Our Staff
Meet the Staff of Brainard Funeral Home and Cremation Center
Each of our employees is hired based on their integrity, compassion, willingness to serve, competence, and professionalism. The quality of the individuals on our staff is second to none. Each of them takes great pride in being a member of the Brainard Funeral Home “Family.” Daily they exhibit enthusiasm and pride in serving families to the best of their abilities. Regularly our Funeral Home receives positive feedback in the form of comments and letters, highlighting instances of exemplary service and personal concern. Their commitment to the community and genuine compassion toward families are but a few of the characteristics that make them outstanding in their field. The professionalism and personal commitment provide for premier service we have to offer. We are proud to have each one of them on our team.
Shawn M. Smith
General Manager
Shawn is originally from Escanaba, Michigan, and has a degree from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. While serving in the U.S. Army as a Mortuary Affairs Specialist, he was certified in Covert Burial Operations from Virginia Institute of Forensic Medicine and Science. Shawn’s career in funeral service spans over 24 years, and he was the recipient of the Homer D. Leffler Award for funeral directing excellence. He is passionate about sharing his experience with the Wausau team.
In his spare time, Shawn enjoys being outdoors, traveling, and cooking. He likes visiting national parks and hopes to eventually see all of them. Shawn especially enjoys hiking with his Goldendoodle, Oliver. Shawn and Oliver are currently working together to certify Oliver as a therapy dog, with Shawn as his handler.
Shawn has also been actively involved in the American Legion and VFW, and has a special interest in Veterans Affairs. In addition, he is an Elks Lodge Member.
Shannon Dunn
Licensed Funeral Director, Certified Crematory Operator
Shannon is pleased to return to Brainard Funeral Home, after serving her apprenticeship with us in 2003. A graduate of Milwaukee Area Technical School’s mortuary science program, Shannon has worked in funeral homes in Southern Wisconsin, Texas, and California.
Shannon enjoys spending her time with her dog, Lucky and 2 cats, Zepplin and Chestnut. Shannon spends her free time walking, kayaking, hiking, road biking and participating in various local 5K's.
She is happy to return to her hometown and meet with the families we serve to help them arrange a personalized service tailored to their loved one.
Sarah Zuelke
Licensed Funeral Director, Certified Crematory Operator
Sarah grew up in Tomahawk, Wisconsin with aspirations of being an Athletic Trainer. After attending college at UW Eau Claire for Athletic Training for four years, she discovered that her heart was elsewhere. Much to her family’s surprise, she changed her major to Mortuary Science and received her degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College in 2009. Sarah has been serving families in the Wausau area since then. Being able to meet so many wonderful people and helping them at one of the most difficult times in their lives has been very fulfilling.
Sarah and her husband Nathan, a
police officer with the Rothschild Police Department, live in Wausau with their
three kids, Lianna, Will, and Drew. They are members of The Village Church in
Kronenwetter.
Carrie Hartleben
Licensed Funeral Director
Carrie graduated from Arkansas State University with her
degree in Mortuary Science in 1998. She then
returned to Wisconsin and began her apprenticeship at Brainard Funeral Home and
attained her funeral director’s license in 2001. After working in funeral service for 20 years
in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, she returned to where it all began….
Brainard Funeral Home.
Carrie feels that being in funeral service is a calling and that
it is an honor to help families in difficult times. She is a mother to one son, Grayson, and wife
to Kane Niswander. Her family resides in
Wittenberg, where she attended high school.
In her free time, she enjoys camping, playing guitar, and snuggling with
her dogs.
Scott Brainard
Licensed Funeral Director
Scott was licensed as a Funeral Director in 1973. Today, he works alongside a staff dedicated to helping families honor their loved ones in the most respectful and loving way possible. Scott is an active member of the Wausau area community who has served as President of numerous organizations including: Wausau Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Exchange Club of Wausau, and Big Bull Falls Lions Club. Scott has an active personal life that includes downhill skiing, scuba diving, and motorcycles. He has two sons, two daughter-in-laws, and a grandson and two granddaughters.
Jolene Haizel
Licensed Funeral Director
Originally from Lublin, WI, Jolene earned a degree in
funeral service from Milwaukee Area Technical College in 2000. She worked as a
funeral director in Wisconsin for fifteen years before moving to Colorado
Springs for eight years. She returned to her home state to be near family and
continue her passion for serving area communities.
Jolene and her husband, Keith, have three sons, Austen,
Keagan, and Kaeleb, and one daughter, Emerson. They also have one grandson
named Quentin and one dog named Scout. In her spare time, Jolene enjoys
entertaining family and friends, traveling, camping, and cooking.
Amanda Duncan
Licensed Funeral Director Apprentice
Amanda began working as a Funeral Assistant and discovered a passion for funeral service, which led her to become a Licensed Funeral Director Apprentice. In pursuit of becoming a Licensed Funeral Director, she is currently enrolled at Northcentral Technical College to complete her general studies.
