The Saether Livery Service was founded in 2002 to provide a hearse and driver-funeral helper to funeral homes in southwestern Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and northern Illinois. Our fleet has grown from our first hearse purchased in 2002 to six hearses in 2020 to easily serve a territory from Waupun and Mauston, WI, to Rockford, IL to Dubuque, IA and the surrounding areas.

In 2002 we began with one full-time customer, and now have grown to having served over 50 funeral home firms.  At this time we have many full-time funeral home clients, and look forward to adding more.

The Saether Livery Service is owned by Paul Saether, a 35+ year licensed Wisconsin Funeral Director.  Paul also owns and operates Saether Funeral Service where he is the 5th generation owner, with the business handed down from father to son all five of those generations.  The funeral home was started by Ole Saether, who passed it to Hannock Saether, who passed it to Rex Saether, who passed it to Tom Saether, who passed it in 1988 to Paul Saether.  The Saether Funeral Home has been in business since 1879, making 2024 their 145th year of operation.

Our drivers are expecting to assist your funeral home the entire time they are with you.  The drivers should never sit and read the paper while you do the work.  We are ready to help you load equipment and flowers, unload everything at the site of the service, assist with parking cars and opening doors, and can help you handle the casket during the service if you wish.  Some funeral homes send our drivers out with only 1 funeral director to handle a service if their staff is stretched thin or if the funeral home is operated by only one person.

We have steadily increased the number of hearses offered in our operation as our business has increased over the years.  In 2014 we purchased our third brand-new Federal MKT hearse with casket compartment side windows and an electric extend table. In 2020 we purchased a MK Lincoln Nautilus built model hearse, in 2021 we added a second MK Lincoln Nautilus hearse, and in December of 2023 we purchased two more MK Lincoln Nautilus hearses.  This means we purchased four brand new hearses within 3 years to upgrade our fleet.  These vehicles give our clients and our drivers additional peace of mind in the winter months due to the all-wheel-drive systems these vehicles have.  They can track through winter snow as sure footedly as a Suburban.  You should see the faces of the vault men and public as our all-wheel-drive hearses drive right up snow covered inclines in cemeteries to get right near the grave when the cemetery layout allows for it.

Our cars feature tail gate extensions or electric extend tables for ease of casket transfer, convenience of the pallbearers, and added elegance to the casket presentation.

We look forward to upgrading more of our hearses to new vehicles as our business grows and expands.