Merging locations to better serve local communities

To better accommodate Western Wisconsin communities, specifically Pierce County, as well as to offer a complete range of grief services, the locally owned and operated O’Connell Family Funeral Homes are merging their St. Croix and Pierce County locations in Hudson, Baldwin, Ellsworth, Prescott, and River Falls. The Pierce County funeral homes, previously owned by Tom & Mike O’Connell and a partner, will now be run solely by the O'Connell Family and their dedicated staff. Each site will remain open and, with their unification, will now have the benefit of streamlined operations and consistent offerings, including on-site cremation. “We aren’t trying to get bigger,” says funeral director Mike O’Connell, “only looking to assist the surrounding areas with more resources, while continuing to treat every family as if they were our own. We have great overlap between the families we serve in Hudson & Baldwin and with the communities of Pierce County. It only made sense to bring them all together so we can serve the communities even better.” The O’Connell family has a long and trusted relationship with Hudson, starting with Frank O’Connell back in 1926. One of the first graduates of the University of Minnesota Mortuary Science program, he opened a mortuary in Hudson that operated until the end of World War II. In 1985, Frank’s nephew, Thomas P. "Tucker" O'Connell, brought the family business back to Hudson. With the help of his two sons, Dan and Mike, they worked diligently to reconnect with the community and provide much-needed services. And, like the Irish Claddagh in their logo, they honor what's important to all of us - Love, Loyalty, and Friendship - when celebrating a life lived. Although Tom and Dan have since passed, their legacy lives on. Mike and his team continue their tradition of exemplary personal care and commitment to the families of St. Croix and Pierce Counties, as well the greater Western Wisconsin area and beyond, including Minnesota. One of the most important and significant results of the merger is the accessibility to the on-site crematory at the Baldwin location – a dignified option for all families working with any of the O’Connell locations. According to their website, “In response to our growing unease when using an off-site crematorium for our families, [we] opened our own state-of-the-art crematory in 2005.” “The result has been overwhelming. We control EVERY aspect of the process while offering an unparalleled customized service for each family at an affordable price.” A local crematory operated by a small funeral business reduces the need for sending the deceased increasingly far away or even out-of-state for cremations to be handled by untrained individuals. The cremations at Baldwin are operated solely by licensed funeral directors and those with Crematory Operator training, and even by the same staff who have walked with the families earlier during the funeral arranging process. This familiarity for families creates consistency and a commitment for exceptional care. Head to our website to read the full blog.