Full History

Ken and Merrill Pedersen began serving families in 1963. Originally from the Morris area, the Pedersen brothers soon established a reputation for excellence in providing professional funeral services to the community.

In addition, Ken, Merrill, and their staff provided an ambulance service to the community, with both businesses being operated out of the facility then located at East Sixth Street and California Avenue in Morris.

In February of 1986, a new chapel was added to the existing funeral home and a remodeling of the entire facility was completed. From this expanded facility, the Pedersen brothers served the Morris area until January of 1992, at which time they partnered with Tom Vertin and Vertin Family Funeral Homes, a long-time Pedersen acquaintance and third-generation funeral director from Breckenridge, Minnesota. In November of 1995, Jay Dietz assumed managerial responsibilities.

Design and construction of the new funeral home building, located at 101 South Atlantic Avenue in Morris, was completed in 1998. Also in 1998, Pedersen Funeral Home partnered with Starbuck Funeral Home to extend their services to the Starbuck area. In 2013, Shane Decker took on the role of manager at Pedersen and Starbuck Funeral Homes until 2020.

The first funeral home in Starbuck was built by Mr. A.N. Thorstad in 1907. Mr. Thorstad owned and operated the funeral home until his death in 1938. A second funeral home was operated in Starbuck by the Farmer’s Cooperative Mercantile Company, under the management of E.P. Byhere. This business was sold to Irving Helgeson and Chester F. Peterson in 1932, and they opened the Starbuck Funeral Home on November 9, 1933.

In 1955, a new funeral home facility was built in the south part of Starbuck. After 24 years in partnership, Mr. Helgeson sold his interest in the funeral business to Mr. Peterson, who continued to own and operate the funeral home until 1971. Donald M. Nelson then owned and operated Starbuck Funeral Home until October 15, 1998, when he sold the business to Tom Vertin, and Starbuck Funeral Home joined with Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris. This cooperative venture was aimed at continuing the tradition of superior service to area families.