Staff
Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.
Ben Slind, a life-long Minot resident, has been a member of our professional staff of licensed funeral directors since June of 2004.
Ben graduated from Minot High School in 1995. In May of 2000, he graduated with a B.S. degree in Business Management from Minot State University. In June of 2001, he graduated with honors with an Applied Associates Degree in Funeral Service Education from Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, OR. He became a licensed funeral director in November of 2001.
On August 1, 2017, Ben became an owner of Thompson-Larson Funeral Homes. In January of 2024, he became the president of Thompson-Larson Funeral Homes.
He also specializes in assisting those who want to make pre-arrangements for their funeral or for those of a loved one. In 2008, Ben attained his North Dakota Insurance Producers License in order to assist those who wish to set up a life insurance policy for their funeral or for those who need to set aside burial funds to comply with ND Medicaid guidelines.
He is currently serving as the president-elect of the North Dakota Funeral Director's Association, an officer position he was elected to in 2025. He served as the NW District Governor of the NDFDA from 2020-2025.
As a proud MSU alum, he is currently serving on the Board of Regents at Minot State University and is a member of the MSU Beaver Boosters. He served on the Board of Directors for the Minot Chamber of Commerce from 2017 to 2020, and served on the Minot Hockey Booster Board.
Ben and his wife, Jennifer, are blessed with two daughters, Eve and Avery. Ben's mother is LaVon "Voni" Slind; his father is Ron Slind; his brother is Josh Slind; his sister is Ashley Stevens; all of Minot.
Bruce Kramer, a 1980 graduate of Bishop Ryan High School, Minot joined Thompson-Larson in 1984 after completing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Minot State University.
Coming from a large family with strong roots in the Minot area, Bruce is a familiar face among the many families requesting the professional services of Thompson-Larson. He served as Business Manager, Pre-Needs Advisor and Funeral Service Assistant for the past 40 years.
Bruce semi-retired on December 31, 2023, after 40 years of service and funeral home management at Thompson-Larson.
Wes Burkart joined Thompson-Larson as a Licensed Funeral Director in 1983. A North Dakota native, Wes graduated from Carrington High School in 1978 and attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks for two years. He started his career in the funeral industry in 1980 as an employee of the Erickson-Vik Funeral Home in Fertile, Minnesota, for one year.
In 1981, Wes went on to complete his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mortuary Science at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1983. While attending the U of M, he was employed with Bradshaw Funeral & Cremation Services in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Wes semi-retired on December 31, 2022, after 36 years of service and funeral home management at Thompson-Larson.
Benjamin Staley, a native of west central Ohio, relocated to Minot with his family from Fort Lauderdale, FL in September 2013.
He has been a licensed funeral director since 2005. Ben graduated from James A. Rhodes State College with an Associate’s degree in Business Management in 2002 and a Bachelor's degree in Mortuary Science from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 2004. He is also a certified crematory operator from Matthews International crematory division.
After having served a year apprenticeship in Sylvania, OH, he was brought on as a new funeral director. However after a brief vacation while visiting his older brother in Fort Lauderdale, FL during the wintertime, he decided to give sunny South Florida a try. After being there for about a year and a half that is when he met his beautiful wife Christine in late 2008. They got engaged and then married in June 2010. They have a precocious 12 year old little girl named Paisley Sue and a boy named Leopold Alistair born June 2019.
During his spare time, Ben stays active with his love of all kinds of sports by playing at Oak and Roosevelt Park with his little girl. He is also a history buff and avid reader of both history and anything Cincinnati Reds.
Ben is a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, both of Minot.
Zac Martin grew up in Bismarck, ND where he graduated from Shiloh Christian School in 2016. Zac graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mary in 2020. After graduation he went on to pursue a degree in mortuary science from Des Moines Area Community College. After some time in Milwaukee, he moved back to Bismarck where he continued working and doing various tasks around the funeral home. In 2023, Zac became a funeral director and began working at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home.
Zac and his wife Brieann reside in Minot, where they enjoy being surrounded by family and friends. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, pickleball, and other outdoor activities.
Deidre Wall joined the Thompson-Larson staff in 2023. Deidre graduated from Minot State University in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. She furthered her education at Luther Seminary in Minneapolis, graduating in 2021. Deidre resides in Minot with her husband and three children.
