ANDREW YAGGIE

Licensed Funeral Director / Certified Funeral Celebrant

A native of Thief River Falls, MN, Andrew joined the staff of Erickson-Smith in June of 2011. Even though he comes from a farming background, Andrew has always had an interest in funeral service.

After graduating from high school, Andrew attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND, graduating with a B.S. in Business Management, in 2009. He went on to earn a B.S. in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota in 2010, serving his apprenticeship with Mueller Mortuaries in St. Paul/White Bear Lake, MN.

Outside of the funeral home, Andrew still enjoys helping out on the family farms in Breckenridge and around the Thief River Falls area. He also enjoys weekends at the family lake cabin on Ottertail Lake, golfing, flying, and is a talented musician, playing the piano and organ.

Andrew is a member of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, Fergus Falls Noon Kiwanis, Lakes Area Pilots Association, Fergus Falls chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Lake Region Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors, and Greater Fergus Falls.

In addition to serving families as a Licensed Funeral Director, Andrew is also a Certified Funeral Celebrant. A Funeral Celebrant serves by providing a funeral service, memorial service or tribute that is personalized and individualized to reflect the personality and life-style of the deceased.

Andrew and his wife Katie live in Fergus Falls and have two daughters, Ella and Violet.

CHRIS CARLSON

Licensed Funeral Director

Chris comes from a funeral service background as well. He grew up and attended school in Page, North Dakota, where his father owned and operated the Lindsey-Carlson Funeral Home. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, he worked at funeral homes in Starbuck and Morris, Minnesota. In 2004, Chris moved to Fergus Falls, and joined the staff at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home & Cremation Service and in 2006, joined the staff at Erickson-Smith Funeral Home.

Chris and his wife Brenda have two daughters and one son.

RICK MEKALSON

Licensed Funeral Director

Rick was born and raised in Battle Lake, Minnesota. He graduated from the Fergus Falls Community College and then the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. After graduating from the U of M he was employed with funeral homes in Virginia, Minnesota, as well as the Bertha area. In 1995, Rick joined the staff at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, and later at Erickson-Smith.

Rick attends the Battle Lake Alliance Church and is a member of the Battle Lake Lions Club. Rick and his wife Ann live on their farm by Battle Lake. They have three sons, seven grandsons. Rick enjoys horseback riding and camping.

LUKE JOHNSON

Licensed Funeral Director

MICHAEL McILHERAN

FUNERAL DIRECTOR INTERN

Michael joined the Glende-Nilson staff in July, 2019 after a year-long apprenticeship in Walker, MN.  He attended high school in Fremont, Nebraska and attended college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Drake University and Simpson College.  He received a Master of Divinity from the American Lutheran Theological Seminary.  In 2019, he graduated from the Des Moines Area Community College School of Mortuary Science.

Mike’s interest in coming to Fergus Falls was, as he puts it, entirely selfish.  He came for love.  His wife, Myla Worden, is a life-long Fergus Falls resident and for many years, heard doing the news at the five local radio stations. Michael has five children, Chad, Chris, Shawn, Kelli and Erin. Myla has two grown children, AJ and Aaron. 

Michael’s interest in the funeral field goes back three decades, having worked for funeral homes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota as well as doing transfers for several funeral home in the metro and for the Ramsey County Medical Examiner. 

Michael is a pilot, and amateur radio operator (K0MWM). He and Myla attend The Naz in Fergus Falls where he serves on the sound team. He is on the Salvation Army Disaster Team and on the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) and has been deployed to Hurricanes Katrina and Ike for the Red Cross, along with several regional disasters.

Email: 

DOUG NELSON

Licensed Funeral Director

Doug comes from a funeral service background, where both his grandfather and father were active in the business in Brooten, Minnesota. After graduating from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Doug served his apprenticeship at the Hoplin Funeral Home in Glenwood.

Following his service in the United States Army, Doug moved to Fergus Falls where he worked as a licensed director at the Glende-Johnson Funeral Home. Doug eventually purchased the Funeral Home which he continues to manage today. In 2006, Doug began managing the Erickson-Smith Funeral Home.

Doug and his wife Virginia live in Fergus Falls and have two married daughters. Doug and his wife are active members of Bethel Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls. He is also a member of the Otter Risers Kiwanis, the VFW and the Ashby American Legion.

DIANE GROUT

Office Manager

Diane joined the Erickson-Smith Funeral Home in Elbow Lake and Hoffman in the spring of 2014. She has been a resident of Elbow Lake since early childhood.

Diane and her husband Tom have 4 adult children, Geoffrey (Crystal), Dawn (Adam), Benjamin (Kelly), and Daniel (Courtney). Her children have blessed her with 5 beautiful grandchildren, whom she adores and loves to spend her time with.

Prior to working at Erickson-Smith Funeral Home, she was an at home daycare provider and worked for St. Olaf Catholic Church in Elbow Lake.

In her free time she enjoys gardening, crocheting, camping and listening to people share their stories. She considers it a privilege to be working for the people in the community.

GWEN BRUTLAG

Certified Funeral Celebrant

Gwen Brutlag has been a Certified Funeral Celebrant for over a decade, most recently completing further training through the Insight Institute in January of 2013. Gwen is also a Licensed Psychologist, operating a private practice in Fergus Falls. In addition to working with people on an individual basis, Gwen serves as an executive coach in business settings, a consultant in long term care, and is a highly sought after public speaker.

Gwen and her husband Paul live on a farm near Wendell, Minnesota, and are proud parents of two grown children. Gwen enjoys volunteering in the community and is currently active with hospice, Friends of the Library, and the Lion’s radio reading program.

With over ten years of experience as a certified celebrant, Gwen looks forward to being available to assist families in creating a truly personalized tribute for their loved one.

For more information on funeral celebrants, we have created an informative flyer to answer many common questions pertaining to celebrant services.

DIANE KAPPHAHN

Support Staff

ARLOU SWENSON

Support Staff