BIAD 2017

TOM ANDERSON Owner/Funeral Director

Tom Anderson’s career path took unexpected turn

By Al Edenlo aedenlo @echopress.com

The story of Anderson Funeral Home begins with an immigrant cabinet maker, John Anderson, more than 145 years ago.

He traveled here from Sweden and ended up building coffins. He had one big advantage over other cabinet makers. He was well versed in seven languages, which enabled him to communicate with the patchwork of Germans, Swedes, Norwegians, Finns, Czechs and Bohemians who settled in Douglas County.

“People were comfortable with him,” said Tom Anderson, John’s great grandson and an “ad hoc” historian of the

funeral home. “It wasn’t too long before he was arranging funerals for people throughout the county.”

Tom’s path to the funeral home industry took a different course. He was a college freshman at the University of Minnesota on April 9, 1977. His father, Paul H. Anderson, was overseeing two funerals that Easter weekend Saturday, giving his staff the weekend off. When he came home, he told his wife that he wasn’t

feeling very well. He died later that day of a heart attack.

“He was just 58,” Tom said. “I never knew my father as an old person.”

At the time, Tom was pursuing a business degree. Running a funeral home was not part of his career plans. His father’s death changed things and he ended up earning a degree in mortuary science in 1980.

Dave Anderson connects with families

By Al Edenlo aedenlo @echopress.com

Dave Anderson is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to tracing the ancestry of families throughout Douglas County.

He knows the names of grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, children – how they’re all related, sometimes even their phone numbers – all by memory.

That’s because he has worked with so many of them over the years in his roles at Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory.

“That’s one thing I did with every family. We’d sit everyone in a room and I would ask each one of them their name – their proudest possession,” he said. “And I’d get to know them on a personal level.”

Dave, a former co-owner and now consultant of Anderson

Funeral Home, considers himself fortunate to have helped so many families over the years.

“There are all these connections – a heritage within every family,” he said. “Some families I worked with had two, three or four deaths over the years and we helped them get through it – just like a family.

But he thoroughly enjoyed 35-plus years at home

We build relationships with the living relatives, helping them through the process.

Dave (left) and Tom Anderson, of Anderson Funeral Home, started working at the mortuary in 1977. The home has been in their family for four generations.

Everyone here is told to live by the Golden Rule and treat families like they would want to be treated.

DAVE ANDERSON Funeral Director/Consultant

Petermeier forms friendships and trust as a funeral director

Iverson adds creative touch to funerals

By Beth Leipholtz eleipholtz@echopress.com

Alan Iverson’s work in the mortuary science field began before he even decided to attend school to become a funeral director.

At age 16, he worked doing odd jobs at a funeral home in Benson. By 19, he was helping with funerals. When the time came to attend college, Iverson initially pursued a sales and marketing degree, but he soon found that wasn’t the right fit and decided to study mortuary science instead.

He obtained his degree and in 2004, joined the staff at Anderson Funeral Home.

“Their philosophy was a total mesh with mine of putting families first, and no pressure to the family,” Iverson said.

One aspect of funeral service that Iverson enjoys is getting to be creative with funeral arrangements. He says Anderson’s has held funerals at non-traditional locations such as Luther Crest Bible Camp,

IVERSON

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Alan Iverson / Funeral Director

Erin Petermeier / Funeral Director

By Celeste Edenlo cedenlo @echopress.com

“The greatest honor you can experience is to have someone trust you enough to take care of their loved one when he or she dies.”

This is what Erin Petermeier, funeral director at Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria, said when talking about her career – one she loves and feels very blessed to do.

“The ability to help families in those type of situations is the greatest gift,” she said.

Petermeier, who technically has been in the funeral business her whole life, has been a funeral director at Anderson’s for 10 years.

Growing up, she lived above a funeral home owned by her parents, Tom and Pat Petermeier. She said she had a very interesting childhood and that she remembers always being asked how she could live above the funeral home. She lived a “normal” life, just like everyone else.

“I was proud of it (my parents’ funeral home),” she said. “I appreciated what they did for families. They had a true understanding of loss as I had a sister who died when she was six months old. They were sensitive to the needs of others during those tough times.”

Even though she grew up in the business, Petermeier didn’t head off to college with Mortuary Science in mind.

At first, she had plans to become a phy-ed teacher but soon switched to human services because she wanted to help children who were in abusive situations.

It wasn’t long, however, before she transferred to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities and was on her way to a Mortuary Science degree.

