Obituary of Florence Ann Meis

DYERSVILLE, IOWA Florence A. Meis, 89, of Dyersville, Iowa and formerly of Holy Cross died Saturday, May 31, 2014, at Good Neighbor Home, Manchester. Friends may call from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. June 2, 2014, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a Vigil Service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in St. Boniface Cemetery in New Vienna. Rev. Noah Diehm will officiate. Florence was born on May 30, 1925, the oldest of ten children born to Emil and Monica (Westhoff) Steffensmeier on the family farm east of Dyersville. After graduating from the eighth grade from the country school, she worked on the home farm, and later worked as a hired girl in homes around Dyersville. She married Joseph C. Meis, son of William and Josephine (Hoefer) Meis on February 4, 1948, at the Basilica in Dyersville. Together they were proud to work and raise their family on a century farm south of Holy Cross. She enjoyed tending to her garden and flowers, raising chickens, and attending church card parties and picnics. Faith was always a very important aspect in her life. Joe and Florence retired to Holy Cross in 1984, where she continued to tend to beautiful flower gardens. They later became residents of the Ellen Kennedy Living Center in 2006. Survivors include a son, Bill (Laurie) Meis of Platteville, WI, two daughters: Donna (Lial) Prier of Ryan, and Karla Meis of Deerfield, WI, 8 grandchildren: Nick (Tiffany) Meis of Las Vegas, NV, Laurie (Olin) Skattum of Dubuque, Julie (Grant) Haugen of Farmington, MN, Brittani Meis of Platteville, WI, Melissa Prier of Marion, Holly Prier of Ames and Clinton Prier of Ryan and Kevin Kieler of Deerfield, WI; 2 sisters: Alice (Richard) Nadermann of Dyersville and Mary (Charles) Hellmann of Holy Cross; 4 brothers: Eldon (Clara) Steffensmeier of Dyersville, Donald (Elaine) Steffensmeier of Dyersville, Wilfred (Andrea) Steffensmeier of Farley and James (Rita) Steffensmeier of Dyersville; 2 sisters-in-law: Agnes Steffensmeier of Dyersville and Jeanette Hilkin of Dubuque; a brother-in-law, Eugene Prier of Dyersville, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Meis, siblings: Arthur Steffensmeier, Eugene (Helen) Steffensmeier and Lucille Prier; in-laws: Leora (Lester) Willenbring, Helen Meis and Elmer Hilkin.