History
Welcome to Becker-Milnes and Rettig Funeral Home. Serving communities in Bremer and Fayette Counties for over a century.
John and Jane Milnes purchased the Berg Funeral Home in 1957. The Berg Funeral Home had been serving families in Sumner since the early 1900's. In 1967, John and Jane Milnes and Max and Wilma Emerson merged the Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and the Emerson Funeral Home in Hawkeye. The firm became Emerson-Milnes Funeral Service of Sumner and Hawkeye.
Max Emerson retired in 1977, and the funeral homes were operated by John and Jane Milnes until being joined by Bob and Linda Becker in 1980. Bob had been a funeral director in the Cedar Rapids-Marion area since 1973.
In 1982, the Belles-Wright Funeral Home of Fayette was added to the firm and the firm name became Becker-Milnes Funeral Service. John and Jane Milnes retired in 1984.
In 1993, G.R. and Gladys Rettig of Tripoli sold the Rettig Funeral Home to Bob and Linda Becker, allowing the firm to serve its present four locations.