A loss that’s deeply personal deserves a place designed just for it. Forever Friends Pet Funeral Home and Crematory was founded on the belief that pets are family and should be honored with the same dignity, privacy, and respect as any loved one. From our beginnings in Green Bay, Wisconsin, we set out to offer something the community had never seen before — a dedicated, pet-only funeral home and crematory where families could say goodbye in peace.
The concept took root in 2002, when founder and longtime funeral director Bob Walczyk Jr. realized there was a gap in aftercare services for pets. While veterinary offices offered basic options, they couldn’t match the personalized, compassionate environment families wanted at such a tender time. Bob built a purpose-designed facility with private viewing spaces, an on-site crematory, and memorial products to help families remember their companions for years to come.
Over the years, Forever Friends has become a trusted partner to veterinarians, shelters, and first responders — not only because of our professional standards, but because we lead with empathy. We guide families through every step, from that first phone call to the return of their pet’s remains, ensuring transparency, comfort, and care throughout the process.
Today, our pet funeral home franchise model gives aspiring owners the chance to bring this much-needed service to their own communities. With comprehensive training, operational guidance, and ongoing support, you can open a facility that reflects our proven approach while serving families with compassion and professionalism. As more people seek meaningful ways to honor their pets, Forever Friends stands ready to help you meet that need — and make a lasting impact where it matters most.
From the time he first stepped into his family’s funeral home, Bob Walczyk Jr. understood the profound responsibility of caring for families in their most difficult moments. As a second-generation funeral director in Green Bay, Wisconsin, he spent decades guiding people through loss with compassion, professionalism, and respect. But in 2002, a deeply personal realization changed the course of his career and sparked the vision for Forever Friends Pet Funeral Home and Crematory.
Bob recognized that while pets are truly part of the family, most aftercare options lacked the dignity and transparency families deserved. Determined to change that, he created one of the first purpose-built, pet-only funeral homes in the country, complete with private viewing rooms, an on-site crematory, and meaningful memorial options designed to help preserve cherished memories.
What began as a local service quickly grew into a trusted resource for veterinarians, shelters, and pet parents across the region. Today, Bob has transformed his heartfelt vision into a unique pet funeral home franchise model, equipping others with the tools and training to bring compassionate pet aftercare to their communities. For him, the mission remains deeply personal: to ensure every pet, and every family, is honored with the same love and respect he would want for his own.
Melissa is the heartbeat of Forever Friends Pet Funeral Home and Crematory’s day-to-day operations. With years of hands-on experience serving grieving families, she understands how to blend professionalism with empathy in every interaction. Melissa is in charge of the development of training materials, family service protocols, and memorialization programs, ensuring franchise owners are fully equipped to offer guidance, comfort, and meaningful options to the communities they serve. Her ability to connect with both pet parents and veterinary partners has helped establish the brand’s strong reputation and referral network.
Aaron brings a lifetime of hands-on experience to Forever Friends Pet Funeral Home and Crematory, from working on farms to mechanical and electrical maintenance in retail and seven years in a paper mill. Joining the family business to work alongside his mother, Melissa, he now manages crematory operations, handles pet removals from clinics and homes, and meets with families to guide them through their options with compassion. As Melissa’s youngest child and new father, Aaron combines technical expertise with a deep personal commitment to the care and dignity that define our pet funeral home franchise.
