Date of death: 2/15/2008
Saint Meinrad Class: SPH 1941
Louis “Mel” Meiners, Sr., 81, of Louisville, died at Nazareth Home. He was an active member of St. Stephen Martyr Catholic Church where he was instrumental in starting Eucharistic Adoration. He was a graduate of St. Elizabeth School and had attended Saint Meinrad Placid Hall from 1940-1941. He was a loving husband and devoted father of 15 children and a retired employee of the Kroger Company. In his tireless efforts to support his large family, he also worked as a deputy sheriff, umpired ball games, ran paper routes and published the Catholic Directory. Mel was passionately devoted to honoring Our Blessed Mother, Mary. Every Saturday for 17 years, he prayerfully shared the Statue of Mary with Louisville families. He was an advocate for life, supporting the Pro Life Movement through the Louisville Right to Life Association. He was a recipient of the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award and the Schnitzelburg Citizen of the Year Award. He was a 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus. Mel was preceded in death by his loving wife, Norma Jean Reasor Meiners; his parents, George and Christina Voll Meiners; two brothers; four sisters; his son, Dennis; and his grandsons, Kenneth Meiners and Francis Hesse. He is survived by his 14 children; seven sons, Louis Jr. (Marie), Terry , Tim “Dutch” (Cindy), Chris (Barbara), Greg (Kim), Mike (Angie) and Mark (Tracy); seven daughters, Maureen Williams (Greg), Denise Russell, Tina Meiners McCay (Terry), Colleen Milburn (Danny), Michele Renbarger (Tony), Lisa Rohleder (Nick) and Lynn Hesse (Bill). Other survivors include 46 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a multitude of other relatives and dear friends. Expressions of love may be made to Saint Meinrad Archabbey; 200 Hill Drive, St. Meinrad, IN 47577, and The Nazareth Home; 2000 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205Information obtained from the Louisville Courier-Journal on Feb. 16, 2008.