Then, after more than 35 years in the business, her parents sold the funeral home in 2007.

“It was hard when they sold the business, but now Sean (Erin’s brother) and I have continued our parents’ legacy,” she said.

PETERMEIER

BUYSSE’S JOB: Stressful, sad, but rewarding

By Al Edenlo aedenlo @echopress.com

A round of golf helped bring Craig Buysse to Anderson Funeral Home.

Buysse, who grew up in Minneota and earned his degree in mortuary science from the University of Minnesota in 1994, and started as a funeral director in Austin, MN 23 years ago. Buysse met Tom Anderson at the Alexandria Golf Course and soon discovered they were both in the same business.

continued on 17

“He told me that if he ever added another funeral director, he would give me a call,” Buysse said. “A year later, he did and my wife and I

moved here in 2001.”

After that, Craig and Tricia bought a house, are raising two children, Madeline, 12, and Ethan, 8, and are proud to call Alexandria their home. Craig thoroughly enjoys his work and feels honored to help families during one of the most difficult times in their lives.

“As funeral directors, we run this business as if it’s our own funeral home,” said Buysse, who was promoted to funeral home manager last July. “Tom Anderson and Vertin Family Funeral Homes support us in

BUYSSE

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Craig Buysse / Funeral Director

HER FAVORITE DAYS: Helping families create memory bears

By Beth Leipholtz eleipholtz@echopress.com

Julie Stern didn’t always know she wanted to be a funeral director. In fact, the Osakis native spent 11 years working as a nurse before deciding to go back to school to become a funeral director.

She says her experience in the healthcare field has helped her as a mortician.

“I’m able to relate to families just because I understand the steps they’ve gone through with medical care and making those end-of-life decisions,” she said. “I’ve been there at the bedside with people as they’re making those decisions and medically thinking through the next steps.”

Both fields of work have been emotional ones, but Stern says she doesn’t try to shut the emotional aspect out because feeling what the family feels helps her better serve them.

continued on 14

Julie Stern / Funeral Director

Helping families find a ‘new normal’

By Echo Press sta echo@echopress.com

Robert Kensinger wanted to work as a funeral director for Anderson Funeral Home, and funeral home owners, Tom and Dave Anderson, wanted him to work for them. The dilemma? They didn’t have an opening for about a year. So they lent Kensinger funds that allowed him to travel the world.

“I traveled for a year,” he said. He visited India and other places around the world and in the United States. When he came back, he went to work – and has been with Anderson for 23 years.

“I love working for Tom and Dave Anderson because they are such good guys and they always let us be innovative,” he said. “Tom and Dave are always looking at trying new things.”

For example: no markup on caskets.

“We’re not looking to make a profit off a casket,” Kensinger

said. “For 20 years now, we’ve sold caskets at wholesale. We focus on service to families and take pride in that.”

When he arrived, he suggested printing memorial folders on a laser printer, and his new bosses brought in a laser printer right away, he said. Tom Anderson has been very insightful and has brought new changes well ahead of the funeral industry.

“We have the only crematory in Douglas County and about the only one in a 40-mile radius,” Kensinger said.

Kensinger is one of Anderson’s four certified crematory operators providing this service with a high degree of integrity. Just over 50 percent of their customers choose cremation for their loved one, he said.

“That’s going to grow, I believe,” he said. “It’s a service you have to have available.”

KENSINGER

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Robert Kensinger / Funeral Director

‘You grow through what you go through’

Pre-planning specialist helps with tough questions

By Celeste Edenlo cedenlo @echopress.com

Pre-arranging one’s funeral is one of the best gifts people can give their loved ones, according to Kathy Patton, pre-arrangement specialist at Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria.

Patton’s primary focus is to educate people on the value of pre-arranging and to also dispel some of the myths associated with it.

“Pre-arrangement doesn’t necessarily mean picking out hymns and readings for the funeral,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be planning the service and those types of details.”

Pre-arrangement can simply include setting aside funds for one’s services and having family members know about it. It can provide a way to let loved ones know whether there is going to be a casket burial or if the person is going to be cremated.

And, it can include making decisions ahead of time to plan for the unexpected. “It can be as simple and easy as

you want it to be,” said Patton. “Or it can be fully detailed. My role is to guide people through the process.”

She said pre-arrangement is mostly about peace of mind and having your affairs in order.

When asked if there is a certain age or best time for someone to take care of their arrangements, Patton said there are no hard and fast rules, but that a good time to do it is when a person applies for social security.

