Meet Our Staff

Meet Our Staff

Lon Swedberg Lon began his career in funeral service at the age of 8 when he would help his father at their family funeral home in Webster, Wisconsin. Lon attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls for three years and graduated cum laude from the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in 1969. After becoming a licensed Funeral Director, he moved to Shawano with his wife Ellen to work for the Born Funeral Home. In 1978, he and his wife became part owners of the funeral home and purchased the balance in 1985. Since then the Swedbergs have owned and operated both Swedberg Funeral Home locations, one in Shawano and one in Gresham. In March of 2004, Lon was awarded the CPC (Certified Preplanning Consultant) Certification. Lon is very active in the Shawano community as a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Shawano Rotary Club, Gresham Lions Club, Shawano Masonic Lodge, Shawano Shrine Club, BEJA Shrine Temple, Whitetails Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Ruffled Grouse Unlimited, the local Muskie Club and is on the board of directors of the Shawano Area Community Foundation.

Ellen Swedberg Ellen graduated from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. In 1971, she moved to the Shawano area with her husband Lon where she worked as a nurse until she was needed at the funeral home. In 1978 she and Lon became part owners of the funeral home and then purchased the balance in 1985. Since then Ellen has acted as Vice-President and Co-owner of Swedberg Funeral Home and attends to many of the bereavement and educational issues in funeral service. She is active in the community through her memberships in the Shawano Area Community Foundation Grants Committee, the Friends of Hospice Board, Zion Lutheran Church, and as a co-founder of the ROADS (Reaching Out Against Depression and Suicide) Organization. Ellen has recently been selected to serve on the Consumer Recipient Cub-Committee as part of the National Suicide Prevention Initiative through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). She is a volunteer for the Public Health Department, which offers immunization clinics. Ellen also donates her time and knowledge of health care to community health organizations.

Paul Mastalir Paul is a licensed Funeral Director with over 30 years of experience in funeral service. He attended UWC-Manitowoc and the Milwaukee Area Technical College where he earned a Funeral Service degree in 1976. Paul moved to Shawano in 1985 with his wife Helen and family and joined the Swedberg Funeral Home staff in September of that year. He is active in the community and is a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Shawano FFA Alumni, Junior Achievement and is a JCI Senator. Paul and Helen have three children.

Richard Menning Richard grew up in Shawano and was a graduate of Shawano High School. He graduated from Carroll College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and from the Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science in 1964 with a Funeral Service degree. Richard worked in funeral service for four years in the Shawano area until deciding to pursue other interests. In July of 2002, he returned to funeral directing and joined the Swedberg Funeral Home staff. He is an active member of Peace United Church of Christ where he is a choir member and a past President. He is also a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shawano Shrine Club, and BEJA Shrine Temple. He and his wife Judy have three children and six grandchildren.

Carol Darm Carol has been the administrative assistant at Swedberg Funeral Home since March of 1997. Carol and her husband Don are members of St. James Lutheran Church. They spend much of their free time at their cottage and with their children and grandchildren.

Jim Moldenhauer After working at the Buss Cheese Factory in Caroline for 40 years, Jim retired and joined the Swedberg Funeral Home staff in 1991. He is responsible for the grounds, building and vehicle maintenance, as well as assisting at funeral services. Outside of work, he is extremely involved in his church and the community. Jim has served as the Congregation President, an Elder, and as chair of many of the committees at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in the Town of Pella for many, many years. He has been married to his wife Jean for 55 years. They have four children and three grandchildren.

Jennifer Heimdahl Jennifer finished coursework at the University of Minnesota's Mortuary Science Program in the spring of 2002. In April of that year, she joined the staff of Swedberg Funeral Home as an Apprentice Funeral Director and became licensed on May 6, 2003. Since that time, she has made the Shawano area her home and enjoys spending her free time working on her more than one hundred year old farmhouse in the Town of Richmond.

Bob Wendt

Jennifer Meyers Jennifer became a part of the funeral home staff in the Fall of 2003 as an administrative assistant. Jennifer attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater studying marketing, management, and geography. She moved back to the Shawano area in the Summer of 2002. She is a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – Stony Hill. Jennifer enjoys spending her free time with her family.

Nancy Bennett Nancy Bennett began working with Swedberg Funeral Home in August of 2004 as an Advance Planning Consultant. Nancy has lived in the Shawano area her entire life, and has been active in the financial service industry for many years. She obtained her State of Wisconsin Life and Health Insurance License in 1990 and her Series 7 Security License in 1997. She also has the designations of Life Underwriting Training consultant (LUTCF) and Fraternal Insurance Consultant (FIC), and is an active member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA). She and her husband, Merrill, attend the Shawano Assembly of God church. They enjoy spending their free time with their children and grandchildren at their home on the Embarrass River.

Ginger Swedberg Ginger graduated from Shawano High School in 1993. She has attended college at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, The University of Tampa in Tampa, FL., and is currently enrolled at Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, WI. She is now serving her apprenticeship at Swedberg Funeral Home in Shawano. She is very active with ROADS (Reaching Out About Depression and Suicide) and enjoys hobbies such as; crocheting, beading, purse making, cooking, baking and outdoor activities such as skiing and rollerblading.

Todd Swedberg Todd is a 1998 graduate of Shawano High School. He continued his education at UW Milwaukee, graduating with a psychology degree in May of 2005. He will be attending mortuary school at Milwaukee Area Technical College in the fall of 2006. He is now working on his apprenticeship at Swedberg Funeral Home in Shawano.