Meet Our Caring Team

Tara was born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota. She earned her associate degree in mortuary science from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, CO, in August 2019 and has worked in Wyoming and North Dakota since then. Family is very important to Tara, and any of her spare time is spent with her five children—Thayden, Alyssa, Christopher, and twins, Liam and Cadence. 

Tara believes it is important to know that what she is doing makes a difference, and she strives to help families create meaningful goodbyes to their loved ones.

In February of 2017, Colette joined Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home as the Aftercare Coordinator.  Colette was drawn to this position partially because of her experience as a Funeral Director’s wife and seeing the need for loved ones to receive support after the funeral is over.  She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Sociology from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. 

Colette married Jason Barton on September 14, 1991.  They were blessed to be the parents of Cindy, Colson, Connor, Jason Paul and Serenity, as well as the grandparents of Lavinia and Shane.  Jason passed away on November 6, 2017, and Colette has continued to raise their family at their home near Wyndmere, ND.

Colette is very committed to her community.  She is a charter member of the Headwaters Lions Club, an active member of the Wyndmere United Methodist Church, and a coordinator for Community Vacation Bible School in Wyndmere.  She supports her children’s activities by volunteering for several school-related committees. Colette is the Spiritual Caregiver at CHI Health at Home and Hospice and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Richland Wilkin Community Foundation.  In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and looking at all the great ideas on Pinterest.

Renee grew up on a farm near Mooreton, ND. She graduated from Wahpeton High and then attended NDSCS.   She joined the staff at Vertin-Munson in the fall of 2018 and takes pride in being part of such a caring family.  After working in the printing industry for the last 20 years, Renee finds helping families create personal and meaningful tributes for their loved ones very rewarding.

Renee enjoys walking, reading, gardening and bonfires with family and friends.  She lives in Wahpeton with her husband Bob, together they enjoy spending time with their three grown children and six grandchildren.

Elaine has been working with families at Vertin-Munson since 1999. She is a graduate of Hillsboro High School, the University of Minnesota-Moorhead, and North Dakota State University. Elaine retired in May, 2007, after 34 years of teaching. She has been interested in counseling for most of her teaching career and has written grants to acquire training in the field for teachers to use in their own classrooms. She later went on to gain a master's degree in counseling in 1994 and was licensed as a counselor in North Dakota in 1995. Having experienced many losses in her own life, working in funeral service was a natural progression for her.

Elaine and her husband, Terry, live in Wahpeton, where they are active members of St. John's Catholic Church. She enjoys gardening, walking outdoors, reading, continuing education, and traveling. Elaine has also worked part-time as an addiction counselor and has been doing volunteer crisis counseling in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault for Three Rivers Crisis Center since 1995. Over the years, she has been a member of several teaching and counseling organizations.

Craig grew up in Wahpeton and graduated from Wahpeton High School. He earned degrees from North Dakota State College of Science and Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. Craig was employed by First Bank Systems in Aberdeen until 1978. Due to his father's illness, Craig returned to Wahpeton, and he and his two brothers managed their family business, Caspers Seven Levels of Home Furnishings. While working as a buyer for the furniture store, Craig met several individuals in the furniture industry who were also licensed funeral directors, and they encouraged him to consider the rewarding and meaningful life of a funeral director.

Craig graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota in 1987 and began serving families at Vertin-Munson soon after. He was mentored in the profession by Bernard "Bun" Munson, who had managed the business for 27 years.

While Craig enjoyed his career in banking and furniture, he has found the work of being a funeral director as the most rewarding and fulfilling. Because he grew up in Wahpeton and is familiar with so many families in the community, Craig is able to develop a close, personal experience while serving the Wilkin-Richland area. 

Craig has discovered through his funeral director experience that although life does not always follow a plan, it is through caring for others and having compassion for those grieving that helps all of us get through difficult times. Craig values spending time with his two children and five grandchildren. His wife, Sue, passed away in 2019.