| The History of Helke Funeral Home and Cremation
Service of Wausau, Wisconsin
 The
Helke tradition of funeral service began in 1871, when the
Helke family emigrated from Germany to Wausau. Beginning
in 1871, the funeral home is Marathon County’s oldest
continually operated business.
August Helke and his son, Charles, made furniture, bar
and store fixtures, as well as church cabinets. They started
Helke Furniture Company, located at 319 Fourth Street, Wausau,
in 1874. Since coffins differed little from fine upholstered
furniture, the two craftsmen naturally evolved into the
funeral business.
In 1926, Charles bought a house in Wausau on the site of
what is now the Rogers Cinema, and used it exclusively for
funerals. He was among the first licensed embalmers in the
state.
In 1939, Charles and his son Carl built Wausau's first
funeral home located at 413 Jefferson Street. The founder's
grandsons, Charles and Richard, were part of the business
by 1962, when Helke's built a second funeral home on Wausau's
expanding west side, at 302 Spruce Street. This remains
the current site of Helke Funeral Home and Cremation Service.
The staff today at Helke Funeral Home has carried on the
Helke Family tradition of caring, professional service to
the area…a tradition they are proud to continue.
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