About Us

Our History

Vintage black pickup truck parked in front of a house, with a circular sign on its side.
Aerial view of a white house with a brown roof and evergreen trees along a street.
Watercolor of a red-brick train station with blue awnings on a snowy, empty street.

MAUER JOHNSON FUNERAL HOME HISTORY


1882

Patzig & Traeder was founded by Louis Patzig and Albert Traeder.


1884

Albert Traeder passed away, and the business was renamed Patzig and Co.
Louis Patzig moved the business to a new location at the corner of Central and 1st St NW.

1886

John Beely joined the business, and Chris Fissel purchased Louis’ shares;
the business was renamed Beely and Fissel Funeral Home.


1906

John Beely became the sole owner and changed the name to

Beely Funeral Home and Furniture Store.

John Beely’s sons-in-law Lloyd Mauer (married to Martha) and
Caleb Garton (married to Anna) joined the family business.


1921
John Beely retired.

1931

Lloyd Mauer became the sole owner and renamed the businesses as:

Mauer Funeral Home and Mauer Furniture Store.


1933

Lloyd’s son, Robert ‘Bob’ Mauer, joined the business.


1936

Lloyd expanded the funeral home into the building at 112 Central Ave NE in Le Mars.
The furniture store also expanded into a second location managed by Lloyd’s
brother-in-law, John Kammerer, at 108 Central Ave NE in Le Mars. Both furniture
locations were closed in 1970 following a fire at the nearby grocery store.


1954

Lloyd’s son-in-law, Earl Tammes (married to Dorothy), joined the business, and Lloyd retired.

1967

Gary and Nancy Johnson purchased Luken Funeral Home, 401 Central Ave NW, in Le
Mars. They also ran the ambulance until it was taken over by the City of Le Mars.


1973

Bob Mauer and Earl Tammes purchased Nelson Funeral Home in Marcus and changed the name to Nelson-Mauer Funeral Home.


1983
Bob Mauer retired.

Mauer Funeral Home and Luken-Johnson Funeral Home (owned by Gary & Nancy Johnson) merged to become Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home. Nancy’s brother, Michael Earnest, also joined the business.


1985

Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home purchased Michaelson Funeral Home in Kingsley, Iowa.

Mauer-Johnson Funeral Homes had three locations:

Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home
112 Central Ave NE Le Mars, IA, 51031
Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home
206 E Pine St, Marcus, IA 51035
Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home
313 Barre St, Kingsley, IA 51028


1989
Earl Tammes retired.

1990

Joel Johnson completed his funeral director internship with Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home.

1992

Dan Rexwinkel began working part-time for Mauer-Johnson Funeral Homes.


1995
Gary Johnson retired.

2002

Joel and Nikki (Heissel) Johnson purchased Mauer-Johnson Funeral Homes. They built a new Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home facility in Le Mars at 780 12th St SW (current location). They also owned and operated Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus and Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home in Kingsley.


2007
Nancy Johnson retired.

2025

Dan and Lori Rexwinkel purchased Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars