Anchor – Elmo R. Meiners, 95, of Anchor passed away at 6:20 am Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Colfax.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Anchor.

Pastor Stephen Goodwin will be officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Anchor.

Visitation will be held from 4-7:00pm on Friday, August 28, 2009 at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Anchor and also one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church. Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Colfax is in charge of arrangements.

Elmo was born August 18, 1914 in Anchor, the son of Edward and Jesse Reinhart Meiners. They preceded him in death. He married LaVerne McCown on September 2, 1936. She died July 25, 2000. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, one sister and 1 grandson (Rob Swift of Gallatin, TN).

Surviving are his children Donald (Priscilla)Meiners of Colfax, Ronald (Betty) Meiners of Gibson City and Vera Lynn (Henri) Cuddihy of Coralville, IA; grandchildren; Carmen (Darrell) Koelper, Alan(Cindy) Meiners, Scott (Kathy) Meiners, Meschelle Swift, Joy (Keith) Jackman, Jennifer Meiners, Tom (Sandy) Cuddihy, Tristen (Max) McGhee; Great-Grandchildren; Josh (Anna) Koelper, Ben Koelper, Andy Meiners, Daniel Meiners, Brian Meiners, Kevin Meiners, Kaylynn Wilkes, Caleb Wilkes, Gaven McGhee, Jayden Jackman; step-great-grandchildren; Court (Angela) Swift, Erin Swift, Jim Rolison, Jared Poppe; great-great grandchild Blaze Meiners; sisters, Rose (Kenneth) Orendorff of Colfax and Norma (Larry) Sutter of Cooksville; sister-in-law Ruth Meiners of Anchor.

Elmo was a farmer in the Anchor area, he owned and operated Meiners Grain and Coal, Colfax Farmers Grain and Meiners Soil Service. He was the co-founder of M&W Gear Company and last owned and operated ELMCO, a custom golf cart company in Cooksville.

He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Anchor. Elmo was very active in his community and served on several committees and boards in many capacities.

He was the past president of FEMA, a member of the Octavia School board, founder of the Farm Power Show and Tractor Pulls. He was a lifelong member of AOPA and Flying Farmers. He also served on the the board for Gibson Area Hospital and was instrumental in getting the first Mini-Mac ever built in the United States located in Gibson City. He also served on the Board of Regents for St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.

Memorials may be made to the St. John's Lutheran Church building fund, Anchor; Heritage Manor Nursing Home, Colfax; or the Gibson Area Hospital, Gibson City.

Elmo was a remarkable man. He was an astute businessman and inventor, but most of all he was a very generous and loving father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.