William J. Lauber

Owner/CFSP/CCO

Lauber Funeral Services was owned by William “Bill” Lauber for thirty years until his untimely passing in March of 2022. Since then, his remaining children: Whitney, Michael and Madison have continued to operate the funeral home and crematory in efforts to keep it a family-owned business until Michael finishes mortuary school and can continue Bill’s legacy. Lauber Funeral Services strives to uphold the values that Bill instilled within the community; to celebrate and honor the lives of those who have passed and allow families the opportunity to grieve their loved ones through services designed to share their loved one’s life story. We hope that you continue to trust Lauber Funeral Services to meet your needs and bring comfort during a difficult time.

Douglas C. Wymore

Funeral Director/Manager

Douglas (Doug) C. Wymore, Funeral Director/Certified Crematory Operator

A native of Nebraska City, NE, Doug worked for a funeral home in Nebraska City (part time) while going to school from 1970 until his high school graduation in 1974. While going to college at Peru State Doug continued to work part-time during this period. Doug also attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO.

At Peru State College Doug completed his State of Nebraska Funeral Director/Embalmer pre-requisites. Following college Doug worked for a funeral home in Nebraska City before enrolling in Mortuary College. In 1981 Doug received an honor along with is father, Lloyd H. Wymore as being the first and only “Father and Sons’ yearly award at the Optimist Banquet in Nebraska City. This was for outstanding work that was done in the community for that year by the two of them. Doug was also a member of the Nebraska City Rescue Squad from 1974 through 1981 where he was a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMTA).

In 1979 Doug enrolled at Commonwealth College of Mortuary Science in Houston, TX where he graduated with honors in August of 1980.

Upon graduation from Mortuary College Doug served his one-year apprenticeship with a Nebraska City funeral home before he took his State board exams and became a licensed Funeral Director in January of 1981 and then a licensed Embalmer in January of 1982.

Doug continued working for a funeral home in Nebraska City until the summer of 1985 when he moved to Lincoln, NE and then became Sales Manager for Speidell Monuments. Then in January 1988 Doug moved to Syracuse, NE and began working for Fusselman Funeral Homes in Syracuse, Palmyra and Louisville, NE.

In 1991 Doug purchased interest/shares in the funeral homes. Then in the same year Doug purchased the funeral homes in Weeping Water and Elmwood, NE. In 1994 Doug purchased the remaining interest of the Fusselman Funeral Homes and merged the funeral homes in Weeping Water and Elmwood with the Syracuse, Palmyra, and Louisville locations. At that time the name was changed to Fusselman-Wymore Funeral Homes.

In 1998 Doug purchased the Caldwell Funeral Home in Plattsmouth, NE and totally remodeled it inside and outside and made it handicap accessible. After the completion of the funeral home the name was changed to Fusselman Wymore Funeral Homes.

In June of 2010 Doug sold his funeral homes and moved to Milford, NE where he worked for Bill Lauber at the Lauber Moore Funeral Homes in Milford and Friend, NE until October of 2018.

After leaving the Lauber Funeral Homes Doug retired after some health issues but came back to work for Bill Lauber in the fall of 2021. Doug helped Bill part-time when Bill left on vacations and family functions.

Bill also appointed Doug to be in charge of monument sales for the funeral homes in Milford and Friend, NE, where he has a combined knowledge and experience in the monument business of 40 years, where he was a manager of one monument company and a sales manager of another company.

Doug has served on many organizations and boards in the past years, including the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association where he served several offices from 2000 to 2008. Doug served as President of the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association from 2003 to 2004. He also served as a Policy Board Officer of the National Funeral Directors Association representing Nebraska on a national level for a term of five years. The National Funeral Directors Association is an organization of over 20,000 members, funeral directors all over the world.

As President of the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association, Doug received many awards and recognitions, including a special recognition award from the Executive Board of the National Funeral Directors Association in 2004 at the State convention held in Kearney, NE. An officer from the NFDA presented this award to Doug at their convention banquet.

