Carlson Funeral Service, Inc. is an independent, family-owned funeral home dedicated to providing dignified caring funeral services to the Rhinelander community and surrounding area for four generations. Our professional staff is available twenty-four hours a day to respond immediately to the needs of families who have experienced the loss of a loved one and to provide guidance and counsel in regard to all aspects of funeral services and disposition. Death presents many challenges to the heart and mind and our staff is here to assist in all ways possible to meet these challenges and ensure that the needs and wishes of your family are met to your utmost satisfaction.

Since 1926, our firm has served persons of all faiths and from all walks of life and has strived to continually improve the quality of our service, facilities, and equipment. Our family is here not only as funeral professionals but as a friend and neighbor. When you entrust the care of your family and loved one to our firm, you can expect to be treated not as a client or customer but as a friend and neighbor by the funeral directors you see every day; at church, the grocery store, or a high school sporting event.

Carlson Funeral Service offers a wide range of affordable options in regard to funerals and disposition tailored to meet each individual’s wishes and needs. Whether you choose a full service funeral with visitation, church service, and earth burial or direct cremation with a private memorial service, we are here to provide the staff and facilities you need to allow a secure and caring environment as you deal with the issues of death and healing.

Thank you for visiting our website and we sincerely hope you will take advantage of the additional information contained here. Please feel free to contact us in person if you have questions regarding funeral options, costs, pre-funding plans, or if we may be of further service in any way. Carlson Funeral Service, Inc.; providing dignified and caring funeral service today and tomorrow, just as we have been for four generations.

Meet Our Staff:

All members of the Carlson Funeral Service, Inc. professional team have completed the educational, testing, and apprenticeship requirements to obtain their Funeral Directors License as issued by the Funeral Director’s Examing Board of the State of Wisconsin. Every two years, all staff members must obtain at least fifteen hours of approved continuing education in order to maintain their licenses as well as to keep abreast of the latest advances in technology and funeral service options that we can offer our families. Each of our licensed directors belongs to the National Funeral Directors Association, Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association, and the Wisconsin Valley Funeral Directors Association. Carlson Funeral Service, Inc. is also a member by invitation of The Order of the Golden Rule. In order to achieve membership in these exclusive organizations, our firm must meet high standards in providing compassionate and professional service to our families as evaluated by other members of our profession. Our voluntary memberships in these organizations aides us in the goal of providing the most quality and professional services possible to the families and loved ones entrusted to our care and holds our firm accountable to higher standards than many other funeral service providers.

D. Bruce Carlson - President Bruce is the fourth generation of the Carlson family to serve Rhinelander and the surrounding community as a funeral director at Carlson Funeral Service, Inc. Bruce graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1978, attended the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, and received his bachelor of science degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota. He joined the firm as a licensed funeral director in 1984. He and his wife, Renee, have two children, Michael and Katie. Bruce has been very involved in both community and professional affairs since joining the firm. He is a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church where he is an usher and counting team member. He served on the church council including a term as congregation president. He is a member of the Rhinelander Lions Club and served as club president as well as chairman of numerous work projects throughout the community. Bruce was a member of the Northwoods United Way Board of Directors for three terms and served as the group’s president as well as drive chairman and was also a member of the Rhinelander Rotary Club, being presented with the Paul Harris Fellowship award by the club. Wisconsin Governor, Tommy Thompson, appointed Bruce to two terms on the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Examing Board which oversees regulations and licensing for all funeral directors in the state and was elected four times as chairman of this board. Currently, he serves on the St. Mary’s Hospital Board of Directors, St. Mary’s Foundation, and on the boards of the hospice and palliative care programs at the hospital. When not overseeing the operation of Carlson Funeral Home, Bruce enjoys the Green Bay Packers, golf, fishing, hunting, and assisting his children with their interest in competitive swimming.

John Mayo John is originally from Antigo, Wisconsin, and graduated from Antigo High School in 1985. He attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and received an associates degree in funeral service from Milwaukee Area Technical College. He served his apprenticeship at a large funeral home in Milwaukee before joining the Carlson firm in 1990. John is married to Amy Carlson and joins Bruce as both an employee and brother-in-law. He has two sisters and two brothers with both brothers following him into funeral service as directors in Milwaukee and Madison. Since coming to Rhinelander, John has been involved in a number of community organizations. He is a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church and served on the church council as secretary. He was a member of the Rhinelander Lions club including terms as club president and as chairman of many club projects. He was a three term member of the Northwoods United Way Board of Directors where he served as president and a member of the allocations committee. He was also a past member of the Rhinelander Rotary Club and Rhinelander Jaycees where he served as president and treasurer. John was also a past board member of the Rhinelander Downtown Development Association. In his free time, John and his wife enjoy all the activities the Northwoods has to offer including hunting and fishing as well as travel and time spent with their nieces and nephews.