Staff

Richard Tetrick
Owner and Funeral Director
Richard Tetrick remains active with the firm that bears his name, waiting on families and directing funerals on a regular basis. Richard and his wife, the former Norma Jean Green are the parents of a son, Tyler. Richard is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Elizabethton, is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, and is a past member and past chairman of the Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. The Tetricks are members of First United Methodist Church of Elizabethton, where Richard serves as Chairman of the Administrative Council.

S. Joe Taylor
Manager
Joe Taylor is the manager of Tetrick Funeral Home’s Elizabethton and Roan Mountain Chapels. Joe was born in Carter County and is a graduate of Elizabethton High School. He attended East Tennessee State University while working nights at Tetrick Funeral Home. He was in the Dental Corp of the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. He is a graduate of the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science where he was on the Dean’s List and top 10% of his class. He and his wife Shirley have a daughter, Jessica Leanne who is a graduate of the Furman University and is currently employed for Politico.com where she reports on the national political scene. The Taylors are members of Grace Baptist Church

Charlie Bowman
Assistant Manager
Charlie Bowman is a native of Greeneville, Tennessee, and attended Walters State College before receiving his B.B.A. Degree from East Tennessee State University and his B.A. in Funeral Service from Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma. Charlie is a member of the Elizabethton Rotary Club and is married to Lynnea Kerley Bowman, who teaches Seventh Grade Language Arts at T.A. Dugger School in Elizabethton, and is the father of two sons, Trevor and Logan, and a daughter, Rachel. The Bowmans are members of the Calvary Baptist Church

Paul Dailey
Funeral Director
Paul Dailey is a licensed funeral director and embalmer, and is a resident of Elizabethton, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Happy Valley High School and a 1997 graduate of Mid-America College of Funeral Service of Jeffersonville, Indiana. He is a member of the Elizabethton Kiwanis Club. Paul is married to Lora Stutzman Dailey, and is the father of two sons, Mitchell and Matthew, both students at Westside Elementary School

Ken Arnold
Funeral Director
Ken Arnold is a native of Buchanan County, VA. He is the Manager of Tetrick Funeral Home Bluff City Chapel and a funeral director at Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton. He is a 1978 graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, GA, past president of Southwest Virginia Funeral Directors Association, past president of Tazewell Russell Shrine Club and a member of Zofficoffer Masonic Lodge #444, 32 Scottish Rite and Jericho Shriners. He is married to Gwen Sawyers Arnold and has one daughter, Amber Arnold.

David Blackburn
Funeral Director
David Blackburn, a licensed funeral director and embalmer, is a native of Damascus, Virginia. He is a 1990 graduate of Gupton-Jones Mortuary College and married to the former Traci Ellis. They are members of Poplar Grove Baptist Church where they are very active, and David serves as trustee. He and Traci also help with the youth and children’s church. David and Traci enjoy sports and spending time with each other and with family. David is an avid outdoorsmen and turkey hunter.

Darrell Holly
Funeral Director
Darrell Holly is a native Carter County. He is a graduate of Fruitland Bible College in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Darrell is an ordained Baptist Minister and has served as the pastor at several churches in Carter County. He and his wife, the former Linda Greer, have two daughters, Amy and Laura. They are members of First Baptist Church of Elizabethton.

Derek Cornett
Funeral Director
Derek Cornett is a native of Elizabethton, TN and a 1993 graduate of Elizabethton High School. He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer as well as being an ordained minister. Derek earned his A.A.S. Degree in Business Management in 1995 from Northeast State Technical Community College and his B.S. Degree in Mortuary Science in 1996 from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. Derek began his first stint with Tetrick Funeral Home in 1996. In 2004, he moved to Knoxville, TN to attend Johnson Bible College graduating in 2006 with a B.A. Degree in Bible and Preaching. Derek began a second stint with Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton in 2010. Derek is married to his childhood sweetheart, Tricia Fair Cornett; they have two children, Steven, a graduate of Sullivan East High School and Abby, a student at T.A. Dugger Junior High School.

Mary Etta Elliott
Administrative Assistant
Mary Etta Elliott is a native of Johnson City and has lived in Elizabethton for the past 30 years. She is a graduate of University High, and attended East Tennessee State University. Before joining the staff of Tetrick Funeral Home in May of 2006, Mary Etta worked for 23 years at Mapes Piano String Company. She is actively involved with Holston Habitat for Humanity where she serves on their Family Selection Committee and has served as a Family Sponsor. Mary Etta is a member of First United Methodist Church in Elizabethton where she sings in the Chancel Choir and is a member of UMW Circle #6

Shannon Barrett
Administrative Assistant
Shannon is a native of Erwin, TN and a 1999 Graduate of Unicoi County High School. From 1998 to 2005 she was employed by Fairfield Marketing as a Human Resources Coordinator and from 2005 to 2009 by A.C.T. as a Payroll Coordinator. She currently resides in Johnson City, TN with her husband Allen and daughter Shelby Lynn. They’re members of Ninth Street Baptist Church in Erwin, TN and attend Highlands Fellowship in Johnson City, TN. They are avid NASCAR Racing fans and they also enjoy camping, hiking and fishing.

Missie Barnett
Administrative Assistant
Missie Barnett, a native of Carter County, is a graduate of Unaka High School. Missie joined the staff of Tetrick Funeral Home in August, 2000. She and her husband Allen have three daughters and a son-in-law; Sara, Diana, Melissa and her husband Brad, and a son, Shane. Missie and Allen are members of Valley Forge Freewill Baptist Church.

