Free Pig Roast Celebrates Poole Funeral Homes' 100th Anniversary

Editor's note: The following information is taken from a press release from Poole Funeral Home in Port Washington.

One family, a century of service. The Poole Funeral Home in Port Washington is celebrating 100 years of serving Port Washington and surrounding areas this year.  Three generations of Poole’s have owned and operated the funeral home. 

To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Poole Funeral Home, a pig roast is going to be held on Saturday, June 29, 2013 from 1 - 5 pm in the Poole Funeral Home parking lot at 203 N. Wisconsin Street in Port Washington.  This event is open to the public and free.  The afternoon will start with a time capsule ceremony and those attending can look through time with historic items including a cast iron casket, memorial jewelry and displays. Family entertainment will feature live music by Vinyl Groove and Jer-Bear the Clown. 

William David (W.D.) Poole, from the town of Cedarburg, graduated high school and headed to Milwaukee to learn the undertaking business.  He studied under S.F. Peacock & Son, one of Milwaukee’s leading undertakers, and was licensed in 1905, Wisconsin’s first year of licensing.  He then took the Illinois State Exam and worked with C.H. Jordan & Co., Chicago’s largest funeral directors. In 1913 he moved to Port Washington and bought the funeral business from N.C. Grasser & Son.  Poole Funeral Home opened its doors October 1, 1913 and operated out of storefronts in downtown Port Washington, as funerals were held in the home.

W.D. married Mayme M. Van Ells, the daughter of Port Washington Alderman and fishing businessman Andrew Van Ells, in Cedarburg in 1915.  By 1921 funerals were moving out of the home, so a larger facility was needed.  W.D. moved the business to the Michael Bink Building at 231 N. Franklin Street in Port Washington.  Mayme helped him run the funeral home and also the Railway Express Agency (REA) for Port Washington.  In 1933 she received her funeral directors license.

Erin H. Poole, son of W.D. and Mayme, grew up above the funeral home and in 1939 received his funeral directors license.  He worked with his parents in both the funeral home and REA as he was growing up.  A new and larger funeral home was built in 1940 at 203 N. Wisconsin Street in Port Washington.  In 1945 Marjorie Betz married Erin and was licensed in 1948.  Continuing in his parents footsteps, Erin and Marge ran both businesses together, raising their family above the funeral home.  In 1971 the REA closed the Port Washington office and Erin sold Lakeside Movers, the moving company he founded in 1956.  Throughout the years the funeral home has been privileged to be assisted by men who helped drive cars, set up for services and even met the train for deliveries.   

The youngest son of Erin and Marge, Patrick Poole, currently operates the funeral home and was licensed in 1984.  Kristen Andrews, the daughter of Ken and Laurie Schultz of Saukville, joined Patrick and Marge in 1992 and received her license in 1995.  She is the first non-family member to work as a licensed funeral director for the funeral home.  Together they continue to serve the community.  A crematory was added in 2008 to better serve the community and they adapt to the times and technology.

In recognition of their service to the funeral service profession W.D., Mayme, Erin and Marge have all received 50 year plaques from the Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association.  In 2009 Patrick received his 25 year recognition.  There have been many changes in funeral service over the years. From two day wakes at home and transportation by horse drawn hearse to complete services in a day.  The foundation of service to the family is the same now as it was then. Patrick and Kristen look forward to continuing the tradition of service with honor, passion and strength.

More information can be found at www.poolefh.com or by calling the Poole Funeral Home at 262-284-4431.