Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory

Veteran services at Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory

Veteran families in Daphne, WV can turn to Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory for honors and benefit coordination. In their own words: "Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory provides comprehensive services to honor eligible veterans. These services are mandated by law and are free of charge, verified by the veteran's DD-214 or discharge papers. Eligible individuals include active duty military, Selected Reserve members, and former military members who served honorably or were discharged due to a line-of-duty disability. Traditional honors include the folding and presentation of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps. An honor guard detail, including a representative from the veteran's branch of service, performs these honors. Additional honors can encompass a three-volley rifle salute, draping the U.S. flag over the casket, and a final salute at the gravesite. The funeral home also assists families in communicating with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to arrange for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, headstones or markers, memorial plots, burial in a VA national cemetery, and reimbursement of burial expenses." Published pricing lists $4,895 for basic burial and $995 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include honoring veterans, burial, and cremation. Each service is coordinated with the family and, where applicable, with the deceased's last unit or branch honor detail.

On-site facilities of note include columbarium. These spaces accommodate full military honors details, family gatherings before and after the service, and the placement of the United States flag during the visitation period.

The nearest VA national cemetery is West Virginia National Cemetery in WV, approximately 60 miles from Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory. Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

West Virginia has approximately 299 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Hughes Funeral Home & Crematory apart

• Family-owned and operated, emphasizing a personal touch distinct from corporate funeral homes.
• New, state-of-the-art facility designed by Donna Hughes, occupied in 2019.
• On-site crematory, offering direct control over the cremation process.
• Offers livestreaming of chapel services and audio recording of graveside services for remote attendees.
• Strong emphasis on personalization, encouraging families to incorporate unique hobbies, interests, and themes into ceremonies.
• Founder Benjie Hughes's extensive experience in funeral service since 1974, and owner Rick Hughes's deep community ties and family heritage in Paducah.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: All Faiths. Languages spoken at the home: English.

How honors are coordinated

Military funeral honors are guaranteed at no cost for any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The funeral home arranges the honors detail by contacting the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch and submitting the DD-214 to verify eligibility.

For requests less than 72 hours from service time, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line at 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667). See the full honors protocol.