Meet Our Caring Team

A native of Glenwood, Minnesota, Amanda graduated from Minnewaska Area High School in 2002. She attended the University of Minnesota, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Mortuary Science. After completing her internship in Minneapolis, Amanda began her career in Ortonville, Minnesota in 2008. She worked in Ortonville and then Pipestone, Minnesota before moving closer to “home.” Amanda joined the staff of Pedersen and Starbuck Funeral Home in 2017.

Amanda holds funeral director's licenses in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota and has her insurance license in Minnesota. 

Amanda lives in Morris with her daughter, Lauren, and their Boxer, Jack.  They are members of Faith Lutheran Church in Morris, where Amanda serves on the Congregational Life Committee. Amanda is also on the Morris Area Scholarship Committee and enjoys investing time back into the community.   In their free time, Amanda and Lauren enjoy traveling, shopping, getting pedicures, riding bike, going on adventures, and spending time with family and friends.   

Rachel’s hometown is Greenbrier, Arkansas. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in chemistry from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Rachel also earned an associate degree in funeral science from Arkansas State University- Mountain Home, graduating with honors. She is an NFDA Certified Cremation Services Provider. Her interests outside of work include archeology, history, and rock collecting.

Born and raised on a diversified century farm in Framnas Township, Stevens County, Randee (Wagner) Hokanson graduated from Morris Area High School. She obtained her bachelor’s degree after attending the University of Minnesota’s Morris and St. Paul campuses. She also has a master’s degree in education with emphasis on family social science and child psychology from the University of Minnesota. She has enjoyed a career with the Minnesota Extension Service for 20 years and as Director at the Stevens County Historical Society/Museum for 17 years. She is still teaching as Ranger Randee at SWELL for a span of 30 years and counting. 

The joys in Randee’s life have been 44 years of marriage to Steve Hokanson and their 3 children and 6 grandchildren. She became a widow in 2019 and understands how saying goodbye is never easy. Her personal time is filled with her family, travel, gardening and landscaping, and many creative pursuits. In grief, she believes the best way to experience healing is to support and comfort each other.

Originally from Beardsley, Minnesota, Colleen graduated from Beardsley High School in 1977 and from Alexandria Vocational Technical College in 1978. Colleen joined the staff of Pedersen Funeral Home as office manager in November 1999.

Colleen and her husband, Jim, live on a farm near Alberta, MN. She has one son, four step-children and seven grandchildren. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Alberta, and enjoys reading, going for walks and spending time with her grandchildren.

Born and raised near Cyrus, Minnesota, Jere graduated from Cyrus High School.  He joined the staff at Pedersen Funeral Home in July 2003.

Jere is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cyrus, where he is very active in the church choir. Jere and his wife Paulette live and farm in the Cyrus area, and they have two children and one grandchild. 

Ken joined the staff at Pedersen and Starbuck Funeral Homes in 2015, after completing a career in choral directing that spanned fifty years.

The last thirty-four years were spent at the University of Minnesota, Morris where Ken developed the UMM Concert Choir into a well-recognized performing organization touring nationally, with frequent international concert tours.

After retirement, Ken moved to his second passion and developed a vineyard and winery under the non-commercial label of "K&L Vineyard".

Ken and his wife Linda live in the country west of Morris and enjoy spoiling their grandchildren and maintaining a warm and loving relationship with their many dear friends.

Tom Holm grew up on a dairy farm near St. James, Minnesota. He attended one year of college at Mankato State and then finished his Agriculture Education degree at North Dakota State University where he met his wife, Mary. He taught Vocational Education in Minot and Walhalla, ND until 1984 when he and Mary purchased the Neche Greenhouse which they owned for 21 years. In 1995, they moved to Morris where Tom works in the horticulture program at the West Central Research and Outreach Center.

Randy Fehr was raised and farms in Morris, he was a 1985 graduate of the Morris Area High School. He and his wife Lori make their home in Morris and have 4 grown children and 10 grandchildren. They are active members at the Morris North Apostolic Christian Church. When not spending time with his family, Randy enjoys traveling, hunting, fishing and spending time at his hobby farm.

Lyle Rambow grew up in Raymond, Minnesota and graduated from Atwater High School, where he was a three-sport athlete. He attended Willmar Community College, where he played football and baseball. He then attended the University of Minnesota Morris receiving his Bachelor degree in Math Education. Lyle later attended the University of Minnesota where he received his Master’s degree in Math Education. Lyle taught math at Morris High School for 36 years, where he also held the titles of varsity assistant and offensive coordinator for the Tiger football team; was a head baseball coach for 30 years and assistant for 3 years and basketball coach for 7 years. He also played 16 years of town team baseball for the Raymond Rockets and Morris Eagles from 1974-1989. Retiring from MAHS in 2014, Lyle continues to teach college math classes at the UMM. He began working as a funeral assistant at Pedersen Funeral Home in March of 2016. Lyle has a knack for making the families we serve at ease. He also seems to know or have a connection to everyone in the country.

Lyle and his wife Londa make their home in Morris and have 3 children and 6 grandchildren. He enjoys pheasant hunting, dogs, water skiing, snow skiing, rock & roll, attending sporting events and especially lake life with the kids, grandkids and friends.

