Our Story
Heritage Funeral Homes was formed by the joining together of three separate funeral businesses in Milwaukee.
In 1914 John T. Scheuerell began assisting the families of Bay View. Following World War II his son John T. Scheuerell Jr., and in 1975 his grandson James E. Scheuerell continued this tradition of service.
After owning another funeral home for many years, Wilfred Tebo and his sons-in-law James Peppey and John B. Klemmer started Tebo Peppey Klemmer Funeral Home in 1965. In 1975 John T. Klemmer joined the firm. Over the years the faces have changed, but the ownership and management stayed in the family.
For many years the Gillette Johnson & Sons Funeral Home was a fixture on Milwaukee's south side with ties to the community dating back as far as the 1930's. Gillette Johnson, one of the founders of the firm eventually passed the reins to his son Lynn Johnson and his son-in-law Raymond Reiss. In the late 1970's their sons, Timothy Johnson and Mark Reiss joined the firm. In 1986 they expanded the business by building another funeral home in Oak Creek.
In February of 1995 James Scheuerell, John Klemmer, Timothy Johnson and Mark Reiss merged their respective businesses into one firm named Heritage Funeral Homes. Throughout the years, the families of Heritage Funeral Homes have built a reputation of serving the people of Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin with dignity and compassion.
Later in 1995, Lohman Funeral Service became a part of Heritage Funeral Homes. Joseph G. Koch began working at Lohman's in 1947 and became owner in 1956. For many years Joe continued to serve families at Heritage Funeral Homes.
In 2002 Heritage Funeral Homes built a new funeral home and crematory in New Berlin, Wisconsin. With this new facility Heritage Funeral Homes will continue serving families in southeastern Wisconsin with the same tradition of caring that our other funeral homes are known for.
In 2005 Paul Johnson, Jim Klemmer and Jeff Klemmer, sons of current owners, joined Heritage Funeral Homes' staff and today represent the 4th generation in the funeral business.
In 2006 Richard B. Lee joined Heritage Funeral Homes after many years of ownership at Franzen Jung Kaufman & Weiand Funeral Home and today continues to serve the Latvian community among others.
In 2007 Altstadt Tyborski Ermenc McLeod joined Heritage Funeral Homes. Altstadt Tyborski has served the families of southeast Wisconsin for over 100 years, and will continue to do so as a part of Heritage Funeral Homes.
