Norlin "Abe" Meiners

Norlin "Abe" R. Meiners, 78, of New Albin, IA, died Sunday, April 6, 2025, at Luther Manor at Hillcrest in Dubuque, IA. Friends may greet the family from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Saturday, April 12th, at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon, IA.

Norlin "Abe" Richard Meiners was born March 24, 1947, in Minnesota, the son of Arthur Meiners and Olga (Meyer) Meiners Thimmesch. He attended St. John's School in Caledonia, MN, and went to high school in New Albin, IA. Norlin moved to Wisconsin, hauling milk in Ontario, working at Schweigers Industries in Jefferson, and working in Westby at the sawmill. On December 2, 1972, he married Karen Johnson at Koshkonong Lutheran Church in Cambridge, WI. In 1985, they moved to New Albin and Norlin took over the family furniture upholstery business. Later, Norlin worked for Wiebke Fur and Trading Company in Eitzen, MN.

As someone who had to stay busy, Norlin was an avid bowler, sometimes five days a week, belonging to leagues in Cambridge, Lansing, and Caledonia. He and Karen made the casino circuit and he enjoyed playing cards, bingo, crocheting, jigsaw puzzles, and consuming Diet Cherry Pepsi. Norlin also did a lot of woodworking, making hope chests and kids chairs. Primarily, he was an avid outdoorsman. Norlin absolutely would not stay out of the woods and continued walking there well past the point he should have (some may call him stubborn). He like picking up walnuts and hickory nuts and mushroom hunting. He fished, deer and squirrel hunted, and trapped, from which he made his beloved coonskin and skunk hats and a raccoon coat.

Norlin is survived by his wife Karen of Waukon; his children: Amy (Dave) Howard of Waukon, Tara Meiners of Melrose, WI, Rich (Sue) Meiners of Cashton, WI, and Jennifer (Matt) Woods of Fort Atkinson, WI; 10 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; siblings: Betty (Gerry) Farnholtz of Winona, MN, Vernald (Star) Meiners of New Albin, Kenneth (Susan) Meiners of New Albin, Gary (Carolyn) Meiners of Palmyra, WI, Linda (Harold "Pepper") Miller of Waukon, and John Thimmesch of Necedah, WI; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather Gregor Thimmesch, a brother Wilbert (Linda) Meiners, and brother-in-law Don Farnholtz.