Daniel is the fifth generation to join the family in the mortuary business. “We want to continue and merge the two family traditions into one, bringing together everything that is good about each one,” he added. “Art and Val Anderson have a wonderful work ethic and they are helping show me the traditions of Paynesville.”
Art Anderson started in the mortuary business in 1954. He worked three to five years at the Albin Funeral Home in Minneapolis before moving to Paynesville.
“I was looking for a small town where I could start out on my own,” Anderson said. “I purchased the land from Russell Portinga and Hans Hanson was the contractor for the building.”
Over the years, Anderson has added onto the building twice. He even used his hearse to start the ambulance service in Paynesville with Dr. Ray Lindeman and Dr. Myre. “I purchased a new rig every two years at that time for $2,000,” Anderson recalled.
When asked about the sale of the mortuary, Anderson said, “I went into business quietly and I’m going out of business quietly. There comes a time when a person needs to call it quits.”
The funeral home will have a new name to go with the new owner...the Daniel-Anderson Funeral Home. The Daniel Funeral Home was started in 1881 and today has businesses in St. Cloud, St. Joseph, Clearwater, and Sartell.
Michael Daniel, 27, is a 1988 graduate of Cathedral High School, 1992 graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in business administration, and a 1994 graduate with distinction of the University of Minnesota in Mortuary Science. He did his internship with Gill Brothers Funeral Home, Bloomington, before joining the family business in 1995.
“I will bring the experience of the entire Daniel staff to Paynesville. We take pride in seeing the community is involved in the business,” Daniel said. At present working with the home are Dennis Kramer and Virgil Miller.
“I plan to do a death and dying seminar. Grief is a natural process people go through. It is also an individual thing which people have to work through in their own way,” he said.
Daniel plans to expand the choice of services provided by the funeral home. He stressed any preplanning done with Anderson is still in effect. Preplanning services are free. The funeral home offers traditional and cremation services. “We have the resources to handle any size funeral,” he said.
If anyone has any questions, they should feel free to come in and sit down with him. He will answer any question they might have. “We want to offer flexibility to the family to meet their needs,” he added.
Michael is the son of Tom and Donna (Ethen) Daniel, St. Cloud. He has moved into the apartment above the funeral home and looks forward to becoming an active member of the Paynesville community. “I’ve been overwhelmed by the greeting I’ve received thus far,” Daniel said. “The satisfaction of providing a service to a family and seeing them through a difficult time has kept me in funeral service.”