women and enjoyed quilting with them for many years. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Templeton and Manning Courts. Irene was a member of the NAPOS Postmaster Union. She was a founding member of the Gray Community Betterment Corporation and served as their president for over 20 years and was a member of the Gray Firebelles. Herman and Irene enjoyed dancing, especially the polka, waltz, and fox trot. Irene enjoyed helping her daughters with their catering business, baking many, many pies for the Audubon County Fair for over 25 years, and helping with RAGBRAI. Irene loved her family and friends. She appreciated her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; their visits were cherished moments. Irene loved to cook and bake and enjoyed having family and friends drop in and share in God’s gift of food.
Preceding her in death was her husband Herman; her grandchildren Jacquelyn Sue Knueven and David Meislahn; her parents Anton and Clara Stoberl; her father-in-law and mother-in-law Barney and Anna Meislahn; her sisters and brothers Sophia and husband Irwin Heckenliable, Valeria and husband Louis Dreher, Rueben and wife Edith Stoberl, Leonard Stoberl, and Lyle and wife Mary Stoberl; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Chris and wife Alice Meislahn, Selma and husband Francis Bosche, Alvin and wife Barbara Meislahn, Gertrude Meislahn, Eugene Rohe, and Richard Morrell.
Survivors include her children Linda and husband Jerry Koenig of Audubon, Iowa, Jan and husband Doug Hilsabeck and Jonnie and wife Liesa Meislahn all of Gray, Iowa, Connie and husband Mike Blum and Gloria and husband Robert Ewoldt all of Manning, Iowa; her grandchildren John Knueven, Tracy Knueven, Theresa Miller, Brad Knueven, Kelly Knueven, Angie Koenig, Randy Koenig, Kristi Melton, Tony Hilsabeck, Tonia Andersen, Trudy Hilsabeck, Tricia Deist, Steve Meislahn, Leah Welch, Scott Meislahn, Melissa Jacobsen, Jason Blum, Jeff Blum, Jacob Ewoldt, Joe Ewoldt, and Shawn Ewoldt; 40 great grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; her brother Norbert and wife Virginia Stoberl of Manning, Iowa; her sisters-in-law Margaret Stoberl of Audubon, Iowa, Leona Rohe of Manning, Iowa, and Evelyn Morrell of Orange Park, Florida; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
There will be a Rosary Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. followed by a visitation at 5:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. The Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father David Nkrumah and Father Randy Schon on Thursday morning, March 14, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Audubon, Iowa. Interment will be in the Gray Cemetery west of Gray, Iowa. The honorary casket bearers will be her granddaughters Theresa Miller, Angie Koenig, Tonia Andersen, Trudy Hilsabeck, Tricia Deist, Melissa Jacobsen, and Leah Welch. The casket bearers will be her grandsons John Knueven, Tracy Knueven, Brad Knueven, Kelly Knueven, Tony Hilsabeck, Jason Blum, Jeff Blum, Steve Meislahn, Scott Meislahn, Jacob Ewoldt, Joe Ewoldt, and Shawn Ewoldt.