About Us

Brian graduated from Garner-Hayfield High School in 1987 and continued his education at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. He transferred to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where he was active in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. While attending mortuary college at Minnesota he worked at Washburn McReavy Funeral Homes in the Twin Cities and graduated with distinction from the University Of Minnesota in 1991 with a bachelor of science degree in mortuary science. Brian served his apprenticeship in Iowa at Dunn’s and Westover Funeral Homes in Des Moines and continued his employment until 1994 when he returned home to assist his father and John Lund at Petersen Lund Funeral Home in Forest City. He owned and operated the funeral home in Forest City from 2009 until 2019.

Brian  is the son of Dean and Beverly (Schaefer) Cataldo and a second-generation funeral director at Cataldo Funeral Homes in Garner, Britt, and Woden. He is also a  partner with John Weishaar and Tyler and Shelby Schaefer at Major Erickson Funeral Home in Mason City and Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home in Charles City.

He is married to Bonnie Rayhons of Garner. They have three sons, Samuel, Ray and Reed.

Brian is a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he sang in the choir for many years, ushered and was a past deacon. He is a 31-year member of the Garner Rotary Club, former club president and a Paul Harris Fellow.  Brian has served on the Hancock County Memorial Hospital board, Hospice of North Iowa board in Hancock County and the Garner Chamber of Commerce board.

Dean was born at Clarion and grew up in Garner. He graduated from Garner High School in 1956 and attended Mason City Junior College. He graduated from the University of Iowa and continued his education at the University of Minnesota where he received his mortuary science degree. Dean served his apprenticeship at Bruce’s Funeral Home in Fort Dodge and then returned to Garner to teach high school biology.

In 1975, he purchased the Boughton Funeral Home in Britt and Woden and in 1976, the Bohn Funeral Home in Garner. Dean is married to Beverly Schaefer of Britt. They have three children, Brian, Brent and Kristine.

Bonnie (Rayhons) Cataldo was born in Britt and raised in Garner. She graduated from Garner-Hayfield High School in 1990 and continued her education at Waldorf College in Forest City where she was active in the women’s basketball team. She graduated from Simpson College in Indianola with a degree in elementary education. She and her husband, Brian, have three sons, Samuel, Ray and Reed. Bonnie helps with visitations and office work.

Doris (Schaefer) Boekelman was born and raised in Britt. She currently lives in Britt and helps with visitations, services and light housekeeping at the funeral home. She has three children, Sandy, Mike and Susan.

Tim is a lifelong resident of Garner and is very involved in the community. He is the current Mayor of Garner and served several terms on the city council as well as serving on many local and state boards. Tim is also the general manager of Pritchard’s of Garner and is married to his wife Laura.

Colin recently joined our team as a funeral director intern. He was raised in Readlyn, Iowa and comes from a funeral service background with his father, Darren a partner at Kaiser Corson Funeral Home in Waverly. Colin graduated from Wapsie Valley High School in 2021, he received his Associate's Degree at Des Moines Area Community College in 2023, and received his mortuary science degree from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago in 2024. He enjoys family time, golf, and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones. He is glad to return to Iowa and begin his journey as a funeral director in Mason City.