Joel & Shannon

Owners

Joel was born and raised in Windom, Minnesota and Shannon was born in Trimont, Minnesota and raised in Madelia. Joel helped Phil Anderson and Bill Schmidt while in high school and on the weekends while in college at Southwest State in Marshall to learn about the “business” before going to mortuary school. In college at Southwest State in Marshall, Minnesota, Joel met Shannon. Upon completing his pre-requisites at Southwest State in Marshall, Joel attended Worsham School of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois and Shannon attended to Winona State. Joel graduated from Worsham with his mortuary degree; and Shannon graduated from Winona State University in Winona with a degree in Exercise Physiology.

On June 15, 1996, they were married in Madelia, Minnesota. Their marriage has been blessed with four children, Katrina, Kaleb, Karson and Keaton LaCanne. After getting married, they lived in Sauk Centre, Minnesota where Joel worked for Patton-Schad Funeral Service and Shannon worked at the St. Cloud Hospital in cardiac rehab. Joel then moved to a branch of Patton-Schad Funeral Service in Melrose where he was the manager. Pat Patton and Jon Coltvet where great mentors to Joel and were his first “teachers” out of school.

In October of 1998, Joel and Shannon moved to Windom to take a position with Anderson-Schmidt Funeral Home and to be closer to their families. It was a great move in that Joel knew Phil and Bill very well – they were like parents to him in their gentle guidance of how to continue to serve families with the utmost dedication. Their teachings have always been an inspiration to Joel. In 1999, Shannon took a position with the Windom Area Hospital in Windom where she is still currently the manager of two departments: Cardiac Rehab and The Wellness Center. On January of 2002, Bill sold Joel a minority interest in Anderson-Schmidt Funeral Home and on January of 2003, Joel and Shannon purchased the entire funeral home from Bill and Rita Schmidt. Since then, in April of 2003, Joel and Shannon began discussions with Miller Architects and Builders with building a new funeral home in Windom. Their guidance through the whole project was unbelievable in their insight into building and aesthetics of a building. On September 17, 2003, they broke ground on the new facility on the north edge of Windom, right off of Highway 71. On May 15 and 16, 2004 they held an open house for the new 7400 square foot building. Shannon and Joel feel so fortunate to have been able to do all they have for everyone that the funeral home serves.

Joel and Shannon are proud parents of four children, Katrina, Kaleb, Karson and Keaton LaCanne.

Tonya Carlson

Licensed Funeral Director

Tonya grew up in the Granada and East Chain area. She graduated in May of 2008 from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mortuary Science. During college she worked at several funeral homes. In April of 2009, she completed her internship and will continue working at the funeral home as a licensed funeral director.

Tonya enjoys spending time with family and friends, boating, reading, sports, and scrapbooking.

Kari Hanson

Office Manager

Kari and her husband of 19 years, Eric, moved to Windom in 1993. Kari worked for 17 years at Early Childhood Family Education. Eric serves as the principal of Windom Area High School. The couple stays busy with their three children.

Some of Kari’s hobbies include spending time with her family, reading, creating hand-stamped cards and baking.

Bill Schmidt

Funeral Director and Former Owner

Bill is native of North Dakota and came to the Windom area where he joined Phil Anderson in the operation of Hanson-Witt Funeral Home, successor to three funeral homes from the community’s early years.

Anderson-Schmidt Funeral Homes of Windom, Storden, & Jeffers served the area for nearly three decades with Phil and Bill providing professional care when death occurs. Following Phil’s retirement, Joel LaCanne joined Bill in the operation of the firm until Joel purchased the corporation in 2003. Bill serves the company frequently with his professional services. “The Windom area is really home for us!” He has served most church offices and nearly every civic organization possible for all the years he lived here and raised their family.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Bill worked in funeral service since high school and during college in North Dakota. He managed Hoepner-Nelson Funeral Home in Morgan, MN for nine years prior to moving to Windom with Rita and their sons, Eric and Gregg.

Besides continuing service in Windom, Bill provides professional support to a funeral home in the Fargo-Moorhead area and is a representative for Nortwestern Casket company in ND and MN.

Rita and Bill live in Fargo, ND, where they are active in Bethel Church and it’s small group studies. “As children of God, Rita and I enjoy our family and church family so very much, and are blessed with three grandchild; Will, Micah, and Landon.” Bill still enjoys being an active pilot as well as participating in several different shooting sports.

Philip J. Anderson

Funeral Director and Former Owner

Philip J. Anderson, born and raised at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mary (Hartzell) Anderson born at Marshall, Minnesota, and raised at Lynd, Minnnesota. Phil attended Augustana College and graduated from California College of Mortuary Science in Los Angeles in 1959. Married in 1960 and came to Windom from Luverne, Minnesota on January 1, 1970. Retired from ownership of the Anderson-Schmidt Funeral Home in October of 2000. Parents of six children: Alan, Angela (Robert) Bergendahl, Janet (Lee) Lensegrav, Robert (Jill) Anderson, Paul (Kim) Anderson, Christopher (Dana) Anderson and 6 grandchildren. Phil is an active private pilot and model railroaders and Mary a quilter and crafter.

Ray Sartorius

Funeral Assistant

Ray Sartorius, an Army-Navy veteran and lifetime Windom resident, has served several roles in the Windom area. Spending many years as a member of the fire department & ambulance squad, Ray worked as a Purina Feed dealer for 2 and half decades. He then worked as a Northrup King Seed dealer until his retirement.

“Marj and I lost our son Mitch in a motorcycle accident in 1979. The compassionate, caring concern shown to us by the funeral home sort of endeared us to Phil & Bill. Early in 1980, we were asked to make a few trips for them, and later we were asked to help with a few funerals. It has just gone on ever since, and still continues with the new owner Joel LaCanne.”

Joseph “Joe” and Barb LaCanne

Funeral Assistants

Joe and Barb LaCanne began helping at the funeral home when Joel first became the owner in 2003. Joe came to Windom in the fall of 1969 after earning an education degree in visual arts and art history from St. Ed’s in Texas, the Art Institute in Cleveland Ohio, Indiana State University at Terre Haute, the University of Notre Dame at South Bend, Indiana, and Mankato State University in Mankato, MN.

Barb came to Windom in the fall of 1970 after earning an education degree in elementary and special education at Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. They met while teaching in Windom and were married in 1972. They are the parents of three children: Joel (Shannon) LaCanne, Jeffrey (Jeanna) LaCanne, and Mary (Ray) Iliff. They also have six grandchildren.

Joe and Barb are both retired from teaching. Joe retired in May of 2001 after having taught 37 years and Barb retired in June of 2005 after 35 years of teaching. Joe continues to help at the funeral home and continues with his hobbies of stained glass artwork, and working in mixed media. Barb continues to do substitute teaching and fills in whenever needed at the funeral home. Both Joe and Barb enjoy spending time with their children and families and they both spend time volunteering in the church, school, and community.

Patricia (Pat) Lenz

Funeral Assistant

Pat has worked for LaCanne Family Funeral for nearly 3 years. Pat is married to John, and they have three grown children; Steve, Mike, and Stephanie. Steve and his wife, Courtnay, live in Easton, MN. Mike and his wife Shannon live in Cottonwood, MN, and have three children. Stephanie lives in the Twin Cities, and works as a Mortgage Loan Specialist for Edward Jones Mortgage. The Lenz’s have been residents of Windom for 36 years, and have just completed their new home on String Lake.

Pat also works for Sanford Laboratories as a Medical Laboratory Technician. She is responsible for both the Windom and Mt. Lake Sanford Clinics. Pat’s other interests are reading, sewing, and grand-parenting.