Meribel Steiner age 95, formerly of Walnut Grove, passed away on January 13, 2018 at White Pines of Blaine. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 18 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove. Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Walnut Grove Funeral Home, and will continue one hour prior to the service at church on Thursday. Burial will be in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service – Walnut Grove Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Meribel Dahms Krentz Steiner was born on May 6, 1922, in Walnut Grove, Minnesota to Martin and Jessie (Cole) Dahms. She was baptized in the Congregational Church and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, both in Walnut Grove. She graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1940, and then attended the Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis. She worked for the founder of ACE Hardware, and also at Honeywell in Minneapolis.
On June 20, 1944, she married Martin Krentz and moved to Baltimore, Maryland until the end of WWII, at which time they moved back to Minneapolis. Two daughters, Merilea and Rosemary were born during their time in Minneapolis. In March of 1951, they moved to Walnut Grove and started farming. Three more children, Doug, Jessie, and Richard were born.
In addition to helping farm, Meribel worked first in the Westbrook Hospital, and then in the Tracy Hospital. In 1971, she relocated to Albert Lea to work at Naeve Hospital as Director of Quality Assurance. She received the honor of being named BPW Woman of the Year. She married Leon Steiner on December 21, 1975. In 1988, Meribel retired and moved back to Walnut Grove. Meribel enjoyed her pets, spectator sports, swimming (especially scuba diving), reading, volunteer work, spending time with friends, and family gatherings.
Meribel is survived by her sons Doug Krentz (Rennae) of Walnut Grove and Richard Krentz (Nikole) of Calgary, Alberta; daughters Rosemary Valentine of Coon Rapids and Jessie (Ted) Stevenson of Beloit, Wisconsin; grandsons Mike Valentine, Peter Krentz, T. Cole Stevenson; and granddaughters Rustan (Tim) Jackels, Victoria (Will) Racke, Mary Valentine and Sophia Stevenson. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Maynard and Doug, infant sister Elaine, husbands Martin Krentz and Leon Steiner, and daughter Merilea.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Redwood Area Hospice