In March of 2018 Doug received his certificate to be a Certified Crematory Operator (CCO) through the National Funeral Directors Association. He is certified to operate a crematory in Nebraska.

In June 2021 Doug received his recognition plaque of being a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer for 40 years at the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association convention in Lincoln, NE.

Doug has two children and three grandchildren. A daughter Brianna Wymore and Bentley and Jace Wymore of Syracuse and a son Matthew Wymore and his fiancé Tasha Ryan and their daughter Amira’ Lynn Rose Wymore of Lincoln.

On March 19^th following the accident of the Lauber’s, Whitney Lauber, President and owner of Lauber Funeral and Cremation Services asked if I would be the new manager and run the everyday operations of the funeral homes in Milford and Friend, NE and Blue Valley Crematory. I was honored to accept this and responsibility and told them “Yes.”

Michael Lauber

Michael is the only son of Bill Lauber and was raised in the Milford and Friend communities where he followed his father’s footsteps on learning the importance of compassion and empathy within the funeral business. Michael graduated from Milford High School in 2013 and is currently taking classes to obtain his funeral director’s license to eventually take over the business. Michael already has his crematory license and has been helping conduct funeral services since his father’s passing as a way to honor his father and continue the legacy that was set forth before him. In his spare time, Michael enjoys hunting, fishing, and boating. He resides in Friend, NE with his long-term girlfriend, Kaylee and their dog, Ccina.

Whitney Chrisman

Whitney is the eldest daughter of Bill Lauber who oversees the day-to-day operations of the funeral home. Whitney was raised in the Milford and Friend communities and currently resides in Lincoln, NE with her husband, Colton, and two daughters, Carver, and Kyla. Whitney is a licensed independent mental health practitioner (LIMHP) and counsel’s others with mental health and substance use issues and has experience working with grief. More recently, Whitney has obtained her license in selling pre-need insurance and can help families wanting to pre-plan their funerals.

Dan Crawford

Pre-Need Counselor

Dan Crawford, Pre-Need Counselor

            Dan was raised in rural Plymouth, NE on a dairy farm. After graduating from Tri-County High School in 1992 Dan attended Bethel College in Newton, KS for a year and then transfer to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

After college Dan returned to the family farm where he continues to farm and has a beef herd.

In 1999 Dan married Lori Pretzer on rural Diller. Lori has been employed as a nursing instructor at Southeast Community College in Beatrice since 2005.

Dan has three children, Ella, Shelton and Boston.

Dan is a member of the 1^st Mennonite church and was a member of the Gage County Fair Board and Lincoln Township.

Dan received his pre-need insurance license in 1999 and has worked with many funeral homes throughout Nebraska. Dan has helped thousands of families set up Funeral Trust and advise them on pre-planning.

Dan has helped many funeral homes in setting up pre-need programs to help their families.

Dan joined the Lauber Funeral Services in 2022.

Bob Wehrs

Bob was born and raised in Milford, Nebraska and grew up on his family farm, graduating from Milford High school with the class of 1976. After graduation, Bob continued farming and raising cattle. In 1990, Bob took his knowledge of feeding cattle and started Wehrs Feedyard with his wife, Sherri. After 32 years in the business, Bob sold the feed yard to his nephew, but continues to farm and take care of his cow and calf pairs. Bob is married to Sherri Weldon from Columbus, NE. They have three children: Travis Wehrs, Kaci Nielsen, and Colton Wehrs and six grandchildren: Ty, Evan, and Sydney of Fort Meyers, Florida, and Berkley, Nixon, and Leighton of Lincoln, Nebraska. Bob is a member of Milford Mennonite Church and has enjoyed serving as Elder, trustee and usher over the years. Bob has always enjoyed working with and helping members of his community and feels that working with Lauber Funeral home will give him that continued opportunity. He is a certified crematory operator (COO) and helps with cremations.