SPRING VALLEY – The public is invited to an open house 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 honoring the retirements of three longtime Spring Valley businesses owners at The Flatstick Bar & Grill at Spring Valley Golf Course (S345 Hidden Fox Court.)

The event will honor the “history, heart and multi-generational impact” of Arneson Insurance, Spring Valley Drug & Hardware and Keehr Funeral Home, operated by Jay Arneson, Matt Huepful and Ross Keehr, respectively. Each business has welcomed new ownership that has declared its intent to continue serving the Spring Valley community. The event is hosted by Spring Valley Lions Club and Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Arneson, longtime owner of Arneson Insurance and a dedicated member of the Spring Valley Lions Club, is known for supporting local fundraisers and events. Spring Valley Golf Course recently honored him by having him install the “A” in the new Spring Valley “Hollywood” sign.

According to the golf course, he has also been working alongside the Department of Natural Resources to restore property north of County Road B and the cemetery back to its natural state – “undoing the alterations left behind when the railroad came through decades ago.”

Arneson Insurance is now owned by M2 Insurance Services LLC, which also has a Baldwin location. The Spring Valley office remains located at S233 McKay Ave.

Huepfel and his family have lived in Spring Valley since the 1960s when his dad, Bob, took over the local drugstore. He and his siblings worked in the store alongside his dad and Matt took it over when his father died. He was working at Abbott Northwestern’s outpatient pharmacy at the time but took over SV full-time in 2001. He has also served on the village board for 30 years.

Keehr became a licensed funeral director in 1978, but he started helping his dad with the family business when he was 16 in 1972. He is the fourth-generation owner.

Keehr said he has enjoyed helping people through the difficult times in their lives and showing he cares.

He sold the business to O’Connell Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Services in order to spend more time with family.

“Last spring I realized I had two grandsons that would be graduating, with eight graduating in the next five years. I wanted to be a part of that,” Keehr said.

He also plans to hunt, golf, tend horses and travel more with his wife, including somewhere warm in the winter.