Londa grew up and graduated from Raymond High School and then attended Willmar Vocational School for cosmetology.  Londa was a beautician in Morris for 42 years and owned and operated her own shop, Londa’s Looks, for 25 years.  She retired in 2019, and enjoyed the many relationships that were formed in the beauty shop.  She is married to Lyle, who taught school in the Morris schools.  They enjoyed raising their family of three children in the friendly Morris community.  After retirement, they moved to Baycrest on Lake Minnewaska in Glenwood where they are enjoying lake life and spending time with their family, including their seven grandchildren.

Londa joined the staff of Starbuck and Pedersen Funeral Homes in 2020. 

Sharon is an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Starbuck.  Sharon and her husband, Lauris, live on their family farm south of Starbuck.  Lauris passed away in 2020.  Sharon continues to live on the family farm.  Her sons and grandson continue to farm and Sharon enjoys preparing lunch for them daily and the time she is able to spend with her family.   Sharon also volunteers at the local nursing home and enjoys engaging in all of the community functions.  

Sharon joined the staff of Starbuck Funeral Home in April, 2001.

Shari is a lifelong resident of Starbuck, she continues to live just outside of Starbuck with her husband of 35 years, Donald.  They have three grown children: Brittany (Fernando), Bridget and Drew.   She taught music for 34 years and retired in 2019. In addition to teaching, she is and continues to be the church organist at Fron Lutheran church and helps her brothers at the Pastry Shoppe Rosette Factory, continuing the family business, in Starbuck,  In her spare time, Shari enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles, walking and playing the piano.

Shari joined the staff of Starbuck and Pedersen Funeral Homes in 2020

John is a longtime resident of Morris, where he taught Junior High Science at Morris Area High School for over 25 years. John joined the staff at Pedersen Funeral Home in July 1992.

John and his wife Marty have five children and several grandchildren. They have been active members of Assumption Catholic Church in Morris since coming to town, and he currently serves on the Calvary Cemetery Board. Some of John’s hobbies include gardening, bird watching, fishing and playing cards.

Scott was born and raised on a farm near Cyrus, Minnesota, and is a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cyrus. He graduated from Cyrus High School and from Alexandria Technical College. Scott and his wife, Diane, have 53 years of marriage and live on the farm near Cyrus, where Scott has farmed and operated his repair shop for 50 years. They have four grown children: Alan, Brenda, Tanya, and Tammi; four grandchildren: Alexandra, Abbey, Andy, and Paden; and one angel grandchild, Taryn. Scott served on the Framnas township board as supervisor for 26 years, drove school bus for many years, and served many years on the Morris and Cyrus sports boosters clubs. He has been sexton of three cemeteries in the Cyrus area for over 30 years. In his leisure time, he enjoys working around the yard and flying his ultra-lite aircraft.

Donna is a lifelong resident of Stevens County, graduating from Chokio-Alberta High School in 1981. After graduating, she started working for Federated Telephone, retiring in 2021. Donna and her husband, Scott, have two daughters: Sara (Omaha, NE) and Katie (Morris, MN). Donna is involved with the Chokio Study Club, Stevens County Historical Society, and 9F Sportsmen’s Club, and she volunteers at Someplace Safe Thrift Store in Morris. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting.

Pam grew up in Kandiyohi and graduated from Willmar Senior High School. She received her LPN license and spent her years working at Grace Home in Graceville and West Wind Village in Morris. Pam is married to her husband, Jerry. They live by Chokio, and they have four adult children and eleven grandchildren.  They are members of First Baptist Church in Morris. 

Kathy grew up on a farm near Bellingham, Minnesota, and graduated from Bellingham High School in 1973. She furthered her education at Willmar Vocational School. Kathy married Lyle Katzenmeyer in 1975; they have two children and three grandsons. The family lived in Hector for sixteen years, where Kathy was an Executive Assistant to the Superintendent of Hector Schools. In 1991, they moved to Starbuck; Kathy worked at American Solutions for Business as the Payroll Manager until her retirement in 2020. Kathy and her husband are members of Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, golfing, bowling, and being on the lake. Her favorite thing is spending time with her children and grandchildren, following their events and playing games together.  

A lifetime resident of Framnas Township, Tom graduated from Cyrus High School and Concordia College, majoring in History and Political Science. Tom is a fourth-generation farmer, and he and his wife, Denise, live on the original Olson Homestead. They are members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cyrus.  

Originally from Iowa, Brenda grew up with three brothers and spent most of her childhood on a farm near Herman. She and her husband, Jeff, raised their three children in Donnelly and later moved to Morris.  Brenda has been a caregiver for people of all ages through daycare, home health care, and hospice. Her husband of almost 46 years died in 2021; she understands the whirlwind of emotions that can come with grief. Benda enjoys spending time at her grandchildren’s school events and with her family and friends.  

Born and raised near Starbuck, Lauris graduated from Starbuck High School. Lauris joined the staff of Starbuck Funeral Home in April, 2001. He was a life-long member of Immanuel Lutheran Church near Starbuck. Lauris’ hobbies included farming and traveling.

Born and raised in Morris, Steve graduated from Morris High School in 1965. Steve worked for United Parcel Service in Morris from 1969 to until his retirement in 1999. Steve joined the staff of Pedersen Funeral Home in October 1999. Steve also ran his own lawn care service in the Morris area. Steve and his wife, Randee, have three grown children. Steve was a life-long member of First Lutheran Church in Morris, and in his personal time, enjoyed gardening and woodworking.