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Hafemeister Funeral Home and Cremation Service
Hafemeister Funeral Home has been serving families in the Watertown area for many years. The staff is honored to be part of the rich history of the community and looks forward to continuing this service for many years to come.
Established in 1922 by Henry Hafemeister, the funeral home initially operated in conjunction with a furniture store until 1999. Raymond Dobbratz and Roland Harder purchased the business from the Hafemeister family. Following Roland's passing in 1974, Ray became the sole owner of the business. In 1999, he sold the funeral home to the Koepsell family, and in 2003, Richard Nienow, who had worked with the firm for over 23 years, purchased it with his wife, Ann.
In 2001, the building underwent a major renovation and expansion to address previous accessibility issues for physically challenged clientele. The original funeral home operated in approximately 6,100 sq. ft., which was inadequate for simultaneous visitations and casket display. The renovated building now spans over 12,200 sq. ft. and includes many improvements, such as:
- A second chapel
- A new entrance
- A business office
- A two-car garage
- A unisex accessible restroom, in addition to separate men's and women's restrooms
- A lounge area equipped with kitchen facilities for visitations
- A children's play area
- An elevator providing access to a casket selection room on the second floor
- A new preparation room that meets the needs and exceeds state regulations
- A sound system for use during visitations and funeral services
- A second lounge on the second floor, adjacent to the selection room, for finalizing funeral arrangements
The facility is fully accessible, with a parking lot accommodating thirty vehicles plus two handicapped stalls, along with ample convenient street parking available nearby. Following the renovation, Hafemeister Funeral Home received the Chamber of Commerce Professional/Service Business of the Year Award for 2001, recognizing the valuable improvements and dedication to the downtown business district.
In the fall of 2013, a state-of-the-art crematory was added to the building, allowing the funeral home to better serve families who choose cremation by having an on-site facility.
In 2021, Michael "Mike" and Mark Nienow, both licensed funeral directors, purchased the funeral home from their parents, Richard and Ann Nienow.
The expertise of the funeral home extends beyond immediate services; they also offer a pre-need program tailored to individual preferences. The staff collaborates closely with various clergy members, cemeteries, fraternal organizations, military groups, and the media. If an individual wishes to plan every detail of their service, the staff assists in fulfilling those wishes. They provide several options for pre-financing funerals for future needs and do not hold any funds for future services. Instead, they work with individuals to determine whether insurance funding or bank trust funding is best suited for them. Services and merchandise can be fully pre-funded, or payments can be made incrementally.
Hafemeister Funeral Home has built a reputable name in the community, recognized for outstanding professional service and merchandise. The staff has long been involved in numerous civic and social groups, as well as religious organizations. They are generous with contributions to local and area fundraisers and offer their professional services and facility at no charge to families who have lost an infant.
Our spacious chapel area can accommodate two visitations simultaneously if necessary.
And, because we control all aspects of the cremation procedure, you are ensured of the highest standards of honesty, accountability and trust from our trained and certified staff.