“That is a great time to get things in order,” she said. “A great time to take stock and ask yourself what you want.”

Although making pre-funeral arrangements and answering those tough questions are hard, Patton said more often than not, the people she helps are glad they did it.

“Death is a difficult subject, but you can’t ignore it and yes, sometimes, it can be painful,” she said. “But by getting your affairs in order ahead of time, you’ll be better off and your family will thank you.”

The best way to start, Patton said, is by making that phone call. Patton said she meets with people wherever it is most convenient for them, whether it is at her office or their home.

And the best part of her job, she said, is sitting down with people and visiting with them, getting to know them and their stories. Helping them through what can be a difficult task is rewarding.

Patton said her daughter, Emalee Erickson, who also works for Anderson Funeral Home, brought a picture frame in one day and set it at the front desk. In the frame was just a simple white background with the words, “You grow through what you go through” written in black ink on it. It was simple, but she

said there is so much meaning behind it.

“You grow through what you go through,” she said again. “When you think about it, it’s perfect for our line of business.”

My role is to guide people through the process.

KATHY PATTON

Pre-arrangement Specialist

Kathy Patton / Pre-arrangement Specialist

Making difficult times a li e easier

By Echo Press sta echo@echopress.com

Danielle Lehmkuhl, who is the office manager at Anderson Funeral Home and her counterpart, Emalee Erickson, who manages the downtown location, Anderson’s on Broadway, are often the first faces a family sees when they walk in the door. The office managers feel privileged to be that first step in the journey of funeral arranging.

Lehmkuhl has worked at Anderson’s for three years, handling accounting procedures, greeting families, answering phones, completing life insurance claims, using Photoshop to make photos suitable for memorial folders, submitting the state

required Preneed Trust Fund Ledger, and helping out families and coworkers “wherever I can in between.”

“After graduating from college with an accounting degree, I never pictured myself working at a funeral home,” Lehmkuhl said. “But it’s been rewarding to help other people and try to make a difficult time in their lives a little easier. I don’t see myself ever leaving.”

Erickson started working for Anderson’s on Aug. 1, but has deep ties to the funeral home. Her mother works as the Prearrangement Specialist, and in 20142015, when four of Erickson’s close family members died, Anderson’s handled the arrangements.

“It felt like I was always here, nearly every three months for arrangements or planning the death of a family member. I always felt it was a comfortable experience,” she said.

Erickson greets families that arrange at Anderson’s on Broadway and handles their loved one’s life insurance, works with digital and printed photos to assemble video tributes that are shown during the service, edits and posts the DVD of service on the website so those who were unable to attend the service can view it, creates a personalized bookmark for each family, updates the Anderson’s website and Facebook, and is a great member of the Anderson’s team.

The two women each grew up in Alexandria, graduated from Jefferson High School and know many of the families who come through the door. They find themselves learning new things about those they knew who have passed away and hearing wonderful stories of those they weren’t lucky enough to know personally.

“Even though Emalee and I work in an environment based around death, it isn’t something we have become desensitized to. We truly empathize with every family that has lost a loved one and seeing someone in pain doesn’t get easier,” Lehmkuhl said.

Danielle and Emalee agreed that they are both proud to work at Anderson’s with a caring group of team members who would always go the extra mile for the families they serve.

Alexandria • 763-6622

Brandon • 834-2249

Bremer.com

Member FDIC. © 2017 Bremer Financial Corporation. All rights reserved.

I never pictured myself working at a funeral home. But it’s been rewarding to help other people and try to make a difficult time in their lives a little easier.

DANIELLE

LEHMKUHL O ice Manager

Danielle Lehmkuhl / O ice Manager

Emalee Erickson / O ice Manager

Dawson teaches families steps of grieving

Home’s

contact doesn’t end after funeral

By Je Beach jbeach@echopress.com

“Talking is healing,” Jeri Dawson says.

Dawson is the Aftercare Coordinator at Anderson Funeral Home and also the coordinator for its New Horizons grief care program.

Both programs are designed to provide education and emotional support for the loss of a spouse or loved one.

“Our contact doesn’t end after the funeral,” said Dawson.

Her role at Anderson Funeral Home is a part-time one after a career in real estate. “My entire life has been helping people, Dawson said.

As aftercare coordinator, Dawson leads grief classes each spring and fall. “They have to learn the steps of grieving,” Dawson said of people who take the class.

