Our History

The Clark Family of Toronto, set out as pioneers in the late 1800’s to the small town of Trail, British Columbia. With the discovery of gold and copper in 1890 and the young operation atop Smelter Hill in 1896, Trail held great promise for the Clark family.

In 1896 the family’s  hopes became a reality, when they opened their first business in the new town they would call home. Clark, Binns & Co. represented the furniture industry during this time. In connection with their large and complete stock of furniture, they did upholstering, furniture repair and it is also believed they made caskets.

This led to Clark & Binns Undertakers in the year 1902. The funeral home at that time was on Cedar Avenue and remained there until late 1930’s. In 1938, Alfred Binns Clark bought a bakery building that was next to the feed store. There he enlarged the premises for his funeral home (Clark Undertakers) and living quarters.

Jump forward to 1956. It was time for a third generation to step up and take over the family business. W.G. (Bill) Clark bought Carberry’s Funeral Home. Not only did Bill Sr. work in the funeral home; he also had the flower shop in Trail, the Colonial Flower Shop in Rossland, B.C. and ran the Ambulance Service for the Kootenays.

Bill Sr. and his wife Isabel were blessed with four children John, Susan, Nancy and Bill Jr. Continuing in the family’s spirit of entrepreneurship, John and Bill Jr. would head a fourth generation in funeral service. John took on the responsibility of running Carberry’s when Bill Sr. had a stroke, because of Bill Sr.’s ailing health, Carberry’s was sold in the fall of 1989. Bill Jr. managed Carberry’s for the new owners for ten years. 

In the year 2000 W.G. (Bill) Clark Jr.  saw an opportunity and bought into Personal Alternative Funeral Services starting his own funeral home in Trail. In 2008 Bill Jr. was able to repurchase Carberry’s Funeral Home and added Castlegar Funeral Chapel to better serve the people of the area. In late 2014, Thompson Funeral Service in Nelson and Valley Funeral Home in Nakusp became part of the business. After 22 years of operating as Personal Alternative Funeral Services and Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services Bill Clark Jr. identified an opening to rebrand and honour his family heritage by changing the Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services name to Clark’s Funeral Services. 

Clark’s Funeral Services is honoured to have the privilege of being part of the Trail community, and is dedicated to serve the people of the Kootenays as it has for over 100 years.