Our History

During this time, they were featured twice in national trade journals for their seminars and teachings in the fields of grief, thanatology, and death. Upon their retirement in 1988, their son, John Dobmeier, and his wife, Terry, purchased the funeral home and continued the tradition of excellence for the next twenty-three years, also raising their family in the landmark facility.

The history of funeral service in Barnesville dates to 1907 when the original Charles Oliver mansion at 503 4th Street SE became the Collins Funeral Home.

In 1958, Don and Margaret Dobmeier purchased the Collins Funeral Home, and operated the funeral business from the main and lower levels while they raised their family in the upstairs living area. For the next thirty years, they served Barnesville and the surrounding area in a manner that was second to none. During this time, they were featured twice in national trade journals for their seminars and teachings in the fields of grief, thanatology, and death. Upon their retirement in 1988, their son, John Dobmeier, and his wife, Terry, purchased the funeral home and continued the tradition of excellence for the next twenty-three years, also raising their family in the landmark facility.

In 2011, Dobmeier Funeral Home was purchased by Thomas Vertin, third-generation funeral director from Breckenridge, MN, whose belief is deeply rooted in providing exceptional service to families and in the importance of communities being served by a local funeral home. In November 2012, Duane Morey returned to his hometown and became the manager of Dobmeier; interestingly, Duane's desire to enter the funeral profession stemmed from a high school tour of the funeral home that John Dobmeier and Gayle Solum, a former teacher, guided.

In 2019, many changes in funeral service signaled it was time to invest in a location that would better meet the needs and expectations of families and the business moved to 202 Front Street North in Barnesville. At that time, the name was changed slightly to Dobmeier Funeral & Cremation Service, letting families know that, in addition to burial, cremation is a type of disposition offered in cooperation with a shared crematory facility in Fergus Falls.

The updated facility features a welcoming lobby, a central chapel, and several gathering areas of various sizes. Also, technology enhancements allow for high-quality video tributes, flexibility for viewing a service from other seating locations, and webcasting. The building is completely accessible and has generous off-street parking.