The six-week long class is free and open to anyone who has lost a loved one, not just for clients of Anderson Funeral Home, and draws people from up to 50 miles from Alexandria. Dawson also emphasizes that it is not just for spouses and some people even go through the class more than once.

Those who go through the class are asked to provide comments as part of an evaluation. She said a common theme is, “I didn’t realize the

importance of grief. I didn’t realize what I was feeling and experiencing was all part of grieving.”

The classes take place at Anderson’s on Broadway so that people can have that feeling of moving on from the services provided at Anderson Funeral Home on Voyager Drive.

In addition to the grief seminars, there are less formal activities for those seeking support under the name New Horizons. The activities range from something as simple as Saturday morning coffee to trips to the Minnesota State Fair.

A summer houseboat cruise on Lake Minnewaska drew 38 people. Dawson said the most popular events are holiday-related. Christmas and Valentine’s Day events can draw up to 75 people.

And a card-playing group that started by meeting twice a month now meets weekly with sometimes more than 20 people.

Dawson said that while outings, card games and meals are fun, there are always conversations that are part of the healing process.

When people are asked to introduce themselves to new people in the group, there are many that say, “I don’t know where I would be today without New Horizons.”

While the groups are free, there is a charge for some activities, but the funeral home helps subsidize the cost to help keep it low. “We only charge what is necessary,” Dawson said.

One activity that does that take place at the Voyager Drive location is the making of “Andy Bears.” The stuffed teddy bears are dressed in clothes made from garments worn by a loved one who has died. Volunteers sew the clothing for the bears that can then provide a pleasant reminder of a lost loved one.

Dawson said she feels fortunate to be a part of the Anderson team in providing such a needed service.

“Grief comes in one size,” she said. “And it’s extra large.”

JERI DAWSON Aftercare Coordinator

Jeri Dawson / Aftercare Coordinator

Our contact doesn’t end after the funeral.

Alexandria •Elbow Lake • Parkers Prairie • Glenwood

Support staff finds inspiration through grief

By Beth Leipholtz eleipholtz@echopress.com

It was her mother’s own involvement with Anderson Funeral Home that started Colleen Boesen’s interest in becoming part of their support staff.

“My mother was a hostess in 1940 for Tom and Dave’s grandfather,” Boesen said. “She was so impressed with his kindness, caring and professionalism that she always spurred my interest in mortuary science.”

For Eileen Eiser, it was her position as a parish nurse at St. Mary’s Church that lead her to continue wanting to work with people who were grieving.

“At that time, I worked a lot with parishioners who were dealing with death of a loved one,” she said. “I found this a very positive experience. After I left St Mary’s, I thought, ‘I really want to continue working in this field.’”

Boesen’s responsibilities include helping behind the scenes at funerals, while Eiser works as a hostess.

“My responsibility is to extend the hospitality to the family who is experiencing the death of a loved one and to their guests,” Eiser said. “I stand at the door, greet people, direct them when needed, and be there for family throughout the visitation.”

Boesen has been involved with Anderson’s for about three and a half years. In that time, she says she has observed many meaningful moments.

“There have been many touching moments we have witnessed and knew they were the hands and the touch of Jesus,” she said. “In one case, it didn’t matter to this director that he had a beautiful suit on. He knelt on the ground to hold an elderly grieving lady at the cemetery as she said goodbye to her husband.”

According to Eiser, it has been powerful to be part of funeral services, especially because they all differ.

“There are no two funerals that are the same,” she said. “I have watched and observed our funeral directors meet the needs and wishes of these families.”

Both women say that helping others through grief has been more rewarding than they ever imagined.

“Everyone else comes first,” Boesen said. “You are second. I think it’s such a good feeling to help human beings at such a hard time in their life...I don’t think I’ve ever done anything where I’ve been so inspired.”

My responsibility is to extend the hospitality to the family who is experiencing the death of a loved one and to their guests.

EILEEN EISER Support Sta

Left, the dining room at Anderson Funeral Home. Center, the chapel. Far right, the sitting area.

Eileen Eiser (left) and Colleen Boesen

Hostesses help families through tough times

By Alex Habberstad ahabberstad@echopress.com

Among the friendly faces at Anderson Funeral Home are those of Jan Melchert and Rachel Barduson, both who serve as hostesses and support staff.

For these women, donning the title hostess was “a career after a career” and a rewarding experience to carry into retirement.

