Our History
The Gunderson family has been committed to excellence in funeral service since 1922.
Elmer and Inez Gunderson founded Gunderson Funeral Home at Schenk’s Corners in Madison to serve their neighbors and friends through challenging times. After Elmer’s death at an early age, Inez, while raising seven children, became a licensed funeral director and boldly continued the business at a time when very few women were in the profession. Their son Robert, “Bob,” joined the family-owned business after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Working together Inez and Bob built and opened the current location on Monona Drive in 1957, closing the original Schenk’s Corners location in 1964. Bob’s son Peter “Pete” became the third generation when he joined the firm in 1982 after graduating from the University of Minnesota. Gunderson Funeral Home added three more locations in the 1980s, purchasing Booth Funeral Home in Oregon and Gruber Funeral Homes in Middleton and Cross Plains. Inez remained active in the family business up to her death in 1987.
After over 40 years of managing Gunderson Funeral Homes, Bob semi-retired and passed the torch in 1987 to his son.
Pete continued the tradition of caring, building on the history of service, adding new funeral homes, and refurbishing others while Bob continued as the “Face” of the company until the time of his death in 2005. Over the years Pete added excellent staff, began a unique Aftercare program, provided memorial programs, and supported community events and grief programs.
Pete’s son, Matthew “Matt” joined the family business in 2010, followed by Pete’s nephew Skyler in 2019. Matt’s wife Rachel has worked for the funeral home since 2015. The Gunderson legacy spans four generations, creating feelings of warmth and caring, while also fostering a sense of family pride. Elmer, a grief therapy dog joined the Gunderson family in 2022. Gunderson Funeral Homes serves South-Central Wisconsin through nine locations: Madison, Middleton, Oregon, Cross Plains, Stoughton, Fitchburg, Lodi, Mount Horeb and Black Earth.
We are proud to be the recipient of the Best of Madison for the last several years and to have been named Climate Champion by the Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change in 2024.
In addition, for more than twenty consecutive years, Gunderson Funeral Homes has received the coveted Pursuit of Excellence Award. This award is given to a very select number of funeral homes in the country based on exemplary care of the families they serve and extraordinary community service. Gunderson Funeral Homes continues its dedication to helping you and your family create a true Celebration of Life, honoring the memory of your loved one with respect and dignity. We are committed to providing the highest quality of professional service. Thank you for your trust in us.
Gunderson Funeral Home is dedicated to meeting the wishes of the families that we serve.
Our priority is to provide personalized and meaningful celebrations of life at a fair value. We offer comfort and attention that our clients deserve, and support them in one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Our dedication to excellence extends beyond our front door. We understand that charity and personal stewardship are our duties within the areas we serve. We take pride in our affiliation with local service organizations and are grateful to be active members within our communities. We recognize that we serve a vital purpose as a local resource for grief support and funeral service education.
Let our family, help your family
Contact Gunderson Funeral and Cremation Care today. We are here to provide support and guidance through every decision.
Contact one of our Madison, Middleton, Stoughton, or Fitchburg locations for personalized assistance.