Henry Meiners

Henry John Meiners, 92, of Topeka, died February 6, 2008 at Stormont-Vail Regional Medical Center.  He was born the fifth of eleven children to Frank and Antonia (Mutter) Meiners in Kansas City, Missouri on October 3, 1915.  He attended Holy Name Grade School, DeLaSalle High School, Kansas City Junior College and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1953. He was drafted into the Army at Ft. Leavenworth, and attended Cook and Baker’s School.  He served a tour of duty in Panama at Ft. Clayton and enrolled in Officer’s Candidate School and served as registrar at Randolph Field Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.  After his discharge in 1945 he joined the 325th General Hospital Reserve Unit at Ft. Leavenworth’s Induction Unit from which he retired in 1965 with the rank of Major. Mr. Meiners was Administrator of Cushing Hospital in Leavenworth from 1946 to 1965.  In 1965 he joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas where he served as Vice President of Hospital and Physician Relations, retiring as Senior Vice President of Professional and Institutional Affairs on November 1, 1980 after 16 years of service. During his career he served in many capacities;  as President of the Kansas City Area Hospital’s Association in 1949, and as President of the Kansas Hospital Association in 1950.  He was a fellow of the American College of Hospital Administrators.  Governor Edward Arn appointed Henry to the Council on Hospital Licensure and Hill Burton Construction in 1956.  Governor Robert Bennet appointed him to represent Kansas in Washington DC to revise Medicaid and the Health Care Program in 1975.  Governor John Carlin appointed him to the Kansas Council on Fitness in 1979 and to the Shawnee County Commission to the Advocacy Council for the Aging from 1979 to 1981. Mr. Meiners holds memberships in the Rotary Club of Topeka, is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary, Shawnee Country Club, Rollin Sam’s Camping Club, Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus Council #534. On May 1, 1947 he married Marilyn Miller who survives him.  Other survivors include three sons, James H. (Linda McNamara) Meiners of Bonsall, CA., David H. (Carol Berg) Meiners of Lawrence, Ks., and John H. (Kathleen Brewer) Meiners of Boulder, Colorado.  Also surviving are granddaughters, Joan Marie and Anna Louise of Boulder and grandson Noah of California.  He is also survived by two sisters and one brother all of Kansas City, Mo.  A daughter, Jill Ann preceded him in death in 1953. Mr. Meiners donated his body for research at the University of Kansas Medical Center Anatomy Department.  A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Topeka on March 28, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Meiners Family Scholastic Scholarship Funds established at Hayden High School in Topeka, Immaculata High School , Cushing Hospital for the University of Saint Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas or to Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church and sent in care of Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 West Sixth Ave., Topeka, Kansas  66603. Online condolences may be made at www.brennanmathenafh.com.