The History of Baldwin Funeral Services

In 1903, a man by the name of Charles Metzl formed a partnership with John McGann in the furniture and undertaking business located on 2nd Ave and Oak Street in Baraboo. Charles died in 1929, and John looked forward to one of his sons joining him. John “Jack” H. McGann completed business college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and, in 1934, came into the business with his father, John, entering a newly remodeled funeral parlor.

Funeral trends were changing, and where once people with large homes had space for family funerals, they now looked for an alternative building. Seeing this need in his hometown, Jack, with his brother Lewis, contracted the architects of Riley and Siberz from Madison, WI, to erect a new funeral home, which is where we are still to this date. Draft plans were dated March 1941, and the building was completed with an open house for public inspection, announced and held on Saturday, December 6th, and Sunday, the 7th, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked.

By the year 1948, Jack McGann had three funeral directors: Maurice Jones, H. Jay Tice, and Louis Schulz. He also had an apprentice, Dan Kelly. In 1950, the partnership dissolved, and Jack then sold the business in 1953 officially to Leslie Hanson, who was originally from Richland Center, WI. Leslie Hanson owned and operated the establishment until 1985, when John Rago purchased the funeral home business. Mr. Hanson died in 1986.

Since December 2003, the funeral home owners and operators are now David and Sherry Baldwin. The funeral records of those families served through this funeral home date back to 1926. We take pride in the fact that this funeral home establishment is considered a Baraboo landmark and maintains its high standards in the profession and the community. Contact us today to learn more.