Thanatophely Ltd. was incorporated January 22, 1957 to promote “the concept of
dignity and simplicity in funeral rites”. It was a nonprofit group closely
affiliated with the First Unitarian Church in Milwaukee. The word “thanatophely” was
created from two Greek words to mean “help in the event of death”. In 1960 the group
changed their name to Planned Funeral Society of Wisconsin. The Society was a member
of the Continental Association of Funeral and Memorial Societies, Inc., now known as
Funeral Consumers Alliance. There were chapters in Wausau, Madison, Appleton, and La
Crosse. Local Society officers included: William (Bill) Frey, president; Daphne
Duhnke, secretary; and Victor Duhnke, treasurer. First Unitarian Church of Milwaukee
Pastor, Reverend John W. Cyrus, served on the Society’s board of directors. Due to a
failure to submit annual reports, the Society was involuntarily dissolved by the
State of Wisconsin, Department of Financial Institutions September 30, 1993.
