Stephen J Meinhardt

Stephen Joseph Meinhardt, age 87, of Mankato, died Saturday, August 16, 2008 at his residence.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato, with Rev. Peter Nosbush officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Mankato. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday at Mankato Mortuary, with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

Stephen was born on May 9, 1921 in Paxico, KS. He was the son of August and Mary (Schumacher) Meinhardt. Stephen attended parochial and public schools in Springfield, MN. He worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1938 to 1940. Stephen served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1940 to 1960, in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters during WWII and the Korean War. He had tours of duty on the Destroyer Tenders USS Altair and Arcadia, Destroyers USS Ware, Cony, and Bronson, and the Submarine Guardfish. Stephen was united in marriage to Nellie Pecora at the U.S. Naval Receiving Station in Brooklyn, N.Y. on November 25, 1948. His last two years of service was as a Navy Recruit Procurement Officer in Mankato. Stephen then worked for the City of North Mankato until 1985. He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato, the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Mankato American Legion Post 11, and the U.S. Naval Fleet Reserve.

Stephen is survived by his wife of 59 years, Nellie of Mankato; daughter, Barbara Menton of North Mankato; two granddaughters, Mollie Newhouse and Rachel Lohn; two step-grandsons, Jim Menton and Patrick (Sundra) Menton; brother, Leo (Shirley) Meinhardt of New Ulm; also nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Stephen; daughter, Gayle; granddaughter, Emily Newhouse; brother, August Jr.; sister, Esther Meinhardt; and son-in-law, Jim Menton.