Melchert has been working for the Anderson family for nearly 10 years, and Barduson for about two and a half. As support staff members, Melchert and Barduson focus their attention where it is needed most at the funeral home – on the families they serve.

“It’s a difficult time for all families, so anything we can do to ease their minds, we will,” said Barduson. “Our main goal is to make sure every family feels like we’re there just for them.”

During funeral services and visitations, their duties can range from greeting guests, serving refreshments, meeting family member’s needs and keeping them comfortable, to being a much-needed shoulder to cry on.

“It’s very rewarding to be that person that the family looks to at the end of the night. We’re the ones left here with them. Sometimes a grieving widow is here and just needs a hand and someone to listen to her talk about her spouse. We’re helping them through their grieving process,” said Melchert.

The career – although endlessly rewarding – has its hard days, shared Melchert and Barduson. Both agreed that services for families dealing with a sudden and tragic loss is the most heart-wrenching.

“Sometimes it’s challenging to stay composed, but we need to be the rocks they can rely on,” said Melchert.

Barduson and Melchert, as well as all other support staff members, recognize the delicacy of the role they play and embrace it with care and compassion.

“We’re a part of their grieving,” explained Barduson. “When they see us, they seem to connect with us and understand they can talk to us. It puts them at ease. Even though death is hard, they have someone to turn to.”

For both women, each day of work is different than the day before. All in all, both agreed they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We give out hugs and get a lot of hugs in return,” said Melchert with a smile. “It’s like we’re one big family taking care of other families.”

It’s a difficult time for all families, so anything we can do to ease their minds, we will.

RACHEL BARDUSON

Hostess

Rachel Barduson (left) and Jan Melchert

“Some people say, ‘How can you do this job? I would cry all the time,’” Stern said. “And I tell them, ‘Oh, I cry.’ I attempt to compose myself when we’re in arrangements, but sometimes you hear some phenomenal stories or you hear things people have been through. It’s hard not to cry when other people cry.”

In addition to being a funeral director, Stern is also part of the Community Suicide Awareness Group.

“It started this year,” she said. “It’s something we’re really trying to do to promote awareness and education in the community as to suicide and different avenues of health and resources that are out in the community. … I’m pretty honored to be a part of that.”

She also serves as a co-organizer of the Andy Bear Project, an event in which families can make a stuffed bear to remember their loved ones by.

“Twice a year, we invite all families in to bring in clothing or fabric of their loved ones,” Stern said. “Volunteers help them actually make a bear they can take home in their loved one’s memory. These Andy Bear events have become two of my favorite days of the year here at the funeral home.”

As for receiving the Business and Industrial Appreciation Day award, Stern says it’s truly an honor, but she also says it’s about so much more than the award.

“I try to take care of every family like I would want my family taken care of,” she said. “We really do our best. It’s an honor that we’ve been chosen for this award, but that any family chooses us to serve them at this sensitive time in their life is an honor we are always grateful for.”

I try to take care of every family like I would want my family taken care of.

JULIE STERN

Funeral Director

IVERSON

continued from 4

Legacy of the Lakes Museum, Carlos Creek Winery, and having a reception at the family’s home. “We are very good at being open to ideas and letting families create their service,” he said. “It doesn’t always have to be in a church, doesn’t have to be structured. We want to bring meaning in. We just want to create a meaningful event that can move the family through their grief.”

Though one funeral director typically takes the lead and sees an arrangement the whole way through, Iverson says he and his coworkers often act as a team.

“In our culture, we’re all individuals,” he said. “Not one of us makes arrangements the same. We all bring our own personalities, our own attributes. But when you put us all together, we’re a really great team. We feed off of each other.”

Because Douglas County is a small community, Iverson often runs into families he has planned services for when he is out and about and they often express gratitude.

“I just ran into a woman the other day and she gave me the biggest hug,” he said. “It’s fun to see that, and great for my kids to see that there’s meaning to dad’s work.”

Though the work can be trying at times, Iverson says it’s more than worth it.

“Yes, it can be hard, it can be demanding, it can have crazy hours,” he said. “But when it comes down to it, it’s such a rewarding career.”

In our culture, we’re all individuals. Not ne of us makes arrangements the same. We bring our own personalities, our own attributes. But when you put us all together, we’re a really great team.

ALAN IVERSON Funeral Director

the decisions that are made and give us the technology we need.”

Unlike some funeral directors, Buysse doesn’t have any family members in the industry. “But in the back of my mind, this was something that I always wanted to do – helping people,” he said.

