Meet Our Caring Team

As leaders in the profession, our team takes great pride in caring for our community. We are here for you.

Craig E. Buysse

Craig E. Buysse

Licensed Funeral Director

Craig Buysse was raised in the Minneota area, and joined Anderson Funeral Home in 2001. He is a University of Minnesota Graduate in Mortuary Science (1994) and is a Licensed Mortician. Craig is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, a Sertoma Club Member, and Knights of Columbus member. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and on the Board of Governors at Grand Arbor.  He enjoys spending time on the lake, golfing, and all sports. He is married to Tricia and has a daughter, Madeline and a son, Ethan.

Robert J. Kensinger

Robert J. Kensinger

Licensed Funeral Director

Robert Kensinger was raised in the Brooklyn Center area and joined Anderson Funeral Home in 1995. He is a University of Minnesota Graduate in Mortuary Science (1989) and also a Licensed Mortician. Robert is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and is a Lions Club Member. He is married to Joanne Mairs Kensinger.

Erin M. Petermeier

Erin M. Petermeier

Licensed Funeral Director

Erin was born in California and moved to Alexandria with her family in 1971.  She is a graduate of Jefferson Senior High School in Alexandria and received her Degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota.  After graduation Erin returned to join her parents at Petermeier’s Alexandria Funeral Home and later the Anderson Funeral Home in 2007, when the two merged.


The main reason I became a funeral director was my desire to help people.  Growing up in funeral service I saw how my parents helped families and this helped influence me to choose this as a career.  Now I have the honor of serving families that were influential in making me who I am today. I am truly blessed to be able to give back to them and other families who I have met over the 28 years I have served this community. To be a part of remembering and honoring someone’s life is one of the greatest honors I can have. 


I feel it is important to give back to our community and I have enjoyed being President of Business & Professional Women and Jaycees as well as serving on the St. Mary’s Block Party Committee. All of these organizations and events have in some way made our community better, whether it was through Jingle Bells, women in the workforce or just enjoying a day of fellowship as a whole community.  


My husband, Chuck and I both enjoy living in this area and feel blessed to be able to raise our two daughters, Ashley and Kaitlyn, in this community.  As a family we enjoy time on the area lakes, attending our daughter’s events and doing different activities with family and friends.

Whitney Barthel

Whitney Barthel

Licensed Funeral Director

Whitney grew up in Milbank, South Dakota, where she graduated high school in 2004. From there, she attended Southwest Minnesota State University and earned a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in psychology in 2009.

 

After taking several years off from school, Whitney started working at a funeral home in Watertown, South Dakota, and attended school to become a licensed funeral director in the summer of 2020. She graduated from Des Moines Area Community College in early 2022 with an advanced standing diploma in mortuary science. 

Jack Ryan

Jack Ryan

Licensed Funeral Director

Jack was raised in Olivia, Minnesota, and joined Anderson Funeral Home in 2022. He is a University of Minnesota graduate in mortuary science (2022) and is a Licensed Funeral Director. Jack enjoys golfing and spending time on the lake.

Tiffaney Hill

Tiffaney Hill

Funeral Director Intern

Tiffaney is from St. Ann, Jamaica, and has had an interest in funeral service since she attended weekend funerals as a little girl with her grandmother, who was in the local church choir.  Tiffaney has an associate degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She returned to school and earned an associate degree in funeral service in 2023. Tiffaney joined our staff with ten years of funeral service experience, eight of which she served as a funeral director in London. In 2015, she was a Most Promising New Funeral Director finalist in the UK’s Good Funeral Awards.


Outside of work, Tiffaney enjoys reading, traveling, playing tennis, watching Formula 1, and spending quality time with family and friends. She also likes to go to church on Sundays. 

Kathy Eastlund

Kathy Eastlund

Advance Funeral Planner

Kathy was born and raised in Alexandria, Minnesota, and graduated from Alexandria Technical College as a Medical Laboratory Assistant.  Her extensive career in health care has allowed her to follow her passion for serving others by being a good listener and providing compassionate care for those in need.  In 2013, she was recognized as one of “The Lakes Area’s Top 20 Professionals.”.  Kathy views her work as her “vocation” and is honored to serve families as an Advance Funeral Planner with Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory.


In her spare time, Kathy enjoys time with her children and grandchildren, her love of music, working with seniors, activities with friends, and paddle boarding.  

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