Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home

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Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home, Funeral service & cemetery, 225 W Monroe Street, New Bremen, OH.

Since 1929 the family of the Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home has been serving New Bremen and the surrounding area, with dignity, compassion and professionalism in our modern, yet home-like setting.

09/11/2025

Today, we honor and remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
We also pay tribute to the courage of first responders, the strength of survivors, and the resilience of our nation.

08/28/2025

Call someone who is ready to listen ❤️

08/28/2025

🎃 It’s that time again… Pumpkin People 2025! 🎃

Join the fun in New Bremen, Minster & New Knoxville by creating your own festive Pumpkin People display! Have your display ready by September 26th and email a photo for entry.

Winners will be announced on October 3rd on the Southwestern Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce page. 🍂

📸 Send entries to: NBPumpkinPeople@gmail.com

Let’s make the towns festive together! 🧡

08/28/2025

Time Gets Weird

You wake up and everything looks the same.

But it isn’t.

The kitchen counter is still there, the street looks the same outside your window, but everything seems a bit off, as if the real world no longer exists.

You go through the motions, nodding as people talk about everyday things, and all the while you’re thinking in your head: "Doesn’t anyone see we’ve slipped into the Twilight Zone?"

Time plays tricks on you when you’re grieving a loss. Minutes drag, and whole weeks fly by without warning. You look at your calendar, baffled at how long it’s been, while your heart swears it was only yesterday.

Here’s the thing…in this new version of reality, time lies to you constantly.

The smallest things can trip you up. Folding laundry. Making dinner. Hearing a song.

Suddenly you’re crying over some of the most ridiculous stuff. And then you laugh because you remember how they would have mocked you for breaking down over something so stupid.

There you are…laughing and crying at the same time.

It’s weird and it feels kind of unhinged, doesn’t it? To be so overwhelmed by silence, by absence, by the sound of nothing where someone’s voice used to be. The silence becomes its own strange creature, echoing so loudly it fills the room. No one ever warned you how heavy emptiness could be.

But under all of it, the fog, the warped clock, the weeping over laundry, you know you loved them. That’s why the air feels different, why the world feels wrong, why grief keeps pulling you upside down.

It’s love…disguised as disorientation.

So, you just keep going. You stumble, you freeze, you laugh at ridiculous things, you cry without warning. You survive one weird Twilight Zone day at a time, even when it feels impossible.

And slowly you realize that if life feels this broken and dark, it’s only because love once made it so normal and bright.

And maybe…that’s what keeps you standing.

Gary Sturgis - Surviving Grief

08/14/2025

Patricia A. Broerman

PATRICIA A. “PAT” BROERMAN, age 92,Of rural New Bremen, died on Sunday, August 10, 2025 at 1:45 A.M. at the Otterbein Senior Lifestyles Community in St. Marys. She was born on January 4, 1933 in Cranberry Prairie, the daughter of the late Joseph H. and Mary E. (Evers) Hartings. She married Alfred M. Broerman on June 9, 1956, and he preceded her in death on February 6, 2009. Surviving are her children: Debra (Kent) Stiger of Pittsburgh, PA, Jeffrey (Denise)...

View Patricia A .Broerman's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/13/2025

Larry B. Powers

LARRY B. POWERS, age 76,of New Bremen, passed away at his home on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 1:37 A.M. after a long battle with his health. He was born on November 21, 1948, in Frakes, Kentucky, to the late Verlin and Bobbi (Jones) Powers. On July 11, 1970, he married Linda (Otting) Powers, who survives in New Bremen. Together, they shared 55 wonderful years of marriage. Larry is also survived by his children: Chad (Kimberly) Powers of New Bremen,...

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08/12/2025

Donald A. Rawers

Donald A. Rawers, age 82Of Guadalupe Road, New Bremen, died on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 5:55 A.M. at the Elmwood Assisted Living in New Bremen. He was born on March 6, 1943 in Dayton, the son of the late Walter J. and Armella H. (Knapke) Rawers. He is survived by his brother David Rawers of rural New Bremen, his brother-in-law Paul McEnroe of Buellton, CA, niece Maureen (James) Howard of Clayton, NC, and nephew Mark (Erika) McEnroe of Los...

