Tradition .. Continuity .. Three Generations and A Century of Service to Families and the Community

The century long Vertin Family tradition of first class service began on May 20, 1904 when the family conducted their first funeral service in Breckenridge.

The April 21, 1904 Edition of the Breckenridge Telegraph reported the following:

“Miksche & Vertin, the enterprising proprietors of the Big Store, have added a new feature to their already selected stock of goods in the shape of a complete undertaking establishment. The firm is now ready to handle anything in this line and in a few days, an experienced licensed undertaker will arrive in the city and take charge of this department. They expect to make arrangement to have one of the liverymen of this city purchase a hearse for their use, but if they cannot be made {they} will buy one of their own.”

With a tag around his neck, showing his name and destination, Joseph Vertin, Sr. arrived in Minnesota in 1891 from Austria. He was fifteen years and could speak no English. After attending St. John’s at Collegeville, Minnesota, he finally arrived in Breckenridge in 1898 as a guest of his brother, Math, who was a partner in the Miksche-Vertin Department Store, an operation which boasted twenty-six employees and was known as the largest and finest department store in the Northwest. Joe was associated with the Store for seven years, before meeting Mr. Bill Bentley, who joined with Joe in opening the Bentley-Vertin Grocery Store in 1906.

After the Miksche-Vertin Department Store was destroyed by fire in 1907, brother Math joined the Bentley-Vertin operation to form Vertin Brothers & Bentley, the new business expanding to include crockery, hardware, dry goods and furniture. One year later, Bentley purchased the grocery department, thus making Vertin Brothers Furniture Store and Funeral Home a separate entity.

In 1936, at the same time a separate funeral home facility was added to the original building, Joseph Vertin Jr. graduated from the University of Minnesota, School of Mortuary Science, and joined his father in the business.

The name was changed to Joseph Vertin & Sons Furniture Store and Funeral home in 1938 after Joseph Sr.’s three sons joined their father in the business.

In 1952, Joseph Sr. retired, and the furniture store and funeral home operation were then made separate. At this time, Joseph Sr. “passed the torch” to his son, Joseph Jr.

Thomas Vertin joined his father in the family business in 1969 after completing his studies at the University of Minnesota, and now serves as the representative of the third generation of Joseph Vertin & Sons. Thomas Vertin is a licensed funeral director, along with Hugh Mikkelson and Doyle Gylten. Also serving families at the funeral home are Ann Deal, Office Manager and Prearrangement Specialist, Leah O’Leary, Funeral Assistant, Megan Vertin, Funeral Assistant, and Jeanne Putnam, Aftercare Coordinator.

An open house was held at Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home on Sunday, November 14, 1993, to celebrate a major remodeling project. The only major renovation up to this was the construction of an office addition in 1977.

The renovation of the 31 year-old structure was an important step in the long line of progress in the family owned business. Bringing the “home” atmosphere back into the funeral home setting was the basic concept behind the project. The renovation made the funeral home completely handicapped-accessible and more in tune with today’s needs. The building is now about a third larger than it was previously, with a larger foyer/lobby area, a fireplace, a new chapel, new furnishings, a spacious arrangement room, and a comfortable lounge or second family room.
Today, Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home continues to serve Breckenridge and the surrounding area with their beautifully remodeled facility on North Fifth Street.

In 2003, Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home was honored to receive the Pursuit of Excellence Eagle Award, one of the highest awards in funeral service presented by the largest funeral service organization in the world, the National Funeral Directors Association. Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home is also proud member of the National Funeral Directors Association and has continued to receive this outstanding award in 2004, 2005, and 2006.

At Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home, we are honored to have earned the trust and confidence placed in us by those that we serve. We pledge to continue our century long commitment to family and members of our communities, far into the future.