Full History

Evan Glende, a lifelong resident of the Fergus Falls area, together with Sam Miller, built the present facility in 1950 called the Glende-Miller Funeral Home. Years later, Adolph Johnson joined the firm, and the name Glende-Johnson Funeral Home was adopted.

In 1969, Doug Nelson joined the firm, and in 1995, Glende-Johnson-Nelson Funeral Home partnered with Bruce Nilson, who owned and operated the Nilson Funeral Homes of Fergus Falls, Battle Lake, Ashby, and Evansville. Today, Bruce Nilson and Doug Nelson offer their continued assistance to the team at Glende-Nilson.

The funeral home celebrated a major renovation and expansion in July 2002. Among many other new features, the update included the addition of a chapel and crematory. Recognizing the changing desires of families, further renovations in 2014 led to the creation of their Life Event Center, which is used largely as a lunch and reception area.

The funeral professionals at Glende-Nilson Funeral Home & Cremation Services are proud to carry on the legacy and honored to serve families in Fergus Falls, Ashby, Battle Lake, Evansville, and beyond.