Windmill Ridge Funeral Service is thankful for becoming a California, Missouri tradition. We provide a dignified service to remember a life well lived.
On October 29, 2011, we held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Grand Opening Celebration for the newly built Windmill Ridge Funeral Service facility.
It has been a longtime dream of Brian to own and operate a funeral home. On September 29, 2011, that was fulfilled when Brian and his wife Stephanie established Windmill Ridge Funeral Service, located at 600 Pinto Lane.
He started in the funeral business in 1995 after taking an interest as a youth. "I grew up and did not know how to go about going into the business," Hufendiek said. "In the fall of 1995, I decided to walk into a funeral home and see what would happen. The owners decided I was worth taking a chance on and, we worked it out.
I learned and later went on in my career to work at funeral homes in California, Columbia, and Boonville." Brian became licensed in Missouri as a Funeral Director in 1997. It was at First Baptist Church on January 23, 2000, when Brian met Stephanie. They were engaged the following Easter and married on June 9, 2001.
Stephanie is the office manager and helps to assist families at the funeral home. She is a retired teacher, started her career with full-day kindergarten in September of 1996 at California R-1 Elementary School. After 11 years in California, Stephanie went to teach at Jefferson City Public Schools at Belair Elementary, teaching two half-day kindergarten sessions. After several years, she switched to teaching first grade until her retirement in 2022.
Our funeral home is blessed with several assistants to assist us when needed. We support several causes in our City and County. Both Brian and Stephanie are active members of California First Baptist Church and support several civic organizations. We are very proud of our community and grateful for the trust placed with us and our funeral home.