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08/08/2025

Amy R. Bruns

Amy R. Bruns, age 48,Of New Bremen, died on Friday, August 8, 2025 at 4:00 A.M. in Hospice Care at Joint Twp. Dist. Mem. Hospital, St. Marys, OH. She was born on June 13, 1977 in Sidney, OH. She was the daughter of Robert and Patricia (Helman) Freund who survive in Sidney. On August 4, 2018 at Myrtle Beach, SC, she married Joel M. Bruns who survives in New Bremen. Also surviving is her daughter Kaylee Freund of New Bremen,...

View Amy Renee Bruns's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/01/2025

J. Gregory Maurer

J. GREGORY MAURER, age 72,

Of New Bremen, died on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 12:17 A.M. at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio after a long battle with his health. He was born on July 28, 1953, in Celina, the son of the late John F. Maurer, and H. Elaine (Pumphrey) Mauer who survives in Celina. On July 28, 1979 he married Cathy A. Mraz, and together they shared 46 incredible years together. Cathy survives in New Bremen, along with his children: Brett (Mayli) Maurer of New Bremen, and Cassie Maurer of Columbus; and his grandchildren: Emmitt, Liam, Lynnae, and Naomie Maurer. Also left to cherish his memory are his sisters: Heather (Jim) Dedyne of St. Johns, Michigan, and Heidi (Dale) Moorman of Celina, his sister in-law, Linda Brzeski of North Olmsted, as well as eight nieces and nephews. Along with his father, Greg was preceded in death by his son, Barton Maurer, his father and mother in-law, Walter and Ruth Mraz, and a brother in-law, Phil Brzeski.

Greg was a graduate of Mendon Union High School, and graduated from Adrian College with his bachelor of science and continued his education graduating from the University of Dayton with his master’s degree. He was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in New Bremen where he had served as a deacon and trustee. He had also served on the New Bremen Emergency Squad for 18 years. He had been a science teacher for most of his career teaching in Antwerp, Ohio, and Port Richey, Florida before settling at New Bremen Schools until his retirement in 2008. In addition to teaching, Greg was also extremely active in the life of the school, where he drove bus for 39 years, coached sports teams for many years, mowed the school lawns, took science students on educational trips to the Bahamas for 20 years, and was an all-around Cardinal sports fan. Greg was an avid golfer and belonged to a card club, and he also loved to drive, which lead to many trips across the United States, being able to visit every major league baseball stadium in the country. He enjoyed spending time with is family and his many friends and he also had a sweet tooth for ice cream. Greg will always be remembered for his genuinely kind and caring personality and for always wearing a smile.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, August 4, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. at the St. Paul United Church of Christ in New Bremen, with Rev. David Voll officiating. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date in the German Protestant Cemetery of New Bremen. Calling Hours will be held on Sunday, August 3, 2025 from 1:00 until 5:00 PM at the Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home in New Bremen, and again on Monday, at the church, one hour prior to the services. Memorial contributions in memory of Greg can be made to the New Bremen Emergency Squad (214 N. Washington Street, New Bremen, Ohio 45869), or the New Bremen Foundation (P.O. Box 97, New Bremen, Ohio 45869). Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements, and condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.gilberghartwigfh.com.

View J. Gregory Maurer's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

07/29/2025

James A. Kitzmiller

James A. "Jim" Kitzmiller, age 77,Of New Bremen, died on Friday, July 25, 2025 at 8:55 A.M. at the St. Rita's Medical Center in Lima after a long period of declining health. He was born on July 12, 1948 in Celina, the son of the late Elmer J. and Marie M. (Burmeister) Kitzmiller. On February 6, 1971 he married Jeanine E. Hirschfeld, and she survives in New Bremen. Also surviving are his siblings: Michael (Marjorie) Kitzmiller of Ft. Loramie, Jon...

View James A. Kitzmiller's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

07/19/2025

Please be advised thst Memorial Services for Richard Hartwig will be held this afternoon at the funeral home beginning at 2:30 P.M. Please be advised that the services will conclude with Military Honors including a gun volley from the firing squad around 2:45-3:00 P.M. If you hear the gunfire during that time period, please do not be alarmed.

07/17/2025

We found this key here at the funeral home after visitation this week. If you’re missing it, please let us know.

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225 W Monroe Street
New Bremen, OH
45869

Website

http://www.gilberghartwigfh.com/

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Gilberg-Hartwig Over the Years...

