Dealing with death is messy. It’s expensive, confusing, and honestly, the last thing anyone wants to spend their Tuesday afternoon thinking about. When you live in a place like Charleston, West Virginia, certain names just become part of the landscape. Long and Fisher Funeral Home is one of those names. It sits there on Sissonville Drive, a constant presence that most people ignore until they suddenly can't.
Most people assume all funeral homes are basically the same—some dark wood, a few flower arrangements, and a hefty bill at the end. That’s a mistake. In a town where local roots actually mean something, the difference between a corporate-owned facility and a place like Long and Fisher often comes down to who is actually answering the phone at 3:00 AM.
It's not just about burial or cremation. It’s about the logistics of grief that nobody tells you about until you're standing in a lobby feeling completely overwhelmed.
The Reality of Local Funeral Care in Charleston
Long and Fisher Funeral Home has been a fixture in the Sissonville and greater Charleston area for decades. This isn't one of those new, flashy "death care centers" popping up in suburbs. It’s a traditional establishment.
There's a specific kind of trust that exists in West Virginia. You likely know someone who was handled by the staff here. Maybe your grandfather’s service was there, or you’ve driven past their sign ten thousand times on your way to work. That familiarity matters because, in the funeral industry, reputation is the only real currency. If a funeral home messes up, the whole town hears about it by Sunday service.
One thing people often overlook is the actual facility. It’s a converted home. This matters. It doesn't feel like a clinical office building or a sterile hospital wing. It feels like a house. For some families, that’s comforting. For others, it’s a bit old-school. But that’s the vibe—traditional, respectful, and very much rooted in Appalachian values of hospitality and quiet dignity.
Pricing and the "Hidden" Costs of Saying Goodbye
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Money.
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Funerals are expensive. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial is now hovering well over $8,000, and that doesn't even include the cemetery plot or a headstone.
Breaking down the General Price List (GPL)
Every funeral home, including Long and Fisher Funeral Home, is required by federal law (The Funeral Rule) to give you a General Price List. You don't have to buy a "package." You can pick and choose. But honestly, most people are too exhausted to do that. They just want someone to tell them what it costs to get from point A to point B.
- The Basic Services Fee: This is the non-declinable charge. It covers the overhead, the licenses, and the funeral director’s time. It’s usually the biggest chunk of the bill.
- Transportation: Getting the body from the place of death to the funeral home.
- Embalming: Not legally required in all cases, but if you want an open casket viewing, most homes—including Long and Fisher—will require it for public health and aesthetic reasons.
- The Casket: This is where the price variance gets wild. You can spend $1,000 or $10,000.
A lot of folks in Kanawha County are moving toward cremation. It's cheaper. It’s faster. Long and Fisher handles both, and they’ve had to adapt as the cremation rate in the U.S. has climbed past 60%. If you’re looking for a simple "direct cremation," you aren't paying for the chapel, the limos, or the fancy casket. You’re paying for the professional handling and the cremation process itself.
Why the Location on Sissonville Drive Matters
Geography dictates a lot of our lives, even the end of them. Being located at 6837 Sissonville Drive puts Long and Fisher in a unique spot. They aren't in the middle of downtown Charleston's traffic, but they aren't out in the middle of nowhere either.
For families in Sissonville, Pocatalico, or even Kenna, it’s the neighborhood option. This proximity means the directors often know the local pastors, the local florists, and the specific quirks of the local cemeteries like Floral Hills Garden of Memories.
When a funeral director knows the sexton at the cemetery on a first-name basis, things just go smoother. There’s less paperwork friction. There’s less "I'll have to get back to you on that." They just know how it works.
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Cremation vs. Burial: The Big Shift
There is a massive misconception that choosing cremation means you can't have a "real" funeral. That’s total nonsense.
At Long and Fisher Funeral Home, you see plenty of families who opt for cremation but still hold a full visitation. You can rent a casket for the viewing and then proceed with cremation afterward. This gives the family that "closure" moment without the long-term cost of a burial plot and a vault.
Direct cremation is the other end of the spectrum. No viewing, no service at the home. Just the basics. Honestly, it’s becoming the standard for families who want to hold a private memorial at a park or a family home later on.
What about Pre-Planning?
People hate talking about this. It feels like bad luck. But here’s the truth: if you don’t plan your funeral, your kids will have to do it while they are crying and sleep-deprived. That is a terrible time to make financial decisions.
Pre-funding a funeral through a place like Long and Fisher usually involves a specialized insurance policy or a trust. The benefit isn't just emotional; it’s financial. You lock in today’s prices. Given that funeral costs tend to outpace general inflation, that’s actually a pretty smart move.
Navigating the Grief Process in Kanawha County
The job of a funeral director isn't just about moving bodies and selling caskets. It’s about being a project manager for a family’s worst week.
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Think about it. In the span of 48 hours, a family has to:
- Write an obituary that doesn't miss anyone.
- Coordinate with a church or secular venue.
- Order flowers.
- Pick a photo for the program.
- Decide on "in lieu of flowers" donations.
- Notify Social Security.
- Secure death certificates (you always need more than you think—get at least 10).
The staff at Long and Fisher Funeral Home are the ones who handle the death certificates with the state of West Virginia. They are the ones who make sure the obituary gets to the Charleston Gazette-Mail or whatever local outlet you prefer. They are the "fixers" for the bureaucracy of death.
Common Myths About Funeral Homes
We’ve all seen the movies where the funeral director is a creepy guy in a basement. In reality, modern funeral directors are more like a mix between an event planner and a grief counselor.
Myth 1: You have to be embalmed.
Nope. If you’re doing a quick burial or a direct cremation, it’s usually not required by law. However, if you want a public viewing, the funeral home has the right to require it for insurance and presentation reasons.
Myth 2: You have to buy the casket from the funeral home.
Federal law says the funeral home must accept a casket you bought elsewhere (like Costco or an online retailer) and they cannot charge you a "handling fee" for it. Most people don't know this. Most people also don't want the hassle of shipping a 200-pound box, so they buy on-site anyway.
Myth 3: Protective vaults keep the body forever.
Cemetery vaults are mostly there to keep the ground from sinking when the heavy lawnmowers drive over the graves. They aren't time capsules.
Actionable Steps for Families
If you find yourself needing to contact Long and Fisher Funeral Home or any local provider, don't just walk in blindly.
- Ask for the GPL immediately. Don't feel rude. It’s your right. A reputable home will hand it over without you even asking.
- Check the military status. If your loved one was a veteran, they are entitled to certain benefits, like a burial flag and potentially a spot in a national cemetery like Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar. Long and Fisher can coordinate the military honors, which is a powerful touch for a service.
- Designate a "Point Person." Grief makes your brain foggy. Assign one family member to be the main contact for the funeral home to avoid "too many cooks in the kitchen" syndrome.
- Think about the "After." The funeral is the event, but the estate is the long haul. Make sure you’re looking into the legal requirements for probate in Kanawha County sooner rather than later.
Ultimately, choosing a place like Long and Fisher Funeral Home is about opting for a specific type of local service. It’s for the family that wants a name they recognize and a building that feels like part of the neighborhood. Death is complicated, but choosing who helps you through it shouldn't be. Look for transparency, look for a lack of "salesyness," and trust your gut when you walk through the door.