Shawnee resident Robert Owens recently returned to his hometown and opened his new funeral home McElyea and Owens Funeral Group in October.

The family-owned Macken Funeral Home and Cremation Services is opening a new reception hall on its campus at 1105 12th St. SE at the intersection of 11th Avenue and 12th Street.

Among the shortlist of those places remaining open, funeral homes were deemed essential by the government. However, they were working with strict guidelines.