Amanda lives in Weston, WI, with her
significant other, Brandon, her daughter, Evelyn, and her 3 dogs. She enjoys
traveling and going on cruises. Her favorite place that she has visited is St.
Lucia, where she recommends visiting the Pitons and the sulfur mud bath. Amanda
also enjoys reading, playing softball, and crocheting blankets in her spare
time.
Debbie Maly
Advance Funeral Planner
Debbie is happy to join the Brainard Funeral Home family and is committed to helping families plan for their future needs as our Advance Funeral Planner.
She has two married sons and four beautiful grandchildren. An avid traveler, Debbie loves to fill her passport with new stamps by exploring new places and learning different cultures and traditions.
Ryley Dunn
Office Manager
Ryley is the Office Manager in our Wausau Chapel. Ryley graduated from UW – Stout with a Bachelors degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. She lived in the Menomonie, Eau Claire area for 8 years after school before moving back to her hometown of Wausau.
Ryley spends her free time with her friends, family and cats. She enjoys her interaction with the community on a daily basis and takes pride in assisting our funeral directors with the families who walk through our doors. She is most likely the voice you will hear when you call Brainard Funeral Home.
Steve Jeske
Cremation Technician
Steve was born in Fond du Lac, WI, and moved to Merrill when he was three months old. He grew up there with his mom and five brothers. Following his graduation from Merrill Senior High in 1975, Steve joined the Army and went on to serve the Wisconsin National Guards as an Armor Crewman (Tank). He attended Northland Baptist Bible College and earned a degree in biblical studies. While in college, Steve met his wife, and they were married on August 2, 1980.
Later, Steve went to North Central Technical College for nursing assistant training and then to Globe University, earning an associate degree as a Certified Medical Assistant. He spent five years working in Outpatient Psychiatry at North Central Health Care. Steve and his wife have two children, Caitlin and Jonathan, and four grandchildren.
Michelle Hartle
Funeral Assistant
Michelle has joined Brainard as a Funeral Assistant and is dedicated to helping families celebrate the life of someone they love during one of the toughest times in life.
Roger Kohn
Funeral Assistant
Roger retired from Emmons Business Interiors after a career that spanned almost 46 years. Roger is married to Jan, and they have four daughters, four grand daughters, and one grandson. Roger served 4 ½ years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Jan & Roger are members of the Elks Club Lodge #248. He loves spending time with his family, traveling and fishing. When not working Roger is involved with his church, Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary Jarvis
Funeral Assistant
Mary is serving as a Funeral Assistant. She graduated from UW-Stout with degrees in Psychology and Counseling, along with a Master's Degree in Education from UW-Stevens Point. Mary is a retired educator from the Wausau School District after 35 years of service.
Mary and her husband, Dick, enjoy sharing time with their two sons, one of whom lives in the Wausau area and the other in Denver, Colorado. They enjoy volunteering in the community with the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, their church-St. Andrew Lutheran Church, and various other volunteer opportunities. Their small hobby farm keeps them busy, but in Mary's spare time, she enjoys gardening and horseback riding.
Kristine Ouellette
Funeral Assistant
Having only lived in Wausau a few short years not only has it been inviting and a beautiful place to live, I have found my passion in becoming a Funeral Assistant. It's a direct view on life helping families in a very emotional time. I receive much satisfaction in being able to assist a family in their time of need.
Ed Jensen
Funeral Assistant
Ed was a barber in Wausau for 45 years and served in the Army Reserves. He is currently a commissioner on the Rib Mountain Sanitary Board and a member of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. He enjoys working at our funeral homes because of the families he meets and the variety of his duties.
He has been married to his wife, Martha, for 53 years. They have three children and one grandson. For relaxation, Ed enjoys woodworking, reading and taking long walks.
In this section
Your feedback
We are always interested in hearing from the families that we serve. Please take a moment to let us know how well we served you in your time of need. We very much appreciate your feedback.
Dear Friends at Brainard,
Thank you ever so kindly for your excellent service and care shown to our family when we lost Angela. We loved all of your help with the set-up on funeral day and I personally appreciated your interest in her life.
We loved remembering her and doing that in such a warm, welcoming and beautiful environment. You are now part of our memories of her.
Sarah, Carrie & Roger-
Thank you for all of your compassion, hardwork, flexibility and creativity with Ron's service. You were such a source of calm and dependability for me. Words cannot express my full gratitude.
Shannon & Sarah,
Words can never express my thanks for all you both have done for me. The baskets were beautiful. You went above and beyond. Coming to my house that dreaded day, making Kolton's celebration of life absolutely beautiful and the list goes on and on. Make no mistake, I will never forget this.
