Elk Funeral & Cremation Service

01/13/2026

Thomas Haines, 78, of Dunbar, West Virginia, passed away on December 26, 2025. Thomas was born on January 26, 1947, to the late Tena L. Higgenbotham Haines and Charles J. Haines Jr.

Thomas was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian church in South Charleston.

A committal service will be held at Cunningham Memorial Park in Saint Albans, West Virginia, at 1:00 PM on Thursday, January 15, 2026, in the lower mausoleum chapel with Pastor Ginna Taylor officiating.

Elk Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to be assisting Thomas's family.

View Thomas Haines's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/13/2026

Kimberly Cooper, 68, of Dunbar, West Virginia, passed away on December 25, 2025. Kimberly was born on November 15, 1957, in Charleston, West Virginia, to the late Bobby Cooper and Edna Mae Bailes Cooper.

Kimberly attended Charleston High School.

There are no services planned at this time.

Elk Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to be assisting Kimberly's family.

View Kimberly Cooper's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/12/2026

Ronald Clay Samples, 55, of Bomont, West Virginia, passed away on January 5, 2026.

Ronald was born on December 29, 1970, in Garden City, Michigan. He was the son of Rodney and Erma Samples, also of Bomont, West Virginia.

Ronald was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Stacy Samples of Bomont, West Virginia.

He is survived by his sister, Terry Mullins (Wyatte) of Bomont, West Virginia.

Ronald was a 1989 graduate of Clay County High School. He was brilliant and experienced in many vocations throughout his life, including entrepreneurship, union iron worker, health claims adjuster, and house painter, to name a few.

He was a gifted artist and a master of martial arts. He enjoyed camping and gardening. He loved sports cars, especially Mustangs. His favorite place was Kapa'a in Kaua'i, Hawaii, and he enjoyed many years living there.

There will be a private burial at the White Family Cemetery in Bomont, West Virginia.

Elk Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to be assisting Ronald's family at this time.

View Ronald Samples's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/09/2026

Fun Funeral Fact Friday!!

Continuing our learning about what it takes to become a funeral director and/or embalmer in other states, here are the next 10 on the list!

New Mexico: Dual Licensing: Associate degree in funeral service, complete the LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship before education, and get a background check.

New York: Funeral Director: Be an ABFSE graduate, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship after graduation.

North Carolina: Provisional Funeral Director: AAS degree or higher in any field, or diploma in funeral directing from a Board-approved curriculum at an MS-accredited college, and complete the LRR exam. Funeral Director: funeral director program, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. Embalmer or dual licensing: Associate degree in Mortuary Science from ABFSE College, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. All options must get a state and federal background check.

North Dakota: Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; Associate’s or Diploma in Mortuary Science plus 60 semester hours of college credit; hours waived for reciprocity if a person has a license in another state for three years, complete the LRR exam, complete 30 hours of schooling, and be enrolled before apprenticeship begins.

Ohio: Funeral Director: bachelor's degree in any field, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship during or after education. Embalmer: Bachelor’s Degree in any field; official mortuary science transcript with at least 12 months of instruction, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship during or after education. Both options must get a state and federal background check.

Oklahoma: Assistant Funeral Director: 60 hours of college in any field; 6 hours of Continuing Education, and complete the LRR exam. Funeral Director, Embalmer, or Dual Licensing: Be an ABFSE graduate, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time.

Oregon: Funeral Director: Associate degree in any accredited field, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. Embalmer: ABFSE graduate and serves an apprenticeship at any time. Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. All 3 options must get a state background check.

Pennsylvania: Funeral Director: ABFSE graduate, complete the LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship before graduation, and get a state background check.

Rhode Island: Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; Associate of Applied Science, and serve an apprenticeship in Rhode Island.

South Carolina: Funeral Director: ABFSE graduate; bachelor’s degree; or 60 accredited college hours; or 1-year course in funeral directing approved by the Board, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. Embalmer: ABFSE graduate; completion of the course in embalming approved by the Board, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate or meet two individual sets of requirements above, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. All 3 options must complete a state background check.

01/02/2026

Fun Funeral Fact Friday!!

Continuing our learning about what it takes to become a funeral director and/or embalmer in other states, here are the next 10 on the list!

Massachusetts: Funeral Director: High school Diploma/GED and specific coursework. Dual Licensing: an associate degree in Mortuary Science, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. For both, you must get a state background check.

Michigan: Mortuary Science License: 3-year mortuary science program at an accredited college or university, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time.

Minnesota: Mortician: Bachelor’s degree in science or arts; or equivalent from an ABFSE-accredited program, complete LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship after education, and complete a background check.

Mississippi: Funeral Director: High School Diploma/GED and serve an apprenticeship at any time. Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate and serve an apprenticeship at any time.

Missouri: Funeral Director: High School diploma/GED, ABFSE graduate, complete the LRR exam, and apprenticeship served during education, proof of 10 funeral services conducted. Limited Funeral Director: High School Diploma/GED and complete the LRR exam. Embalmer: ABFSE graduate, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship after education. All 3 must get a state background check.

Montana: Mortician: ABFSE graduate; Associate degree in Funeral Service or Mortuary Science, minimum; bachelor’s degree in Funeral Service or Mortuary Science, and serve an apprenticeship after education.

