Howard Taft Elkins

January 12, 2022

Howard Taft Elkins Jr., 85 of Midkiff, WV passed away Jan. 12, 2022 at St. Mary's Hospital. He was preceded in death by his parents Howard T. Elkins and Lois Vivian Elkins. Surviving family includes his loving wife Billie Lee Elkins, sons Steven M. Elkins and Lowell W. Elkins, sister Vivian Melinda Marcum, grandaughters Jennifer Elkins and Jessica Elkins and a great-grandaughter Haylee Elkins. Also included are niece Susan Handley, nephew Chris Marcum, and daughter-in-law Inez Elkins. He was a truck driver for over 45 years, having learned to drive before most even graduate high school. He drove for his father's company, Guyan River Company, at age 16. He started driving 18-wheelers in 1962 for CI Whitten Transfer. He later drove as an owner-operater for Case Trucking Company, McClean Trucking, Pacesetter, Mason-Dixon Trucking and Dallas & Mavis Trucking. He was a member of Teamsters locals 505 and 145. He traveled in all the lower 48 states and parts of Canada throughout his career, retiring in 1999. He also had a love for trains and railroading that began in boyhood, which he later rekindled in retirement. He had a special love for steam locomotives and made several excursions on them throughout the country. Some of the train rides included routes in New Mexico on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, The Durango & Silverton Scenic Railroad, and the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Colorado. Also traveled were rail excursions in Western Maryland and in West Virginia along the Potomace and Greenbrier Rivers.One of his favorites was the Cass Scenic Railroad and he rode the train several times. He was a model railroad hobbyist as well. He was baptized along with his wife in 2015 by his neighbor and friend Rodney Vance and Benny Dean. Special thanks to the staff at Paramount Assisted Living for taking good care of him over the past two years. And also thanks to St. Mary's Hosptial. Private services to be held at a later date. To be interred at McComas Cemetery in Huball, WV.