Dan Wisnieski and his wife Chris purchased the Svoboda Funeral Home in 1971 when Dan's step-father Edward Svoboda retired after a 39 year career in funeral service. Dan and Chris believe that service is the key ingredient in helping families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. Having a family
member or loved one die is stressful at best and with blended families and family members living far from home it can almost seem overwhelming. They believe they are there to serve the families by offering options and that then the family can then chose the ones best for their situation. Funerals are about service not
products, products are necessary but serving families is what builds trust.
Dan grew up on a farm six miles northwest of Dodge and moved to Schuyler at the age of ten when his widowed mother Margaret (Vlach) Wisnieski married Ed. He graduated from Schuyler High School in 1964 and received his Mortuary Science degree from the University of Minnesota in 1967.
Chris is the daughter of Harry and Katherine "Kak" (Coufal) Chronister. Chris
was born in Columbus but the family soon moved to Schuyler. Chris was one of the original "Candy Stripers" at Schuyler Memorial Hospital that helped the nursing staff in their duties. She also worked at Chase's Drug Store and may have made you a malt at the soda fountain. Chris graduated from Schuyler High School in 1965 and attended the St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Omaha. Dan and Chris
have two children, Jeff and his wife Rachel (Pokorny) of Columbus and Sally Sales and her husband Tom of St. Louis Park, MN. She loves being grandma to their three grandchildren, Ben (12) Sam (9) and Claire (4) Wisnieski.
Dan and Chris believe that being a part of a community means giving back to it. They have always been active members and leaders in many civic organizations. Dan has served as president of the Schuyler Chamber of Commerce, Rotary,
Sertoma, and the J. C.'s, and in the role of chairman for the Boy Scout Fund Drive, Schuyler Colfax Days Fireworks Committee, Cochairman of the Platte River Raft Regatta and served on the School Boards of District #2 and District #123. Chris served as a volunteer drivers for Meals on Wheels for almost 25 years, served on the Quasquicentenial Committee, as a member of Mrs. J.C.'s, President of ESA Sorority, Brownie Leader, Girl Scout Day Camp Leader, served on four different Nebraska boards of AGLOW International (a transdemoninational organization of Christian women) as well as Bible study leader in several different venues.
Dan enjoys collecting antiques, especially Schuyler memorabilia and baseball collectibles. He also enjoys giving programs to organizations on his collections of Schuyler Postcards, Schuyler calendars, the Wells-Abbott-Nieman Flour Mill, his lunch boxes, celluloid toys, tin toys and his many other collections. Dan likes to ask the people in attendance what their favorite toy was, or what their favorite store was and what they remember about it. He feels it's fun to take people back to those simpler days and help them relive the good times.
Dan and Chris also offer programs for organizations on "The Good Funeral", Dealing with Grief, Pre-need and Pre Planing funerals and they offer tours of the funeral home to help you better understand the funeral process before you need it. Before a school scheduling change made it too difficult to fit in the curriculum all of the Schuyler eight graders were offered the opportunity to take this tour and it provided the young adults a chance to ask questions at a time when they were not
emotionally invested in a death situation.
If you have questions about pre-need, cremation or nontraditional funerals, or if
you would like to arrange for a program or tour please contact Dan at 402-352-3860.