The owners of the Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield hosted a grand opening for their newly-finished facility at 803 Oak Street along Highway 35 last Wednesday, March 27 with a good turnout from the public.
The new 7,000-square foot, state of the art facility features a large lobby with seating area to allow people to gather prior to a service, a new chapel with seating for more than 200, a coffee bar and lounge area, and streaming services with video and sound capability for services.
“We wanted to build a facility that would accommodate smaller, family funerals and larger community funerals, but still offering a warm welcoming environment to everyone who enters. We feel this new facility is a great addition to Wakefield and surrounding communities,” said Tony Smith.
The owners also added a community room for families that want to gather following a service, including a full kitchen that is set up for catering. The community room can seat up to 150 people, and also serves as overflow from the chapel. The community room can also be rented for private events or family functions.
An additional, unique, feature of the new building is the children’s room – complete with children’s entertainment, movies, books, toys and a table and chairs at their size for kids to play at during events.
The main features are capped off with a conference room allows staff meet with families in private to make funeral arrangements. “We have designed this room to make families feel as comfortable as possible during the grieving process,” said Smith.
The original funeral home in Wakefield was built by Warren and Betty Bressler in 1960.
In 2000, the Munderloh family expanded into Wakefield and purchased Bressler Funeral Home.
In 2012, the Munderloh family entered into a partnership with the Smith family creating Munderloh-Smith Funeral Homes, and in early 2022 the families decided it was time to build a new facility to help meet the future expectations and needs of the families they serve.
The Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home team provides services in five locations across the area: Wakefield, Emerson, Walthill, Bancroft and Pender. The business can be found online at www.munderlohfuneralhome.com, or by email at munderlohsmith@gmail.com, or by calling 402-287-2331.