Nelson-Doran Funeral Home

Nelson-Doran Funeral Home We strive to provide a funeral that, even though you may be heartbroken over the death, it is also beautiful, meaningful, and uplifting. Albert E. Losey. Isaac T.

It's the kind of funeral you remember, even years later, because it was the perfect tribute to someone very special. Brainerd's first undertaking firm was that of Mr. He came to Brainerd in 1882. Dean joined him in 1884. Mr. Losey continued in this business until his death in 1910. The next undertaker in Brainerd - in addition to Losey and Dean, was a man named Daniel M. Clark. Clark was in business here for 40 years, until his retirement in 1923. He died 10 year later in November of 1933. In 1910, after the death of Mr. Losey, B. C. McNamara was added to the list of undertakers. He was employed prior to coming to Brainerd in 1908 as a licensed embalmer for 6 years in the Twin Cities. He spent 2 years in Brainerd before going into business for himself. In 1924, after D. M. Clark retired. B. McNamara took over his undertaking business and renamed it the McNamara Funeral Home. Daniel E. Whitney of Sauk Center, an employee of Losey and Dean, took over the operation of the firm after the death of Mr. Dean in 1914. During the time from 1920-1927, only Whitney and McNamara are listed as the only undertakers in this period of Brainerds history after the retirement of D. In 1954, John Nelson purchased the Whitney Funeral Home at 720 Front Street and in 1956, Thomas Doran purchased the Hoenig Funeral Home at 502 Front Street. In 1960, the Nelson Funeral Chapel and the Doran Funeral Chapel merged to create the Nelson-Doran Funeral Home. At that time they built the new facility at it's current location, on the east side of Brainerd. In 1987 John Nelson retired and Thomas Doran continues with his son Michael Doran, who joined the firm in 1987. Erik Christensen joined the firm in 1988. During the winter of 1996, a cremation facility was added to the Brainerd Chapel. John Nelson died on January 9, 2003.

Wishing you all a season of hope and promise.
04/05/2026

Wishing you all a season of hope and promise.

04/02/2026

Douglas John Pockrandt, age 79, of Nisswa died on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Nisswa. Family and friends are invited to gather for one hour prior. Interment will be at Green...

Deborah “Deb” Marie Hoffmann, 74, of Brainerd, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Essentia Health – S...
04/01/2026

Deborah “Deb” Marie Hoffmann, 74, of Brainerd, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Essentia Health – St. Joseph’s Medical Center, surrounded by the love of her family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, at St. Francis Catholic C...

View Deborah Marie Hoffmann's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

Daniel Raymond Levno, Brainerd, went home to be with Jesus surrounded by his loving family on Monday, March 30th at the ...
03/30/2026

Daniel Raymond Levno, Brainerd, went home to be with Jesus surrounded by his loving family on Monday, March 30th at the age of 75 in the log home that they built together.

Born to Raymond and Dorothy “Dot” Levno on July 5, 1950 in Little Falls, MN, Dan grew up the oldest of seven in Robbinsd...

View Daniel Raymond Levno's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

03/30/2026

Patrick ‘Pat’ Ray Morcomb, age 75, of Brainerd died on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at his home.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Nelson-Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd. Family and friends are invited to gather for one hour prior to the service.

Pat w...

Preparation and reflection = two essential tools for almost every season of life.
03/29/2026

Preparation and reflection = two essential tools for almost every season of life.



Did you know that each fold of the flag has a specific meaning: First Fold – Life: Represents life itself.Second Fold –...
03/27/2026

Did you know that each fold of the flag has a specific meaning:

First Fold – Life: Represents life itself.

Second Fold – Eternal Life: Symbolizes belief in eternal life.

Third Fold – Tribute to Veterans: Honors and remembers veterans who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country.

Fourth Fold – Weakness and Faith: Represents human frailty and the trust citizens place in God for guidance in peace and war.

Fifth Fold – Tribute to the Country: Acknowledges the United States, reflecting Stephen Decatur’s words: “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong”.

Sixth Fold – Heartfelt Allegiance: Symbolizes where our hearts lie, pledging allegiance to the flag and the republic it represents.

Seventh Fold – Armed Forces: Honors the military, recognizing their role in protecting the nation and its flag.

Eighth Fold – Tribute to the Fallen and Mothers: Honors those who entered the “valley of the shadow of death” and pays tribute to mothers.

Ninth Fold – Womanhood: Recognizes the faith, love, loyalty, and devotion of women who shaped the character of the nation.

Tenth Fold – Fatherhood: Honors fathers who have contributed to the defense of the country through their children.

Eleventh Fold – Hebrew Faith: Represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, glorifying God in the eyes of Hebrew citizens.

Twelfth Fold – Christian Faith: Symbolizes eternity and glorifies God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in the eyes of Christian citizens.

Thirteenth Fold – National Motto: When fully folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of the national motto, “In God We Trust”.

0:00 - 0:23 - Intro0:23 - 0:36 - How to Properly Hold the Flag 0:36 - 0:41 - Step 10:41 - 1:10 - Step 21:10 - 2:10 - Step 32:10 - 2:18 - OutroIn this step-by...

03/26/2026

We are there when you need.




03/25/2026



Richard D. “Rick” Williams, 73, of the Brainerd Lakes Area, formerly of Pine Center and Garrison, passed away Thursday, ...
03/23/2026

Richard D. “Rick” Williams, 73, of the Brainerd Lakes Area, formerly of Pine Center and Garrison, passed away Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Essentia Health – St. Joseph’s Medical Center with his soulmate and girlfriend, Gloria Nelson, by his side after 20 years of debilitating health conditions, incl...

View Richard Duane Williams's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

A little planning today can bring a lot of peace tomorrow!
03/23/2026

A little planning today can bring a lot of peace tomorrow!




If you need assistance with tidying up a loved one's grave space - reach out to Jed and team at Harting Helpers!
03/21/2026

If you need assistance with tidying up a loved one's grave space - reach out to Jed and team at Harting Helpers!

Address

202 8th Avenue NE
Brainerd, MN
56401

Telephone

+12188294755

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Nelson-Doran Funeral Home posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Nelson-Doran Funeral Home:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category