It’s a decision he’s never regretted.

“It can be very stressful, very demanding and very sad.” he said, “but knowing that you’re helping people get through the hardest part of their lives is very gratifying.”

Buysse has forged good bonds with the families he’s met through the years. Each family is unique with their own ways of sharing information and expressing their feelings, he said. As a funeral director, he treats each family with the utmost respect.

Buysse said the process of burying or saying goodbye to a loved one is one of layers. Each layer plays an important part in helping a family journey through their loss. The funeral home offers comfort through the planning of the arrangements; the viewing brings family and friends together; the funeral service delivers a healing message of love, often through music and scripture or verse. For some, the love of God and the sanctity of a loved one being in heaven provides great comfort. For those without ties to religion, there is still healing and spirituality in ceremony and ritual.

“When families first come to us, they hurt and people cry,” Buysse said. “That doesn’t go away, but after time, they come to understand that their loved one still lives in their heart. They’ll still have good days and hard days. That’s the grieving process – ups and downs, highs and lows. We are

all here to help families turn those dark valleys into a better place where they can celebrate the life of their loved one.”

After the funeral, Anderson’s doesn’t fade away. It offers a variety of outreach, support and after-care services. In the early 1990s, it started “New Horizons,” a group that brings together widowed persons. It also offers free seminars, newsletters and books to help families grieve. It holds a Christmas Remembrance Service and a June Remembrance Picnic to help keep the memories of loved ones alive. It offers links on its website to support groups and readings that offer comfort to those dealing with loss, including a program – www.thestarclass. com – to help children understand death.

Sometimes, the first step in helping families grieve is encouraging them to talk. Anderson Funeral Home offers a program called “Have the Talk

of a Lifetime.” It’s a deck of conversation cards and each card asks a specific question about the loved one who has died, such as what was his or her first job or how they met their spouse. The program, endorsed by National Funeral Directors Association, is a favorite of Buysse’s. “It helps people to remember and honor the life of their loved one. It also helps to tell the story of one’s life for future generations to hold on to,” he said.

Helping families through the grieving process involves everyone at Anderson Funeral Home, including the support staff that assists with taking care of all the details, Buysse said.

“We have a wonderful team.”

We have a wonderful team.

CRAIG BUYSSE Funeral Director

KENSINGER

Anderson’s is able to conduct a cremation in a timely fashion – important, he said, when you have family coming from all over the country and sometimes even the world for the service. The crematory is licensed by the Minnesota Health Department and inspected once a year by its manufacturer.

All of the funeral directors transport bodies from the place of death to the funeral home, do embalming for burials and prepare bodies for cremation. They help families make plans and carry them out, whether it’s accommodating a large motorcycle contingent or arranging a memorial service in

continued from 7

a home. Outdoor funerals are growing in popularity.

Kensinger tells families it’s OK to tuck mementoes into caskets, and they do. They put in notes, stuffed animals, bottles of whiskey, even golf clubs, fishing rods and, occasionally, a deck of cards.

“We’re pretty much open to anything, as long as it’s not a danger to the public attending the service,” Kensinger said.

He also tries to help families get back to living with their loss, pointing them to Anderson’s grief classes.

“We talk about how they’re going to have to find a new normal,” he said. “It is our goal to help them find that.”

PETERMEIER continued from 5

The greatest piece of advice she said her father ever told her about being in the funeral home business is, “Treat the families like your own and you will never go wrong.”

When asked what her favorite part of being a funeral director is, Petermeier used a story to explain her answer: She had taught a class on death and dying to young people. Afterward, one of the students approached her and smiled. He asked if she remembered him. She did. He then told her, “You made my dad not look sick anymore.”

She shared another story of a woman who had lost a loved one and was very traumatized and angry in her grief. After the funeral,

the woman said to her, “Erin, I’ve been hurt and angry, but you made us (the family) feel good again.”

And that is why she loves her profession.

“Those are two of the most memorable stories of my career,” she said. “It is hard to explain it, but to have people put their trust in us; it’s pretty incredible. And, I have formed many friendships during my 20-plus years of doing this.”

An important aspect of being a funeral director that Petermeier wants the public to know is that those folks who work in the funeral business are just normal, average, everyday people like the rest of the population.

“We are a blessed group who get to take care of a wonderful community.”

“It was a wise choice,” Tom said. “I had the right skill set to be a small town funeral director and I thoroughly enjoyed the next 35plus years.”

Today, Anderson Funeral Home employs 24 full and part-time employees, including five funeral directors.

