Your Team
We are Elise and Craig Schumacher—a husband and wife team, best friends, and business partners committed to walking alongside families during life’s most challenging moments. Together, we founded our business with the shared belief that families deserve clear guidance, compassionate support, and thoughtful options when planning ahead or honoring a loved one.
Our work is deeply personal. After experiencing the heartbreak of losing our first baby, we felt a strong calling to build something meaningful—an organization focused on helping families prepare with confidence and create lasting, personal memorials rooted in care and intention.
One of the things that sets us apart is how we serve families. We specialize in meeting you where you feel most comfortable—whether virtually, in your home, at a coffee shop, at our office, or even at the cemetery. Our goal is to make the process feel supportive, respectful, and as stress-free as possible, always centered on your needs
Who We Are
This is not just a business—it is built on a deep responsibility to serve others. Every decision we make is guided by care, compassion, and a genuine commitment to the families we serve.
〰️
This is not just a business—it is built on a deep responsibility to serve others. Every decision we make is guided by care, compassion, and a genuine commitment to the families we serve. 〰️
Elise Schumacher
Licensed Funeral Director | Memorial Counselor | Co-Founder
Elise Schumacher is a Minnesota licensed funeral director with over 15 years of experience in the death care industry. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Mortuary Science Program, Elise has spent her career working closely with families to design meaningful, lasting memorials that honor life, legacy, and love. She also spends a majority of her time helping families preplan their funeral wishes and services so families are able to have peace of mind.
Elise brings extensive knowledge of working in the monument industry after previously managing a location in New Ulm, Minnesota. One of her most meaningful experiences has been creating a memorial for child loss garden. One of her specialty skill sets is working with infant and child loss families, approaching each memorial with exceptional sensitivity, patience, and respect.
Known for her calm presence and educational approach, Elise helps families navigate decisions with confidence, ensuring each memorial is crafted with intention, tells a story, and honors a life well remembered.
Outside of work, Elise enjoys long nature walks, spending time at the lake, reading a good book, and doing bridal wedding make up!
Child Loss Memorial Garden. New Ulm City Cemetery
Craig Schumacher
Memorial Counselor | Co-Founder
Craig Schumacher a Western Wisconsin native brings a unique professional background in both law enforcement and the insurance industry, paired with a deep commitment to service and integrity. He has found his true calling in helping families through life’s most difficult moments, particularly through the design and creation of meaningful memorials. Craig met Elise in college and has helped Elise over the years assisting in memorials, funerals, services, and helping families through life’s most difficult days.
Craig plays a key role in operations, strategy, and memorial design, ensuring every detail is handled with care and precision. His structured, thoughtful approach helps create a seamless approach when working with families.
Outside of work, Craig officiates Men's Division II and III college basketball and enjoys staying active through fitness and training. Together, Craig and Elise enjoy traveling, spending time with family, and playing with their two energetic sproodle dogs, Porter and Maggie Jo!
Joua Ly
Memorial Counselor
Joua Ly is an accomplished professional with more than 25 years of experience in Trust Financial Services at U.S. Bank. For 16 of those years, she served as Vice President and Operations Manager in the Corporate Trust Department. A strong advocate for organizational culture and leadership development, Joua was the inaugural President of the Asian Heritage Business Resource Group (BRG) for the Central Region, where she helped build meaningful employee engagement and collaboration across the organization.
Guided by a calling to serve, Joua transitioned her career to focus on supporting families during times of loss. She now provides compassionate care, focusing on floral management and helping families with memorial design and personalization.
Beyond her professional life, Joua is a devoted mother of five and a proud grandmother. She is actively involved in her community, serving alongside her husband, Kou, a Deacon at St. Patrick Church in St. Paul.
Deeply committed to everything she undertakes, Joua brings a genuine passion for helping families and is honored to be part of the Midwest Memorials team.
We recommend scheduling an appointment so we can sit down together and talk through your options in a relaxed, comfortable setting. There’s no rush and no pressure—our focus is on learning about you or your loved one, listening to what matters most, and thoughtfully guiding you through options at a pace that feels right.
Schedule Your Appointment
Come sit down with us and enjoy a beverage, coffee, or a glass of wine while we get to know you or your loved one and thoughtfully discuss memorial options together.