Krause Funeral Homes and Milwaukee County go way back. We’ve been part of the Cream City’s landscape for more than 80 years, and our roots run deep and wide in the community. As a family-led team, we often ask ourselves, “How are we making our community a better place?” Without a doubt, the most significant way we extend care to our neighbors in Brookfield, New Berlin, and Milwaukee is by serving families when they lose a loved one.
We do everything possible to help honor and celebrate life because we recognize how difficult it is when a friend or family member dies. Our team takes this role very seriously, knowing what a difference we can make for each person who walks through our doors.
We want to show that same care outside of our funeral home as well. Many on our team hold leadership roles and volunteer at local churches and hospices. Our President, Mark Krause, has carried on the philosophy taught to him by his father and grandfather, who ran Krause Funeral Homes for many decades before him. They were vocal about giving to others, encouraging the staff to reach beyond themselves and contribute to the whole – and they led by example.
One of the ways we do this today is by helping to educate our neighbors about the benefits of preplanning their final arrangements, which include protecting their family from added worry and uncertainty. It’s no secret to us that the topic of death is a sensitive one, and many feel uncomfortable talking about it. That’s why we’ve taken practical steps to help people feel more at ease with our free preplanning events.
Our Pizza and Preplan event features free pizza from local favorite, Vino Cappuccino and gives Milwaukeeans the opportunity to hear about preplanning options and the many benefits of making your funeral wishes known ahead of time. These events have been so popular and well-attended they received national coverage from NBC’s The Today Show and Fox News!
We also offer a Coffee & Donuts event, held every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m., with a similar introduction to preplanning. You might wonder why we place such an emphasis on preplanning, and the answer is simple: After a death, family members are faced with at least 100 tasks and decisions and having a loved one’s wishes documented takes away the guesswork. This is such a relief when a family is dealing with grief, hosting out of town guests, and just try to figure out next steps. Our planning checklist addresses all the questions we’ll need to answer for them, including who to notify, where to find important paperwork, and preferences for a funeral or memorial service. When you preplan, you can take your time thinking through the possibilities, and we’ll keep a meticulous list of your requests on file at no cost.
Many of us here at Krause Funeral Homes have experienced the loss of a loved one, as well as the chaos that often follows. We know how much it helps to have a plan in place, and how useful it is to be guided through the process by caring professionals. It’s our hope that this service helps those in our community gain peace of mind when they need it most.
Be sure to “like” our Facebook page for up-to-date information on upcoming events, classes, and seminars. And you can always reach out to us at one of our four Milwaukee locations so we can help you take steps that will benefit your family for years to come.