Full History

In July of 1911, Ole L. Langren opened Langren Furniture and Undertaking on North Sibley Avenue in Litchfield. Soon after, he sold the business to Dewy Johnson, who added a "Morgue Room" in the rear of his furniture store, making it Litchfield's first.

Reuben Hagglund, who had initially purchased the business with C.A. Swanson in 1929, took over as the sole owner in 1935 and moved the business to South Sibley Avenue. Built in 1903, the original South Sibley location featured a tennis court on the south side of the house and a three-stall carriage house on the north. The third floor was a ballroom where many dances were held.

Shortly after becoming an Undertaking Parlor and Funeral Home in 1935, Reuben and his wife added a second "room for reviewals." In October of 1960, Reuben sold the funeral home business to his colleague, Don Johnson.

Don Johnson changed the name from Hagglund Funeral Home in January 1964 to Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home. He made additions to the funeral home in three steps; in 1970, he added office space, bathrooms, and a new casket display room on the south side. A few years later, he turned the existing display room into a chapel and changed the front doors from the east side to the south side. He also added a connected garage, warehouse, and new display room.

In October of 1994, Don sold the funeral home to his son, Tim Johnson, who operated it with his wife, Karen, until 1999 when it was purchased by Tom Vertin, a third-generation funeral director who continues the tradition of family-owned funeral service in Litchfield.

In 2010, Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home and Cremation Service was honored with the Pursuit of Excellence Best of the Best Award by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) during its International Convention and Expo. Only eight firms from around the world received this prestigious recognition in 2010, placing the funeral home among an elite group of funeral service professionals.

Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home and Cremation Service has also received the Pursuit of Excellence Award from the NFDA several times. Recipients raise the bar on funeral service excellence by adhering to the highest ethical and professional standards and providing unsurpassed service. To earn an NFDA Pursuit of Excellence Award, a participating funeral home must demonstrate superior standards in various areas such as professional development opportunities for staff, programs for bereaved families, and community involvement.

“Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home and Cremation Services voluntary participation in the Pursuit of Excellence program reflects a clear determination to exceed the expectations of those they serve,” said NFDA Chief Executive Officer Christine Pepper, CAE. “This prestigious recognition assures families of the high-quality, compassionate service they will receive the moment they walk through the funeral home’s front door.”