Meet Our Caring Team

Brittany grew up on the iron range in Hibbing, Minnesota, hometown of Bob Dylan and the world’s largest open pit mine. Her dad died of malignant melanoma when she was eleven years old, so she and her three siblings were raised by a hardworking single mom. Brittany’s experience with losing a parent at a young age is what inspired her to become a funeral director. 

After graduating from Hibbing High School in 2006, Brittany attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks for two years and was active in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She was accepted to the Program of Mortuary Science at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and graduated with the highest distinction in May 2010. Brittany interned with Michaelson Funeral Home in Owatonna before transferring to Hoff Celebration of Life Center in Winona. In December 2015, Brittany and her husband, Lance, relocated to Mankato. They are blessed with two children, Lucy and Finn. They are members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and Brittany serves on their children’s ministry board.

In addition to being a licensed funeral director in Minnesota, Brittany is a Certified Crematory Operator and Certified Celebrant. She attended the College of 21st Century Funeral Service through the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association in Memphis, TN, in 2013. A celebrant is a person who has been trained to create a personalized tribute to reflect the personality and lifestyle of the deceased. Her background as a celebrant has helped many families have a meaningful and unique service, from balloon releases to champagne toasts to a party atmosphere with special music or ice cream sundaes.

In January 2023, Brittany stepped into a leadership role as the General Manager of Mankato Area Funeral Homes. In addition to serving families, she is also dedicated to supporting the team, implementing progressive changes, and staying current with trends in funeral service. 

In her spare time, Brittany enjoys staying active by walking, running and training for half marathons, and riding her Peloton bike. She also loves reading, trying new recipes, relaxing with a cup of black coffee on their patio, gardening, traveling, enjoying a glass of wine with friends, and spending time with family. When she's away from the office, Brittany also loves watching her children's activities: gymnastics, tap dance, and taekwondo.

Kevin is from Winthrop, Minnesota. He graduated from Winthrop High School and attended Mankato State University. It was in Mankato where he was introduced to funeral service. While at Mankato State he worked as a night attendant for Johnson-Boman Funeral home under the direction of Larry Essen and John Rothfork. Essen and Rothfork were very helpful in giving the experience to Kevin to know this would be his chosen profession. Kevin worked in the Twin Cities at two funeral homes, Gearty-Delmore Funeral Home and Kozlak Funeral Home while attending the University of Minnesota. He is a 1989 graduate of the University of Minnesota. Following graduation Kevin accepted a funeral director position will the Clasen-Jordan Funeral Home in Austin, Minnesota. While working in Austin, Kevin was married to Gayla Glemming in 1991. In 1992, Larry Essen and John Rothfork offered Kevin and Gayla a position with Mankato Mortuary. Kevin and his wife Gayla became partners in Mankato Mortuary in 1998. In 2005, Kevin and Gayla purchased John Rothfork's stock after his retirement. Kevin and Gayla expanded the business in January of 2006 through a merger with Tom Vertin and now own and operate five funeral homes under the name of Mankato Area Funeral Homes.

Kevin and Gayla have two daughters, Jayne and Abby. They are members of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Mankato.

Gayla graduated from Maple Valley High School in Tower City, North Dakota in 1984, attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks for four years and transferred to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 1988. Gayla received her Mortuary Science degree from the U of M in 1989. She was employed during her internship with Peterson-Olson Funeral Home in St. Paul and White Bear Lake and later moved to Austin, Minnesota, where she was employed with Mayer Funeral Home. While living in Austin, she married Kevin Satre on October 26, 1991. They moved to Mankato in 1992 and have been actively involved in the Mankato area. Kevin and Gayla have had ownership involvement since 1998 and through a merger with their business partner, Tom Vertin in 2006, they manage five funeral home locations, Mankato Mortuary, Lake Crystal Mortuary, Saint Peter Funeral Home, Olson-Tichenor Funeral Home Mapleton, Northview North Mankato Mortuary and a crematory facility in North Mankato.

Gayla is highly involved with all aspects of the funeral industry as a licensed MN mortician and funeral director, a pre-planning consultant, and a MN licensed insurance agent. Being active in the community and a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church, she finds much of her spare time spent with their two daughters, Jayne and Abby.

Shanna was born and raised in Estherville, IA before moving to Mankato in junior high and graduating from Mankato East High School.  She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2002 with a degree in Mortuary Science.  Shanna completed her internship in Westbrook, MN and then returned to Mankato.  Shanna and her husband Brent lost their 10-year-old daughter, Audrey in 2018 from a brain tumor.  It has given Shanna a whole new perspective as she works with grieving families. 

Shanna is a member of Christ the King Lutheran Church.  In her free time, she enjoys boating, cycling, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Kayla was born and raised in Litchfield, MN. She graduated from Litchfield High School in 2012. Kayla attended the University of Minnesota Program of Mortuary Science where she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science.

Kayla began her career in the Twin Cities where she served as a funeral director for three years. In 2017, she made the decision to move to North Mankato and join the staff at Mankato Area Funeral Homes. She finds it an honor to be serving families in their greatest time of need.

In 2020 Kayla married her husband, Justin. They were blessed with their first daughter, Peyton, in August of 2022. Kayla enjoys camping trips, golfing, ice fishing, and spending time outdoors with her husband, daughter, and their labradoodle, Charlie.

Blake is a native of Gettysburg, South Dakota, graduating from Gettysburg High School in 1999. He received his Associate of Arts degree from Northern State University in Aberdeen (2003), his Bachelor of Science degree from SDSU in Brookings (2004), and his Mortuary Science degree from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 2006. Before attending mortuary school, he worked at Miller Funeral Home in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he completed his SD apprenticeship. He is licensed in both Minnesota and South Dakota.

Blake joined the staff at St. Peter Funeral Home and Mankato Area Funeral Homes in September 2006. He is a member of the St. Peter Rotary Club, St. Peter Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (serving as Chairperson in 2021), member of the River's Edge Hospital Commission (serving as Vice Chairperson 2020-present), member of St. Peter Masons - Nicollet Lodge #54, and past committee member for Mayo Clinic Health System-St. Peter Hospice Fundraiser. In his spare time, he enjoys camping and traveling.

Addison grew up in Clinton, Oklahoma. She comes from a family with many ties to the special needs and mental health fields. Addison's experiences with overcoming diversity through those situations inspired her to serve those in times of grief. After graduating from Arapaho-Butler High School in 2017, she attended Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond for two and a half years and was active in the Iota Kappa Phi sorority, Outreach program, and performing arts. 

Addison transferred to the University of Central Oklahoma for their funeral service program and was also a member of the Sigma Phi Sigma chapter. She graduated in December of 2022 with a bachelor's degree in funeral service and a minor in grief, death, and dying. Addison completed her apprenticeship at Corbett Funeral Home in Oklahoma City. She plans to return to college for a master's degree in psychology in order to write about overcoming grief through mental health and special needs cases. Addison is a dual-licensed funeral director in Oklahoma and Minnesota. She is also a Certified Crematory Operator.

In 2019, Addison met her husband, Dallas Brandly. Together, they have two German Shepherds named Lincoln and Murray. Dallas and Addison were married in November 2023. In December 2023, they relocated from Anadarko, Oklahoma, to Mankato, Minnesota. In her free time, Addison enjoys going on adventures with her husband and dogs. She also enjoys reading a good book, showing her affection through her cooking, going to the gym, painting, and spending quality time with friends and family.