Mary Lou O’Quinn
Part-Time Administrative Assistant
Mary Lou O’Quinn, a life long resident of Elizabethton, has been with Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, since 1994 until her retirement from full-time employment in 2006. A graduate of Elizabethton High School, she attended Trevecca University, Nashville, as music major. She is also a graduate of Steed College Medical Secretary Program. Mary Lou is the mother of three children and has three grandsons. She is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church, where serves as pianist

Gary Kemp
Funeral Assistant
Gary Kemp is a native of Johnson City, Tennessee and now resides in Carter County. He graduated from Sullivan East High School. Gary and his wife, the former Jill Watson, have two sons, Kevin and Kurt. They are members of Blue Springs Christian Church, where Jill serves as pianist and Gary as a Deacon. They also enjoy working with the youth group

Deborah Reeves
Advance Funeral Planning Counselor
Deborah Reeves is a native of Shady Valley, Tennessee. She is a 1979 graduate of Johnson County High School and is also a graduate of Milligan College with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. Deborah has one daughter and son-in-law, Bridget and John Jeter of Marion, Virginia, and one grandson, Larenzo Jeter. Deborah is a member of the Forethought Life Insurance Pre-Need Advisory Board, and has been with Heritage Family Funeral Services since 1999.

David Hale
Advance Funeral Planning Counselor
David Hale lives in Elizabethton with his wife, Becky, who is retired from the Elizabethton City School System after twenty-plus years of service. He is a graduate of Carson Newman College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Eastern Kentucky University. David is a licensed insurance agent in Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia, with extensive training and experience in estate planning and insurance products. David and Becky are members of First United Methodist Church in Elizabethton, where David serves as Director of the Chancel Choir and Becky is the organist.

Buddy Little
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Buddy Little serves Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton as a part-time funeral assistant after retiring from full-time employment in May, 1992. Buddy began his funeral career in 1950. He is married to Trilla Little, who serves as the staff organist at Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton. Buddy and Trilla are members of Valley Forge United Methodist Church, where Trilla also serves as the church organist.

Jo Ann Whitehead
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Jo Ann Whitehead lives in Carter County and is employed full-time with Citizen’s Bank in Elizabethton as a receptionist. She has two daughters and a grandson and is an active member of Lynn Valley Baptist Church. In her spare time Jo Ann loves crafts and working her flowers. She works part-time at Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton and considers working for the funeral home very rewarding.

Jeff Turner
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Jeff Turner is a native of Bluff city and now resides in Elizabethton. He works part-time at both the Elizabethton and Bluff City Chapels of Tetrick Funeral Home. Jeff is a graduate of Sullivan East High School and also attended Tri-Cities State Tech majoring in business. He attends Blessed Redeemer Baptist Church in Bluff City.

Joe Fortune
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Joe Fortune is a native of Carter County and currently lives in Gray, Tennessee. He graduated from Hampton High School and attended East Tennessee State University and is a veteran of the United States Army. Joe attends Grace Fellowship Church in Johnson City and is single. He also works at the auto auction in Fall Branch during the week and for Ed Street Development. Joe works at Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton on the weekends as a part-time funeral assistant.

Rex Hill
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Rex Hill came to the area from Indiana in 1998. He now lives in Elizabethton, with his wife, Lauri Jo. They have one daughter together, Breanna. Rex is also the father of two other daughters, Marissa and Danae. He also serves as the Pastor of Limestone Cove UMC in Unicoi. He is a former Marine and graduate of Taylor University-FW; with majors in Bible and Business Administration. He also attended Purdue University studying Industrial Engineering and Management. He is currently completing the course work for his M.Div. Rex works at Tetrick Funeral Home in Elizabethton as a part-time funeral assistant.

Charlotte Smith
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Charlotte Smith is a part-time funeral assistant at Tetrick Funeral Home, Rhododendron Chapel in Roan Mountain, where she also serves as staff organist. She is a life-long resident of Roan Mountain, Tennessee and is married to Jim Smith. Charlotte and Jim are members of Magill Presbyterian Church in Roan Mountain.

Dwain Hurt
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Dwain Hurt is a native of Merced, California and moved to Carter County in 2002. He lives in Watauga TN with his wife of fourteen years, Jennifer, and their four children. He loves the outdoors and camping with his family. Dwain graduated from Merced High School in 1990. He was hired by Heritage Family Funeral Services in 2004 and works full-time with Heritage Vault Company. Dwain has worked with Hitchcock Memorials also and presently also works as a part-time funeral assistant for Tetrick Funeral Home, Elizabethton, as well as with several other funeral homes in the Heritage Family.

Shannon Sims
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Shannon Sims is a native of Carter County and a 2001 graduate of Elizabethton High School. After high school graduation he went to Covenant Bible College and Seminary and in 2007 he graduated. He is a licensed minister and is the pastor of The Freedom Fellowship Center in Elizabethton. Shannon is also the lead vocalist for the southern gospel music group, Royal Vision.

Michael Jenkins
Part-Time Funeral Assistant
Michael Jenkins is a resident of Bluff City and is the son of Kenny and Lisa Jenkins. He is engaged to be married to Kristy Moffitt. Michael graduated from Sullivan East High School in 2004 and is a full-time employee of Washington County Memory Gardens and is a part-time employee of Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton. He attends Chinquapin Grove Baptist Church in Bluff City.