Nebraska: Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; plus 60 semester hours/college credit in specific areas, complete the LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship before or after education, and get a state background check.

Nevada: Funeral Director: complete the LRR exam and have 1 year of active practice as a funeral arranger in NV. Embalmer: ABFSE graduate; 60 semester or 90 quarter hours at an accredited college or university, complete the LRR exam, and serve an apprenticeship at any time. Funeral Arranger: Complete the LRR exam. All 3 must get a state and federal background check.

New Hampshire: Embalmer or Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; 30 credits of postsecondary education, complete the LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship at any time, and get a state background check.

New Jersey: Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; at least 60 academic credits, and serve an apprenticeship at any time.

12/31/2025

Happy New Year's Eve from all of us here at Elk. We hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's and makes smart decisions! Be careful, be smart, and make some great memories to take into 2026!

12/29/2025

Louellen Bonner, 59, of West Columbia, West Virginia, passed away on November 4, 2025. Louellen was born on March 16, 1966, to the late Dallas Lewis and Shirley Scott Lewis.

Louellen is preceded in death by her parents, husband Charles Bonner Sr, and brother Randall Lewis.

She is survived by her son Charles Bonner Jr, sisters Deborah Seese, Tina Reedy, and Priscilla Lewis, brothers Roy Lewis and Dallas Lewis Jr, and 3 grandchildren.

Per Louellens' wishes, she will be cremated, and there are no services planned at this time.

Elk Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to be assisting Louellen's family at this time.

View Louellen Bonner's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/29/2025

Louvena Evans, 87, of Bomont, West Virginia, passed away at the Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston on December 26, 2025. Louvena was born on August 3, 1938, in Queen Shoals, West Virginia, to the late Bruce and Lulia Bryant Evans.

Louvena is also preceded in death by her brothers, Hazel James Evans, Billy Porter Evans, and Ricky Elvis Evans, and her sisters, Lora Phillips, Bonnie Strickland, and Delma Lewis.

She is survived by a brother, Howard, and his wife Ginny Evans, and sisters Dolly Woodward and Peggy Greathouse, along with several nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

Lovena was a licensed Beautician and had retired from selling and billing for a medical equipment company.

Per her wishes, Louvena chose to be cremated, with the burial of her cremated remains in the Evans family cemetery in Bomont, Clay County, West Virginia. There will be no services per her request.

Elk Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to be assisting Louvena’s family at this time.

View Louvena Evans's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/26/2025

Fun Funeral Fact Friday!!

Continuing our learning about what it takes to become a funeral director and/or embalmer in other states, here are the next 10 on the list!

Hawaii: embalmer: Passing score on NBE-Sciences.

Idaho: Funeral Director: 60 semester or 90 quarter hours from an accredited college, plus at least 15 hours from ABFSE program. Mortician: ABFSE graduate; 60 semester or 90 quarter hours from an accredited college in addition to ABFSE program. For both, you can serve an apprenticeship anytime.

Illinois: Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; Bachelor’s or Associate degree in Arts or Science, serve an apprenticeship after education.

Indiana: Dual Licensing: 30 semester or 45 quarter hours from a postsecondary institution & 4 quarters from an accredited school of mortuary science OR a 21-month program in mortuary science, complete LRR exam, serve apprenticeship after education.

Iowa: Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate; 60 college credit hours that exclude the technical Mortuary Science course, complete LRR exam, serve apprenticeship after education.

Kansas: Funeral Director: 60 hours of college (20 in areas defined by law), complete LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship after education. Embalmer: ABFSE graduate; Associate degree in Mortuary Science, and a split apprenticeship can be served, 6 months before education, with the remaining 6 months served after. OR Full 1-year apprenticeship served after education.

Kentucky: Funeral Director: High School/GED. Embalmer: Associate degree in Mortuary Science. Dual Licensing: High School/GED. For all 3, you must complete the LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship at anytime, and get a federal background check.

Louisiana: Funeral Director: ABFSE graduate; minimum of 30 college freshman semester hours from SACS or equivalent institution, complete LRR exam. Dual Licensing: ABFSE graduate. For both, you can serve an apprenticeship anytime.

Maine: Dual Licensing: ABFSE Graduate; Associate degree or equivalent institution, complete LRR exam, serve apprenticeship before education, and get a state background check.

Maryland: Funeral Director or Embalmer (separate licenses): Associate’s degree in Mortuary Science, complete the LRR exam, serve an apprenticeship anytime if enrolled, and get a state and federal background check.

12/25/2025

From all of us here at Elk, we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays. No matter what or how you celebrate, we hope you stay safe and get to enjoy the day with those you love.

12/24/2025

Janet Beatrice Robinson-Frog, 66, of Charleston, West Virginia, passed away on December 22, 2025. Janet was born on January 3, 1959, to the late Delmer Eugene Robinson and Gertrude Azelene Summers.

Janet is preceded in death by her parents and husband, Robert Lee Nicholas.

She is survived by her daughter Dawn and her husband Scott Novak of Charleston, West Virginia, sisters Jane and her husband David Dash, and Teresa Robinson, and brother David Robinson.

There will be a celebration of life for Janet on a later date in the warmer months.

Elk Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to be assisting Janet's family at this time.

View Janet Robinson-Frog's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/24/2025

Sad to see them go but excited for what it means!!!