Paetznick Funeral Home was started in 1887 by cabinet maker, Jon Helmuth Paetznick. His son, Alfred “Allie” Paetznick attended mortuary school in Chicago and returned to Groton in 1927, during a time when the funeral business was still conducted at the back of the furniture store. Allie and his wife, Luree moved the business to a three story home in 1936, and ran the business together until Allie’s death in 1957. Luree managed the business until Leonard Garness received his license in 1960. The business was given its current name when Leonard and Sheila Paetznick married. They later moved the business in 1964 to its current locationin, 112 North 3rd St. In 1997, Garness’s sold the business to ECI, and continued to work until their retirement in 1999. John Luce, Jr. purchased the funeral home in June of 2002 from SCI. After his untimely death, the funeral home was again sold to his employee, Andrea Snoozy Bahr in October of 2006. 

Andrea used the current facilicy until August of 2012, when the building was torn down. The temporary location of the funeral home was directly west, in the old Pioneer Ford Showroom. Property south of the current location was also purchased and torn down to make way for the new funeral home.