Dear Shannon,
I just want to say thank you for all you did to help us through this process. We appreciate the compassion you showed to our family. It was such a blessing to have Mary as one of the staff. She is a special friend. Thank you again to your and all your great staff.
Brainard Family-
Thank you very much for everything you did for my mother and our family. We all appreciate your patience during the entire process, especially Shannon and Ryley. I am grateful you were there to help us. Thank you again!
Dear Shannon,
The deepest thank you goes to you. We never expected to be in this situation and we truly couldn't have done it without you and your guidance. My siblings and I are so thankful that everything went so smoothly. We appreciate all the extras that you did above and beyond your normal duties. I wish that we could have met under different circumstances, but we are again SO appreciative of your time and expertise, we would have been lost without you. Thank you.
Brainard Staff,
Thank you so very much. Your services on Saturday were so appreciated. You all did such an amazing job. My family and I are so deeply thankful for all that you did to help the day go as smoothly as possible. Everything went so wonderfully seamless and it was all so beautiful. We are again, so thankful, there just aren't enough words to express how we feel. Thank you again.
Shannon & Ryley
Our family would like to thank you for all your help & guidance in planning our Dad's "Celebration of Life". During a very hard time, you made it doable. Thanks again.
Hello Shannon…
Just dropping you a note to let you know that everything went smoothly for my mother’s funeral last Sunday. The director’s were very accommodating in making sure it was done exactly the way I needed it to be. I probably did things a bit different and out-of-the-ordinary but, they kept up. It was appreciated!
Thanks a bunch….
Shannon, just a quick note to let you know that the funeral was wonderful! I could never have imagined how well it would go. Jeff and his partner were excellent. She had quite the showing for a 97 year old. It was wonderful seeing cousins, nieces and nephews that we haven’t seen for sometime. I had many people tell me the service was beautiful, the pastor excellent and the music wonderful! I share all those thoughts!! I am grateful and thankful for all your hard work! From the bottom of my heart, I THANK YOU!
Shannon was the best. She was kind, attentive and helpful. They were awesome!
Hi Shannon. Thank you for everything again. It was a perfect day. You really take the stress out of the plans. And please thank the wonderful people working with you today. Thank you once again!
Thank you to you and your team. Her service was all I had planned and hoped for. Full of love.
Sarah,
Thank you for everything. The flowers were beautiful! Just as I had imagined. So thanks again.
Carrie,
Thank you for all your help with my brother's funeral arrangements. I never knew there was so much to consider legally. You made everything easier on the family during this sad time. Thank you again.
Sarah and Ryley,
Thank you so very much for all you did for us during this really difficult time. Your professionalism and kindness will always be remembered with gratitude.
Carrie,
Thank you so very much for your kindness during our recent visit. You were so helpful and thoughtful. It was a pleasure to work with you. Thank you, too, for the wonderful celebration candle. It is so meaningful. Thank you, again, for everything.
Shannon, thanks so much for everything and your patience. And for going out of your way to be super nice and accommodating, that has meant the world to me!
Hi Shannon - I want to thank you again for helping to release the burden that laid heavily on my heart. I thank God for you guys! I can't explain my level of gratitude right now.
I wanted to personally thank you for everything you did for our family after the passing of my mom. Although we knew with my mom's cancer that we would eventually lose her, we still were not ready! Meeting with you put our minds at ease knowing that you saw our simple vision for remembering and honoring her. Brainard staff went above and beyond with our added requests on the day of her service. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for making this difficult time just a little easier!
My deepest thanks and gratitude to you for doing such a heartfelt task of taking care of all our needs for Carl's passing. I was so relieved, knowing he was in great hands- thanks for all you did.
Our family wanted to express our deepest gratitude for all that you did for our father and his service. Your kindness meant so much to our family. Thank you so much!
In Christ's Love,
The support this team gives families is un-explainable. My mom passed away very unexpectedly seven months ago, I was 25 and my sister was 18. We had no idea what we were doing or, where to begin. The funeral directors at the Wausau Location exceeded my expectations. We have received cards and letters the past seven months with supporting and motivational messages. Tonight I went to get our mail and, they sent us an ornament with my moms name, date of birth and date of death. What an amazing gift from a special team. Although the circumstances were obviously the worst and, my sister and I were clueless, I am so glad I chose to go with Brainard's. Thank you for all of the support from all of you. My family is forever thankful.
Thanks for all your help. Especially for keeping in contact with me even after the funeral was done.
To all the staff of Brainard's:
I know it has been an entire month since we used your services for my Mother's Memorial and burial but I did not want one more day go by without taking the time to "Thank You" from our entire family! You all went above and beyond what we ever expected. It was a very sad day for all of us but you all did such a wonderful job that we came through it with good feelings and memories. Thank you so much for the caring and professional way you handled it to the very end. The police escort was the most impressive and everyone made comments on what a wonderful job you all did. My husband and I can't thank you enough to make that day so special! God bless you all.