Alternative Funeral & Cremation Services

Jim Lonning
President of Alternative Funeral and Cremation Services and Vice President of Lonning Mortuary Service

Jim is a Missouri Licensed funeral director and embalmer with over 50 years experience in funeral service, the past 40 in St. Charles County. He has also served as a guest lecturer for the National Foundation of Funeral Service, Evanston IL.

Mr. Lonning has a Bachelor's Degree from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan and is a graduate of The California College of Mortuary Science, Los Angeles, California.

Jim is married to Marian Lonning, one of the founders of Community Living Inc He has two children, Bob (wife Karen, of St. Charles), who are partners in the business, and Pat (husband Henry Slodkowski, of St. Peters). They have four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Jim and Marian reside in St. Peters, Missouri. He and Marian love to spend time at their lake house on Clearwater Lake and enjoy their grandchildren. They also are very involved with their Church.

Jim is a member of the National and Missouri Funeral Directors Associations. He is also organist, choir director and Council Member of St. John's United Church of Christ, Weldon Springs. He is a past member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Charles, having served as organist, and twice past President of the Church, as well as a member of various clubs and organizations in St. Charles County.

Bob Lonning
Founder and President of Lonning Mortuary Service, Inc. and Vice President and Co-Founder of Alternative Funeral & Cremation Services

Bob is a Missouri licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer with nearly 30 years in Funeral Service, serving the St. Louis and St. Charles areas for most of that time. His company, Lonning Mortuary Service, also serves as the sole transportation service for the St. Charles County Medical Examiner's Office and he is part of the St. Charles County Emergency Management Agency.

Mr. Lonning is a graduate of Mid America College of Funeral Service, Indianapolis, Indiana, Fountain National Academy of Embalming Skills, St Louis University School of Medicine Medico Legal Death Investigator, and Certified Crematory Operator. He is also a former licensed drug and alcohol abuse counselor by the State of Missouri.

Bob is married to Karen Lonning, who is also active in the business. They have two daughters, Megan (husband Mark Leone, of St. Charles) and Leanna, of St. Charles. Bob has two Grandchildren. Bob and Karen reside in St. Charles County, and love to ride Harley Davidson Motorcycles and travel with their camper.

Bob is a member of the National and Missouri Funeral Directors Associations as well as the 6th and 7th District Funeral Directors Association. He is a member of the St. Peters Chamber of Commerce, the National Harley Owners Group and the St. Charles Chapter of the Harley Owners Group. He is a former Board Member of the Missouri Funeral Directors Association and Share Holder Representative for the Missouri Funeral Trust.

Karen Lonning
Executive Assistant and Apprentice Funeral Director

Karen is responsible for assisting Bob and Jim Lonning with entering data for funerals as well as many of the accounting needs of the Funeral Home. She is also working toward her Funeral Directors license and looks forward to working with families. Karen retired from Citibank after nearly thirty years and plans to be active in the growth of the Funeral Home for many years to come. Her goal is to meet all the needs of the familes she serves.

She is married to Bob Lonning. She enjoys riding her motorcycle, camping and loves playing with her pets.

Duane Elmore
Funeral Director,  Embalmer, and Pastor

Duane has been involved in funeral service for nearly 20 years and has been a Missouri Licensed Funeral Director since 1993. Duane has spent most of his career as a funeral director in Lincoln and Pike Counties; he also spent two years in Afton, Oklahoma.

Mr. Elmore is a graduate of Troy Holiness School and has obtained his Associates Degree in Mortuary Science from St. Louis Community College, Forest Park. Duane is a licensed Minister of the Bible Holiness Church and had pastored in Whiteside, Missouri for thirteen years and in Afton, Oklahoma for two years. Duane will continue his pastoral work at area churches as needed

Duane is married to Angela Elmore and has two sons, Samuel and Andrew. They reside in Eolia, Missouri.

Michael R. Masters
Director of Field Operations

Mr. Masters has been employed with Alternative Funeral and Cremation Services for over fifteen years. Michael supervises and trains all transportation staff and is actively involved with all aspects of field operations. Michael is a veteran of the Fire Service with over thirty years experience, reaching the rank of Captain with the Berkley Fire Department, and currently serves with the Pattonville Fire Protection District. After his retirement from the Fire Service he plans to dedicate his time to the Funeral Industry.

Michael has been married for many years to his wife, Mary, who is also active with the Funeral Home. They reside in Overland, Missouri.

In his spare time Michael enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, cats, and three nephews.

April Fowler
Administrative Assistant

April has been working in the Funeral Industry in St. Charles County for over five years. She became interested in the Funeral Industry after taking care of three family members, under hospice care, until they died. She is very devoted to her duties here at the Funeral Home making sure that all aspects of the process run smoothly. April attended school here in St. Charles.

April has been married to her husband Butch for over thirty three years, has four children and six grandchildren. They reside in St. Charles.

April enjoys her home, working and being outside, loves her puppies.