Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service

Veteran services at Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service

Veteran families in Watertown, WI can turn to Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Hafemeister Funeral Home provides specialized services for veterans, reflecting their commitment to honoring those who have served the country. Rich Nienow, a retired funeral director, was a member of the Watertown Fire Department Auxiliary and certified in eye tissue enucleating for corneal transplants with the Wisconsin Eye Bank. Veterans are also entitled to certain benefits, such as a free cemetery plot and grave marker." Published pricing lists a quoted rate for basic burial and $3,575 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include honoring veterans and cremation. Each service is coordinated with the family and, where applicable, with the deceased's last unit or branch honor detail.

Published pricing at Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service: direct cremation from $3,575. That places direct cremation roughly 24% above the Wisconsin median ($2,885). Veterans who served on active duty for at least 24 months may qualify for VA burial allowance to offset funeral costs — this home accepts assignment of those benefits where eligible.

The nearest VA national cemetery is Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in WI, approximately 47 miles from Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service. Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Wisconsin has approximately 539 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What does a funeral at Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service cost for veteran families?

From its published general price list, direct cremation starts at $3,575. Eligible veterans can offset these costs with a VA burial allowance, and burial in a VA national cemetery is provided at no charge.

Where is Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service located, and can it coordinate a veterans cemetery burial?

Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service is located at 611 East Main St. in Watertown, WI. You can reach the home at (920) 261-2218. Staff can coordinate burial with nearby VA national and state veterans cemeteries.

What services does Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service offer veteran families?

Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service provides service options, honoring veterans, pre-funding funeral expenses, cremation, and can arrange military funeral honors for eligible veterans.

Does Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service help veterans with VA burial benefits?

Hafemeister Funeral Home provides specialized services for veterans, reflecting their commitment to honoring those who have served the country. Rich Nienow, a retired funeral director, was a member of the Watertown Fire Department Auxiliary and certified in eye tissue enucleating for corneal transplants with the Wisconsin Eye Bank. Veterans are also entitled to certain benefits, such as a free cemetery plot and grave marker.

Which faith traditions does Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service accommodate?

Staff coordinate services for United Methodist Church, Lutheran (St. Mark's, Trinity, Immanuel Evangelical), Moravian Church families, among others.

What sets Hafemeister Funeral Home And Cremation Service apart

Family-owned and operated by the Nienow family with multiple generations of licensed funeral directors.
Staff members hold Wisconsin Life Insurance Licenses, enabling comprehensive pre-need funeral planning and funding through life insurance.
Multiple staff members are certified Crematory Operators, indicating direct expertise in cremation services.
Deep community involvement and affiliations with local organizations, churches, and civic groups by multiple staff members.
Specialized services dedicated to honoring veterans, including assistance with veteran benefits.

Military & veteran services offered

★Honoring Veterans

Burial & cremation services

Cremation

· Cremation

Affiliations & specializations

Industry affiliations

· National Funeral Directors Association
· Wisconsin Funeral Directors Association
· Watertown Moose Lodge
· Rotary
· SMSM
· OKDR
· Watertown Main Street Program
· Watertown Chamber of Commerce

Specializations

· Honoring Veterans
· Pre-Funding Funeral Expenses

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: United Methodist Church, Lutheran (St. Mark's, Trinity, Immanuel Evangelical), Moravian Church. Languages spoken at the home: English.

EverSettled · After the Veteran Funeral

The veteran's spouse may qualify for VA Dependency & Indemnity Compensation.

DIC is a tax-free monthly benefit for surviving spouses, dependent children, and (in some cases) parents of veterans whose death is service-connected. EverSettled walks veteran families through DIC eligibility, survivor pension, life-insurance claims, probate, and the federal-account paperwork that follows.

Begin Veteran Estate Settlement

How honors are coordinated

Military funeral honors are guaranteed at no cost for any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The funeral home arranges the honors detail by contacting the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch and submitting the DD-214 to verify eligibility.

For requests less than 72 hours from service time, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line at 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667). See the full honors protocol.