Pinelawn
Cemetery Company held its first shareholders meeting on June 30, 1922. The
majority shareholder and first president was T. C. Esser, a prominent Milwaukee
businessman. Pinelawn consisted of 105 acres; the first 20 acres were developed
as Sections 4, 5 and 6. Two years later, Sections 9, 10, 11 and 12 were developed.
Seven years after its formation, the cemetery started its first perpetual
care fund, which continues to exist today.
In
1933, Karl Egger was given a lease to operate a greenhouse on the grounds
and did so until the early 1960's. A schoolhouse and adjacent land, located
on Capitol Drive and Highway 100 (then Lovers Lane Road), was purchased and
designed for cemetery expansion.
On May 22, 1940, Messrs Jacobi and Erdman, owners of Badger Paint Company,
acquired the controlling interest in the cemetery. Twelve years later, Harold
E. Toson and his two sons, Harold N. and Robert W., purchased the property
and changed its name to 'Pinelawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum Corporation.'
Over the years, Pinelawn continued to expand its services and to offer innovative memorialization options. The Park is still nearly 100 acres in size with reserve space to last and estimated 250 to 300 years.
..
.........(Robert
W., Harold E. and Harold N. Toson)
Today, Pinelawn
is one of four cemeteries,within Wisconsin, family owned and operated by a
division of The Tribute Companies. The Tribute Companies (see
www.tributeinc.com for further information)
is owned by William R. Toson and consists of three different divisions offering
various products and services to the cemetery and funeral industry. Bill Toson,
the third generation of the Toson family, acquired ownership of Pinelawn Memorial
Park from his father in 1987 and turned management over to his daughter, Christine
Toson Hentges, representing the fourth generation in 2000. The cemetery remains
one of a few family owned and operated memorial parks in the State of Wisconsin,
which the Toson family takes great pride in.
(right:
Christine and Timothy Hentges,
Barbara and William R. Toson)
