Nitardy Funeral Homes
Three generations serving Jefferson, Walworth and Dane Counties
in the heartland of Wisconsin
Our History
Hilmar Begins His Business in Johnson Creek
Hilmar A. Nitardy was born July 2, 1907, to a Lutheran minister and his wife. He grew up in rural Wisconsin, spending a good deal of time driving the horses and buggy (or cutter in winter) between the two churches his father served for Sunday services and funerals. It was this exposure that kindled an interest in the funeral profession.
He apprenticed at a funeral home in Madison, Wisconsin for two years. After receiving his funeral director’s license in 1932 Hilmar set up a furniture and undertaking business in Johnson Creek. Furniture was in the front part of the store and the rear two rooms were partitioned off; one for embalming (although many times it was done at the home) and the other for displaying caskets.
The store front was two doors from the telephone office. Without the convenience of cell phones and pagers, Hilmar always left word with the operators where he could be reached. One operator was a girl named Dorothy Wrasse. They were married December 25, 1932.
The Move to Fort Atkinson
In midsummer 1935, the depression loomed. Furniture sales were slow and funerals were few. A drastic change was necessary. In Fort Atkinson, only ten miles away with a population of 6,000, there was one funeral service doing the vast majority of funerals. This director was using the Odd Fellows building. He was behind in rent and wanted to sell. Hilmar and his father met with him at the bank and offered his asking price of $3,000.00 for caskets and equipment. He changed his mind and refused to sell. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Hilmar found himself in a position to rent the building and was able to set up his funeral business with no financial outlay. This was just one room with a basement. 
One side was a tavern, the other a hardware store. During visitations one could hear the cash register ring.
In 1936, Hilmar bought a large house with an upper and lower flat. Here a chapel and canopy were built for funerals, and an ambulance service was started.
Expansion to Cambridge
In 1947, Hilmar purchased the funeral business of the Prescott family in Cambridge, Wisconsin. This parlor was a room in the furniture store where he had chairs and davenports, but it could be used for visitations. A short time later, a house was bought and remodeled, and a casket show room was added.
Hilmar's Son Russ Assumes Control
In 1965, the Fort Atkinson funeral home was sold. Hilmar continued to operate the Cambridge funeral home until 1979. At this time he mentioned to his son, Russ, he was planning to retire. At the time, Russ was supervising the lab at the Watertown Hospital. He still had his funeral directing license from when he had begun working in the funeral industry. He decided to take over the business and he and his family moved into the apartment above the funeral home. They were introduced to night calls, visitations and the importance of answering the phone.
Russ Expands the Operation
Russ had a desire to again have a funeral home in Fort Atkinson, so in 1984 a new funeral home was constructed on 1008 Madison Avenue. The design featured available parking and a one-story, fully handicap-accessible facility.
In 1991 Russ updated the Cambridge facilities by adding a chapel, an additional restroom, handicap-access ramp, front porch entrance, new landscaping, and complete remodeling of interior.
Russ's Son David Enters the Business
Russ’s son David came into the family business in October of 1995 after four plus years working at the Gunderson Funeral Home in Madison. David received a business degree from UW-Madison in 1992 and then completed his associate degree in mortuary science in 1995.
Expansion Continues
Russ has been retired since 2003, yet the business and staff continue to grow. In 2007, David purchased land and built a new facility in Whitewater. Today Nitardy Funeral Homes offers caring and dedicated service to families in the Cambridge, Fort Atkinson and Whitewater areas.