About Us

About Us

Learn the Legacy


In 1898, Frank H. Mayer, a native of Austin, began funeral service in the community as an employee of G. Fred Baird. After 17 years of service, Mr. Mayer founded his own establishment in 1915, maintaining quarters over the Austin Furniture Company (presently Brick Furniture) on Main Street. When these quarters were destroyed by a fire on February 3, 1923, Mayer Funeral Home leased the large home west of the Fox Hotel, at 106 W. Water Street, presently occupied by the Goodyear Service Store. This building was “Austin’s First Funeral Home”. After 10 years at this location, Mr. Mayer purchased the former Bert Banfield residence at 604 Greenwich Street, now 600 2nd Street NW.


John F. Mayer, son of Frank H., graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Mortuary Science in 1931 and joined his father in the firm. John F. Mayer, Jr., grandson of the founder and a 1964 graduate of the University of Minnesota Mortuary Science School, joined his father in the firm in that year, becoming the third generation of the Mayer family in funeral service.


In September of 1970, Mayer Funeral Home moved into a beautiful new one-story brick building, designed for modern funeral service needs, located alongside the old funeral home. Upon completion, the old home was removed and a large parking area was installed in its place.


In 1978, John "Jack" Koppa joined Mayer Funeral Home. In 1995, after 17 years of working for the Mayer family, Jack had the opportunity to purchase the funeral home from John F. Mayer, Jr. Jack owned and operated the funeral home for 17 years until merging with Mahn Family Funeral Home in 2012. 

 

In 2015, we celebrated 100 years of the finest funeral service. It has been a proud time for all of us at Mayer Funeral Home. During the last century, Mayer Funeral Home has led the way in many innovations in funeral service and community customs. Among them are; “Austin’s First Funeral Home”, the first motor funeral coach, the first side-service funeral coach, the first pressure injecting equipment for embalming, the first electric organ, to the more recent, offering personalized, high-quality video tributes of the life of the deceased.



One important thing has not changed at Mayer Funeral Home; striving to offer families the finest in funeral service. High Standards and personalized service have worked well for Mayer Funeral Home in the past and will continue to earn the trust of families in the future.


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