Local Funeral Home Unveils New Name, Continues Commitment to Community
By Emily Bontrager
A familiar name in Kahoka has a new identity. Effective July 6, 2026, Wilson Triplett Funeral Home officially became Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home, reflecting owner and operator Sandra (McKinnon) Triplett’s family name while continuing the same commitment to serving families throughout the Tri-State area.
“The name McKinnon is my maiden name,” she said. “McKinnon is an old family name, originating in Scotland.”
Although the name has changed, Sandra emphasized that the funeral home’s commitment to the community remains the same.
Born and raised in Canada, Sandra moved to the United States in 2018 and became a US Citizen in 2023. She owned two funeral homes in Southern Illinois before purchasing Wilson Funeral Home from Ed and Kathy Wilson following their retirement in 2020.
She sold the Illinois funeral home locations and has chosen to focus solely on the Kahoka business.
“I’ve happily settled here.” she said.
Sandra has been a licensed embalmer and funeral director for nearly two decades and also serves as a pre-need agent and provider for the state of Missouri. She now proudly calls Kahoka home and is currently a Deputy Coroner in Clark County.
“It’s home now.” she said. “This is where I’ve decided to settle, stay and retire.”
Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home offering traditional funeral services, burial, cremation, and memorialization options for families throughout Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.
Sandra said several improvements are already underway to better serve families.
“We’re offering new online purchasing options for families,” she said.
“That’s still in the early stages for people who are more comfortable with an online experience. Currently urns can be ordered from us directly, and appointments can be scheduled and we want to expand more on things like that.”
She said the funeral home is also expanding its military service options and growing its pre-need program. Behind the scenes, the funeral home is upgrading its software systems to provide more streamlined operations.
In addition, the funeral home has launched a new Facebook page, Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home, that will serve as an information resource for the community.
Looking ahead, Sandra said her goal is simple.
“We’re just committed to keep getting better and better,” she said. “We want to continue to be Kahoka’s leading funeral service provider.”
Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home’s staff also includes Assistant Office Administrator Bree Plenge, Licensed Funeral Director Dana Justice, and retired funeral directors Ed and Kathy Wilson, who continue to assist the funeral home as contractors if needed.
While the name on the building has changed, the funeral home’s mission remains the same: to provide compassionate, personalized care to families during some of life’s most difficult moments. Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home looks forward to serving Kahoka and the surrounding communities for many years to come.
Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home is located at 975 E. Main Street in Kahoka. For more information, call 660-727-2117 or follow Wilson & McKinnon Funeral Home on Facebook.