2019 marked 90 years in business for the Funeral Home located at 225 W. Monroe Street in New Bremen. The name of the business may have changed over the years from Gilberg & Hegemier to Gilberg Funeral Home, to its present name, Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home, but one thing has not changed – the care and dedication that is given to every family that we serve.

The funeral home had its beginnings back in the early 1920’s when Paul F. Gilberg was working with A.H. Albert Funeral Service of New Bremen during his high school years. In 1924 Mr. Albert helped to finance Paul’s education at the Cincinnati College of Embalming. After Paul had graduated from embalming school, Mr. Albert did not have a position open for him, so Paul found employment with Mr. Irwin Speckman, a local undertaker and merchant also of New Bremen.

In June of 1926, Paul and his friend Earl W. Hegemier joined together, and borrowed $250 from Earl’s father, Fred Hegemier. They drove a Model T Ford to Toledo, and purchased several radios, and brought them home to sell in New Bremen. This was the beginning of the People’s Radio and Gift Shop. For three years, Paul & Earl operated their business out of a rented a space in the old John Blase building on S. Washington Street (the current location of the Marathon Gas Station). In 1929, Paul and Earl bought the funeral business of A.H. Albert and moved their business to 5-7 N. Main Street, and renamed their business Gilberg & Hegemier. From this location they operated their retail store, as well as managed the funeral and undertaking business. They sold lamps, chairs, radios, refrigerators, wringer washing machines, as well as several caskets, which were stocked in a separate area of the store. The store did not function as a funeral home, because in those days, funerals were conducted in the homes of the deceased – including embalming and visitation of the deceased.

In 1937, Gilberg & Hegemier moved the funeral portion of their business to 225 W. Monroe Street (the present location of the Funeral Home). This was Paul’s home, and originally the home of his parents, Fred and Margaret (Rattler) Gilberg. Here the pair operated the funeral business as well as an ambulance service for the New Bremen area for many years. In 1961, after 35 years of business together, Earl Hegemier sold his share of the businesses. This lead to the names of the two businesses to be changed to Gilberg Furniture and Gilberg Funeral Home.

📷John Gilberg, a son of Paul Gilberg, grew up working with his father in both the funeral home and furniture store. He became more involved in the business after he graduated from high school, and in 1963 graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. Together Paul and John operated the furniture store and the funeral home until 1965 when Paul retired. John and his wife Joyce then purchased the businesses and moved their family to live above the funeral home in 1968. John and Joyce operated the two businesses up until the year 2000 when they both retired. At that time two of John and Joyce’s children, Jill (Gilberg) and Joe Borkowski along with James and Diane (Bushman) Gilberg, assumed ownership of Gilberg Furniture. Steven and Diana Hartwig, nephew of John and Joyce, became owners of the funeral home, which is now known as Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home.

James Gilberg (a grandson of Paul Gilberg and son of John and Joyce Gilberg) also grew up working with his father at the funeral home and furniture store. He, too, became more involved with both businesses after graduating from high school, and eventually went on to graduate from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. Today he is co-owner of Gilberg Furniture, and also owns and opperates Gongoozlers Brewry.

Steven Hartwig (a grandson of Paul Gilberg, and nephew of John & Joyce Gilberg) began working at the furniture store and funeral home in 1972 during high school. He became interested in the funeral side of the business, and went on to further his education at the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1984. He then joined his grandfather and uncle at the funeral home. Upon John’s retirement in 2000, Steve and his wife Diana moved their family to live above the funeral home in 2001, and their children became the sixth generation of the Gilberg family to live at this location.

In 2008, Keith May joined the family of Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home working part-time. After graduating in June of 2013 from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, he became part of the full-time staff. Keith became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in February of 2015, and is looking forward to helping families in our area for years to come.

📷Today, the family of the Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home continues the tradition in New Bremen and the surrounding area, and are proud to be able to serve families with our modern, yet home-like setting. Our goal is to arrange the type of service to meet the individual needs of each family that we serve. From pre-arrangement of funeral services, to cremation and memorial services, to full-service traditional funerals, our family is here to assist your family through the loss of a loved one, now and for many years to come with the dignity, respect, professionalism, and commitment that you deserve.

Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home

09/11/2025

08/28/2025

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08/14/2025

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08/01/2025

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07/17/2025

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Gilberg-Hartwig Over the Years...