Full History

Bonnerup Funeral &Cremation Services began in 1922. Jens, an immigrant from Denmark, married an Albert Lea area native, Alma, and together they opened a funeral home. The couple worked out of several locations until they settled on Clark Street in Albert Lea in the 1940s. The family business expanded in 1945 to include their son and daughter-in-law, Robert and LaVonne Bonnerup. Working together, they continued the commitment of superior service to area families.

In 1963, the Bonnerups added a chapel in Ellendale, allowing them to provide quality, caring funeral service to the many families in the Ellendale area. A local residence was remodeled to serve as a visitation chapel, while administration remained in Albert Lea. In 2007, a new facility was constructed to better serve the needs of the community.

Jens Bonnerup, the founding father, died in 1969, having retired several years earlier due to ill health. The Bonnerup tradition continued with the addition of his grandson, David, who joined Bonnerup Funeral Service in 1977. In 1986, to further expand their service area, Friedrich’s Funeral Home in New Richland was purchased from Howard and Marie Friedrich.

In October of 2001, Tom Vertin, a third-generation Minnesota funeral director, and the Bonnerup team of licensed funeral directors purchased Bonnerup Funeral Service and its three locations. While appreciative of the rich history of the Clark Street location, the decision was made to build a one-level facility in a new location, which opened in May 2009.

The funeral professionals at Bonnerup Funeral & Cremation Services pledge to uphold their legacy of providing compassionate funeral service to every family they serve—now, and far into the future.