The variety of the job keeps it interesting and rewarding.

“Every day was different. Every family had different needs,” he said. “These families let you into their lives, and helping them sculpt the arrangements and to sit around the table with them – I liked doing that. I learned that the number one trait of a funeral director is listening.”

Some may think that being a funeral director is mostly about taking care of dead bodies, but it’s much more than that, Tom said.

“Death is less than 10 percent of what we do,” he said. “We build relationships with the living relatives, helping them through the process.”

When asked to describe, in just a

few words, what Anderson Funeral Home is about, Tom said, “Caring. Compassion. Ethical. And having a sense of community.”

Being able to maintain deep connections to the community for 145 years is no easy task. The business has to constantly adapt to the community’s needs, Tom said.

“You have to be willing to make tactical changes – just like my great grandfather did, moving from cabinets to caskets,” Tom said.

One of the biggest changes Anderson’s made was in 2006 when it began to offer crematory services. “When I started, there were no cremation funerals in Douglas County. Now over 50 percent of them are,” Tom said.

Another change happened in 2013, when Tom and his brother, Dave, decided to partner with the Vertin Family Funeral Homes, making them the majority local owners of Anderson Funeral Home. Tom said the timing was right for the transition. Dave was thinking about retiring; Tom’s two sons were pursuing careers in other fields; and both Tom and Dave were confident that the Vertin Family would con-

tinue Anderson’s commitment to the community.

“I’ve known the Vertin family for 30 years,” Tom said. “It was time to let go, and I liked the fact that we would continue as minority owners and my boys, if interested, would still have the opportunity to be owners going forward.”

More changes are guaranteed in the future and Anderson’s will continue to adapt, Tom said. He noted that funeral homes are now meeting the demand for those who want a meaningful memory of their loved one by preserving a lock of their hair or a sprinkling of their ashes and incorporating it in jewelry or keepsakes. Cremation tattoos are also getting to be popular.

Winning the Business and Industrial Appreciation Day Award came as a surprise to Tom.

“I was humbled by it,” he said. “I’ve seen the winners through the years and thought to myself that we would never win the award –people don’t know all the things a funeral home does. So I’m ecstatic that we live in a community that recognizes what we do every day.”

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Dave, a graduate from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, started working at the funeral home in 1977 after his father, Paul H. Anderson, the owner of the funeral home, passed away.

Dave had been working at Anderson Furniture on Broadway (where Hennen’s is now). Darrel Flaig was a valued employee of the funeral home from 1929 to 1980. He delayed his plan to retire in 1977 until Dave’s brother, Tom, obtained his degree in mortuary science at the U of M in 1980. Dave earned his mortuary science degree in 1987 and then joined Tom in the funeral business.

Tom served as a funeral director and the operations manager and Dave, certi-

fied as a pre-planning consultant since 1996, worked with families on a daily basis, finding out the type of service they wanted, where they wanted their loved one to be buried and how they would set aside funds for their pre-arrangements.

Dave worked at the funeral home for 38 years. He fondly recalls past funeral directors, Flaig, Silas Naas and Mark Lindsey. “There wasn’t a day I didn’t enjoy,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with this community – the people you are working with and the people you are helping.”

Throughout it all, Anderson Funeral Home strives to give families the compassion and respect they deserve. “Everyone here is told to live by the Golden Rule and treat families like they would want to be treated,” Dave said. “And to give 110 percent, not just 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but all the time, including weekends.”

That same kind of commitment continued when Anderson Funeral Home added crematory services in 2006. In the past, family members had to travel to St. Cloud to say their final goodbyes before a loved one was cremated. Anderson Funeral Home now offers that service at its location. “Their loved one will never leave our care,” Dave said.

The funeral home has been a strong supporter of the community through the years. It’s a main sponsor of the popular Red Willow Arts Coalition’s Concerts on the Courthouse Lawn. The home proudly supports the Jingle Bells telethon every year.

Dave serves on the Knute Nelson Community Foundation. Funeral Directors Alan Iverson and Craig Buysse are active members of the Alexandria Sertoma Club. Buysse has given tours of the funeral home and explained

funeral etiquette. Iverson served as assistant coach for youth baseball and is an assistant den leader for a Boy Scouts pack. Funeral Director Julie Stern is an active member of the Alexandria Rotary Club. Funeral Director Robert Kensinger is actively involved in the Alexandria Lions Club. Pre-arrangement Specialist Kathy Patton volunteers on the board for the Written Gift Foundation and the Elder Network.

