Staff
Once you request the services of the Cremation Society of Tennessee, we will immediately put our experienced funeral professionals to work for you. A single, dedicated individual will stay in contact with you every step of the way and guide you through the decision-making process. He or she will carefully explain your options, make recommendations at your request, take care of all the small details, and ensure that you and your family’s personal touch is always present.
Our Dedicated Staff
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Alan Blevins
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Alan has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer for over 32 years, holding licenses both in Tennessee and Arkansas. He grew up in Mountain Home, Arkansas and attended the University of Arkansas before receiving a scholarship to the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science where he was Valedictorian of his graduating class. He is a member of Pi Sigma Eta Scholastic Fraternity.
Alan purchased Williams Funeral Home, Columbia and Mt. Pleasant, TN, from the Williams family in 1982. Under his leadership, the Williams Funeral Home operation has expanded to include Polk Memorial Gardens, Pinecrest Memorial Gardens, Cemetery Memorials of Tennessee, and Family PALS, the pet and animal loss division of Williams Funeral Home and Crematory.
He has served on various boards and charities in Columbia and has been elected as secretary/treasurer, and two terms as president, of the Cemetery Association of Tennessee, where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of the Southern Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. Alan resides in Columbia, TN and has two children, Lauren Ashley and John Alan. He enjoys golfing, fishing, and spending time with his family. |
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Christopher Taylor
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Christopher has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer for almost 20 years, as well as a funeral home owner from 2000 – 2006. He was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, but finished high school in Wichita, Kansas when his family relocated there. He attended Lubbock Christian College and Texas Tech University, both in Lubbock, Texas, and holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Lipscomb University and an Associates degree in Mortuary Science from Gupton Mortuary College, both in Nashville, Tennessee. He is active in local, district, and council events for the Boy Scouts of America in Middle Tennessee and serves as worship leader for the Maury Hills Church in Columbia. He and his wife, Marcey, reside in the Spring Hill area and have two children, Russell and Cynthia.
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Don Kiffmeyer
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Don began his funeral industry career shortly after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Cincinnati. Over the past 14 years, he has served as a Preneed Account Executive for two large corporations and General Manager for a funeral home and cemetery operation.
Don strongly believes that educating consumers about preneed services is a worthy calling. He has served as the Legislative Chairman of the Cemetery Association of Tennessee, completed the Tennessee Funeral Director Apprentice Program, and holds life insurance licenses in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. A native of Cincinnati, OH, Don resides in Columbia, TN with his wife, Missy and children, Zachary and Chloe. |
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Amanda Stooksberry
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Amanda serves the Cremation Society of Tennessee as its’ Family Service Counselor. She is responsible for assisting families in the planning and preplanning of memorial celebrations.
Amanda is a native of Collinwood, TN and graduated from Columbia State Community College with an Associates of Applied Science degree. She had been in healthcare for twelve years before coming to the Cremation Society of Tennessee.
She enjoys multiple sports, camping, water skiing and traveling, and loves spending time with friends, family, and walking her dog.
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Deborah Yant
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Deborah was born and raised in Pulaski where she attended Giles County High School and Martin College. Deborah has worked with local cemeteries since 2004, and became a licensed funeral director earlier in 2009. She is active with grief support groups and church activities.
She is also licensed by the state of Tennessee in Life and Health Insurance. She and her husband, Perry, have two daughters, Jennifer Jones and Rebecca Yant, and two grandchildren, Taylor and Noah Jones. |
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Rick Points
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Rick is a native of El Dorado, AR and one of eight children. He graduated from Junction City High School in Junction City, Arkansas and attended Southwestern College in Waxahachie, Texas. Rick spent 20 years in full-time youth and preaching ministry in Arkansas and Louisiana. He was a member of the Mausoleum and Cemetery Division of Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas for a number of years before moving to Columbia in 1992.
He is a licensed funeral director and is actively involved in Maury Alliance and various community activities. Rick is the father of three daughters, Sabrina, Karlena and Hannah, and four granddaughters, Kaylee, Allison, Faith and Hope. He and his wife, Teresa are members of Grace Church of the Nazarene in Columbia.
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Lauren Blevins
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Lauren is a native of Columbia, Tennessee and graduated in 2003 from Zion Christian Academy in Columbia. After high school Lauren went to Belmont University in Nashville where she graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s in business administration. During her early years at Belmont Lauren began working for her father at Williams Funeral Home, and quickly realized that her heart was in funeral service. Lauren has decided to follow in her father’s footsteps in funeral service as a licensed funeral director.
Lauren has always had a passion for this industry and a love for technology and strives to continue to look for new ways to serve families in a more personal way. Lauren also has a heart for music and has played the guitar for many years. Aside from music, she loves soccer and played in high school for the Eagles and continued to play through college but on a recreational basis. Aside from the extra curricular, the most important thing to Lauren is by far family. “I can’t think of any thing better than getting up and getting to work with my father every day, and getting to dream with him about how to make things better."
She has a younger brother John and an older sister Tonya. |
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Melicent Clinkenbeard
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Melicent is a licensed funeral director and has been involved in funeral service for 25 years. She was born in Henderson, Kentucky and lived in Kentucky and Indiana, before moving to Tennessee in 1984. She attended both the University of Kentucky and Columbia State Community College.
Melicent serves as manager for the Cremation Society of Tennessee and uses her administrative skills to manage the day to day operations. She and her husband, Larry, live in Spring Hill and have two daughters, Christy (Andy) Bendix and Kara Clinkenbeard. She enjoys spending time with her family, walking and reading, and is actively involved in the Thompson Station Church. | |
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