William L. Danks

October 8, 1928-September 13, 2018

In Loving Memory

William began his career in funeral service in 1948 at Price Funeral Home in Lewisburg, Kentucky. It was there that he served his apprenticeship. He graduated from the Kentucky School of Embalming in 1950 and went on to serve his country in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955. He married Ima Sue Dorris in 1952, just before he was transferred to Keflavik, Iceland for one year of service as a qualified Weather Observer. 

Upon separation from the Air Force, Bill went back to work briefly with Price Funeral Home, until a position became available with Reid Funeral Home in Earlington, Kentucky. He left there in 1956 to go to work at Richardson Funeral Home in Russellville, Kentucky. In 1958, he worked briefly for Byrn Funeral Home in Mayfield, Kentucky as well as Tucker Funeral Home in Central City, Kentucky. In 1959, William went to work at Casebier Funeral Home in Beaver Dam and continued to work there until 1966, at which time he and his wife, Ima, purchased the business and established William L. Danks Funeral Home.

Along with serving the families of Ohio County, Bill had been a very active member of the community over the years. He was a charter member of the Ohio County Chamber of Commerce and at one point served as President. Bill was also a charter member of the Ohio County Football Boosters, a charter member of the Ohio County Civitan Club, served on the Ohio County Industrial Foundation and is a 63 year member of the Beaver Dam Masonic Lodge #420 F&AM. Bill was a dedicated member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church where he served as chairman of the deacons for many years.

His work didn’t stop here in Ohio County, he also served on many boards at the state level through the years, including 26 years on the board of directors for the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky, where he served as president from 1974-1975, as well as 13 years on the Kentucky State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors where he served as Vice Chairman and was Past President of the Southern District of the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky. Bill also served on the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Funeral Directors Burial Association. He treasured the friendships and memories that he made while serving with his fellow funeral directors from across the state of Kentucky.

Bill dedicated his life to serving others and their families during their most difficult time of need, up until his recent retirement. He has been a familiar face around the community for many years, and been an inspiration to those he has met along the way, with his classic phrase “I’m too blessed to be stressed.”

Together, Bill and his wife Ima have three children, eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Ima S. Danks

Treasurer

Ima is a native of Lewisburg, Kentucky and a graduate of Lewisburg High School. In 1952 she married William L. “Bill” Danks. She and Bill moved to Beaver Dam in 1959 and she began working as the Secretary at Beaver Dam Baptist Church. When Erwin L. Casebier Funeral Home came up for sale in 1966, she and Bill purchased the business now known as William L. Danks Funeral Home. Ima began serving her Funeral Directors apprenticeship soon after and became a licensed funeral director in 1969. She is a member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church, Beaver Dam Women’s Club and the Ohio County Chamber of Commerce. Together, Ima and her late husband Bill have three children, eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

William Jeffrey Danks

President

Jeff graduated from Ohio County High School in 1974. In 1977 he began serving his apprenticeship under his father at William L. Danks Funeral Home. Upon completing his apprenticeship he attended The Kentucky School of Mortuary Science in Louisville, graduating with honors and earning his funeral directors and embalmers license in 1979. He returned home to join the family business where he has served as a licensed funeral director and embalmer for the last 37 years. Jeff is a member of Beaver Dam Baptist Church and the Beaver Dam Masonic Lodge #420 F&AM. He also served as Past President of the Southern District of the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky. He has three children and seven grandchildren and he resides in Beaver Dam.

Lauren Danks Allen

Vice President/ Secretary

Lauren graduated from Ohio County High School in 2005 and later moved to Morehead, Kentucky, to attend Morehead State University on a cheerleading scholarship. In 2008, she transferred to Western Kentucky University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Criminology. After completing her degree, Lauren began an apprenticeship at William L. Danks Funeral Home. She went on to earn an Associate’s Degree in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science from Vincennes University in 2010. Lauren became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in 2014.

As a Delta Gamma alumna, Lauren is a proud member of the Morehead State Delta Omicron Chapter. She married her husband, Colten, in 2014, and together they have two children: MaKenna Blakelee and Hendryx Cole. The family resides in Beaver Dam, where Lauren enjoys coaching youth competitive cheerleading and spending quality time with her loved ones.

Colten B. Allen

Apprentice

Colten, a 2011 graduate of Ohio County High School, began his career at National Office Furniture in Fordsville after graduation. In 2014, he joined the William L. Danks Funeral Home, where he began his apprenticeship in funeral directing and embalming. Colten is a member of the Freidaland Masonic Lodge #863 in Horse Branch.

In 2014, he married his wife, Lauren, and together they have two children, MaKenna Blakelee and Hendryx Cole. The family lives in Beaver Dam, where Colten enjoys coaching youth softball, T-Ball and basketball and spending time with his family.

Jaime Renfrow Maiden

Funeral Service Professional

Jaime is a native of Horse Branch where she spent most of her childhood. She graduated from Muhlenberg North High School in 1995. After graduation she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Phlebotomist until returning to school at Mid-America College for Funeral Services in 2007 to obtain an Associate’s degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service. In 2009, after serving her apprenticeship at James H. Davis Funeral Home in Owensboro, Kentucky she became a licensed funeral director and embalmer. While working as a full time licensed funeral director and embalmer at Johnson-Vaughn-Phelps Funeral Home in Bowling Green she obtained a Bachelor’s of Business Management. In 2012 she returned to Ohio County where she worked as a full time funeral director and embalmer. In 2016 she joined the staff at William L. Danks Funeral Home. She and her son Ethan reside in Beaver Dam.