About Us

ELVIN R. CALDWELL, JR. President/General Manager

The Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary was started in Denver, Colorado in 1949 by the late William H. Kirk and his wife Ruby Kirk-Gray as the Kirk Mortuary. As the business grew and flourished, it was located to its current site in 1960. The building had been a Kingdom Hall for the Jehovah's Witnesses. In 1974, a major renovation of the mortuary building was undertaken and a special dedication program was held on Sunday, July 14, 1974.

In 1979, Ruby Kirk founded the Learning to Live Again Organization, a grief support group committed to providing aftercare counseling and networking to the families served by the mortuary.

In 1984, Elvin R. Caldwell, Jr. purchased the mortuary and became President and General Manager. The mortuary was renamed Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary. Elvin had enjoyed a 20 year career with Mountain Bell (now known as Qwest) and AT&T before taking an early retirement.

RUBY KIRK-GRAY Founder

Elvin R. Caldwell, Jr. has continued to provide funeral services to families with sympathetic care and understanding. His background and degrees in business and law have enabled him to provide extra care and assistance to families in resolving estate matters arising before and after death occurs. Elvin has enhanced the provisions of pre-planned funeral services and cemetery arrangements through the introduction of the Forethought Life Insurance Plan. The grief support group the Learning to Live Again Organization continues to meet each month and offers a wide range of services and activities to newly bereaved families.

In September 2010 the Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary celebrated 60 years serving the Denver community. Today, it is the oldest black owned mortuary in the city.