Liewers sell funeral homes to Yuma, Colorado couple

    After 32 years of ownership, Mike and Cindy Liewer have sold their funeral homes in Imperial, Wauneta and Benkelman.
    Stephen and Kayla Mulder, who call Yuma, Colorado home, finalized the business purchase July 1.
    The Mulders moved into the upstairs residence at the Imperial funeral home with their two children the first of July.
    Stephen Mulder said they had always hoped to be back closer to home someday. Both he and Kayla grew up in Yuma and graduated from high school there.
    Both sets of grandparents live in Yuma about 90 miles from Imperial.
    “We both grew up in a small town. When the opportunity came knocking, we felt we were led here,” he said.
    “It was attractive to get back to our roots,” he said.
    Stephen graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 2008. His first position was with Adamson Funeral Homes and Cremation Services in Greeley, Colorado, working there three and a half year.
    For the past 11 years, the family has been in Richland, Washington, where he worked for Einan’s Funeral Home.
    Mulder said the people he worked for in Greeley got them in touch with the Liewers when they learned the business was being sold.
    Kayla will work part-time with the business. She has a teaching degree and has been a substitute teacher in the past. She is originally from Scottsbluff and said she still has family there.
    The Mulders have two children who will attend Chase County Schools this fall, Owen, 9, a fourth grader, and Devyn, 6, who’ll be in second grade.
    At this time, Mulder said they will keep the same business names in all three communities—Liewer Funeral Home in Imperial and Wauneta, and Benkelman Memorial Chapel.
    A name change will come later on, he said.
    As of last Friday, Mulder had already assisted at three services in the county.
    “We are honored to be here,” he said. “Folks are starting to recognize us.”
    During the transition as the Mulders learn the business, Mike Liewer said he’ll keep his license active and continue to work with the new owners as needed at funerals in the three communities.
    The Liewers moved to Imperial in September 1991, purchasing the Imperial and Wauneta funeral homes from the Creveling family. They added the Benkelman Memorial Chapel 10 years ago.
    Both said it has always been their plan to retire when they reached age 65. Both of them hit that milestone this year, he said.
    “We are pleased and feel fortunate the Mulders are here,” he said.
    The Liewers’ four children have helped their parents in the business “behind the scenes” over the years, they said. Three of them are married and the Liewers have five grandchildren and one on the way.
    Their children include Matt of Lincoln; Kate and Mike Ray and Jaci and Jeremy Harris, all of Fort Worth; and Shannon and Kelton Fisher of Imperial. Daughter Shannon has assisted with the business website.
    The Liewers will remain in the county. They have a home just south of Enders Lake.