Office manager Danielle Lehmkuhl donates blood every two months through the local American Red Cross Chapter.

Other employees contribute to churches, schools, service clubs and projects in the area through their time and talents.

“The community has been very good to us – this is our way of giving back,” Dave said.

We’d let them know that we are there when they need us.”

DAVE ANDERSON continued from 3

Anderson Funeral Home’s roots go back to 1872

By Al Edenlo aedenlo @echopress.com

Anderson Funeral Home was founded in 1872 by Swedish immigrant John Anderson.

He was was trained as a cabinet maker and after settling in Alexandria, he was asked to build caskets for members of the community.

This led to the longest running, family-owned business in Douglas County.

To get a sense of how long the funeral home has served the area, think about Custer’s Last Stand at Little Bighorn.

That happened in 1876 – four years after the home was founded.

Anderson Funeral Home’s ownership stretches across four generations. John Anderson was followed by his son, Carl V. Anderson, as proprietor of the funeral home. And Carl V. Anderson was followed by his son, Paul H. Anderson, the father of Tom and David Anderson.

The Anderson Funeral Home has changed locations only a few times since 1872, affording a sense of reassurance to the families they serve.

HISTORY

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Home

© 2017 Batesville Services, Inc.

John Anderson

HISTORY

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Their first location was in the present Hennen Furniture building on Broadway from 1872-1928. Their second location was on the corner of 7th Avenue West and Cedar Street in what is now the Cedar Rose Inn Bed and Breakfast from 1928-1933. And prior to the current location, the funeral home was located at 7th and Jefferson Street from 1933-2006. In March of 2006, Anderson Funeral Home opened their present location at 659 Voyager Drive NW.

In 2013, the Andersons partnered partnered with the Vertin Family, as local owners. In 2015, Anderson’s on Broadway/Alexandria Cremation Service on Broadway Street opened in order to serve the increasing number of individuals and families requesting cremation. This cooperative venture was aimed at continuing the Anderson tradition of personalized, professional service that families have come to expect.

Together, the staff and owners at Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory said they will operate with the same sense of compassion and courtesy that was evident with the first three generations of the Anderson Family.

Anderson Funeral Home earns national award

By Al Edenlo aedenlo @echopress.com

Anderson Funeral Home recently earned national honors, winning the 2017 Pursuit of Excellence Award.

Presented by the National Funeral Directors Association, the award recognizes firms that have demonstrated a commitment to raising the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to strict ethical and professional standards and providing outstanding service to families and communities.

Anderson Funeral Home was one of approximately 160 funeral homes nationwide that earned the award this year by demonstrating proficiency in several key areas:

Compliance with state and federal regulations.

Providing ongoing education and professional development opportunities for staff.

Offering outstanding programs and resources to bereaved families.

Maintaining an active level of involvement in the community.

Participating and actively serving in the funeral service profession.

Promoting funeral home services through a variety of marketing, advertising and public relations programs.

Honorees are also required to adhere to a Pledge of Ethical Practices.

The association will honor the 2017 recipients on Oct. 30 during its international convention and expo in Boston.

Anderson Funeral Home was selected as the recipient of the 2017 Business and Industrial Appreciation Day (BIAD) Award by the Boards of Directors of the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission and Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.

The BIAD event has honored a Douglas County company each year since 1984. Annually, one company from the region is selected as the BIAD recipient based upon the following factors:

· Growth in number of employees; the impact of the business on the job market.

· Increase in sales and/or unit volume; an indication of continued growth.

· Capital investment; an indication of commitment by the business to increase community capacity.

· Community contributions; evidence of the business investment of time, skills, and resources to assist in community-oriented projects.

A salute from these local businesses below and the advertisers throughout this publication.

Ace Hardware 406 Broadway – Alexandria 320-763-5200

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton 2705 S Broadway – Alexandria 320-763-3360

Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission

324 Broadway, Suite 101, Alexandria, MN 56308

Phone: 320-763-4545 aaedc@alexmn.orgwww.livingalexarea.org

Viking Garge Door Company 706 S McKay Ave. – Alexandria 320-762-2528

Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

206 Broadway, Alexandria, MN 56308 Phone: 320-763-3161 info@alexandriamn.org www.alexandriamn.org

Publisher: Jody Hanson Layout / Design: Lori Mork News Editor: Al Edenlo Photography: Lowell Anderson