Byron D. Amundson, a lifelong Grand Forks resident started his career in funeral service while attending Central High School. His desire to enter this field was so great that he volunteered to work without pay to obtain a position where none were available at the time. After graduating from high school he was drafted into the US Army Air Corps during World War II and served in British Air Depots until World War II ended. Byron graduated from Cleveland College of Mortuary Science in 1947. He returned home to Grand Forks to become affiliated with the Hanson-Anderson Mortuary, serving there until 1976. He met Lorraine C. Staveteig while she was employed in the States Attorney’s Office at the Grand Forks County Courthouse next door to the funeral home. They were married in 1959 at Warren, Minnesota. After a short honeymoon to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, they returned to Grand Forks and lived at the funeral home for several years where they started their family.
After many years of desiring to provide a comfortable, one-level facility that would have adequate parking, and easy access to community members, Byron and Lorraine broke ground for a new facility in the fall of 1976. With the full support of the family, and many members of the Grand Forks community, Amundson Funeral Home was established and opened on February 1, 1977, and a long term dream was realized.
The staff consisted of Byron and Lorraine and they were assisted by a few part time people. The company grew, and they were joined by their sons, Philip in 1982, and Mark in 1987, after each had completed their education in Houston, Texas. They eventually sold their interests to Philip and Mark who continued to own and operate the funeral home. Byron died on March 6, 2009, and Lorraine died the same day, March 6, 2021.
Mark and Phil have been fortunate enough to have had the assistance of many fine directors through the years and are currently assisted by licensed directors, Devin Hillebrand, Mitch Baumgartner, and Erik Eliason, and a host of dedicated part time staff.
Phil and Mark spent some time contemplating how their funeral home would best continue and decided to reach out to a longtime friend and colleague, Shawn Nygaard.
