Our Staff

Our dedicated and supportive staff are here to guide you through this difficult journey. We take pride in doing our absolute best to ensure your needs are met. We are here for you.

Licensed Staff

Jody T. Lea

Owner - Licensed Funeral Director - Licensed Embalmer Licensed Insurance Agent

Email: jody.leaandsimmons@att.net
Office Phone: 731-772-8880
Fax: 731-772-8743
Mobile Phone: 731-432-9104

Jody is a lifelong resident of Brownsville and attended Haywood County Schools. Jody graduated from John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science of Nashville in 1990. Jody is married to Jeanna Roberts Lea of Brownsville and has 3 children, J.T. Lea Jr., Miller Lea and Avery Bradford Lea.

In 2009, Jody fulfilled his dream of owning his own funeral home with the help of his brother Chris Lea and good friend, Elliott Simmons.

Jody is a member of New Vision Baptist Church and an Ambassador for the Haywood Chamber of Commerce. He served as the West Director of the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association and was a graduate of the 2011 Leadership Class of Haywood County. He is an avid outdoorsman, a Tennessee Vols fan, and enjoys spending time at the Tennessee River with his family. 


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J. Elliott Simmons

Owner - Licensed Funeral Director - Licensed Embalmer - Licensed Insurance Agent

Email: leaandsimmons@yahoo.com
Office Phone: 731-772-8880
Fax: 731-772-8743
Mobile Phone: 731-780-7732

​Elliott was born and raised in Brownsville, TN. A graduate of Haywood High School and Northwest Mississippi College with a degree in Mortuary Science. Elliott has been in the funeral business for 19 years. Elliott’s desire to have a career in the funeral business started while he was in high school working for Brownsville-Bells Funeral Homes. Elliott and his wife, Lisa reside in Brownsville, TN with their two children, Bryse & Brenna Carlton. 

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Chris W. Lea

CFSP - Owner - Licensed Funeral Director - Licensed Insurance and Preneed Agent

Email: leaandsimmons@yahoo.com
Office Phone: 731-772-8880
Fax: 731-772-8743
Mobile Phone: 731-432-9111

Chris was born and raised in Brownsville. He has two children, Emma, and Joseph. Chris is very active in the community and has proudly served on many boards throughout the city and county.  Some include: Haywood County Commission, Budget Committee, Public Safety and Jail Committee, Carl Perkins Advisory Board of Directors, Haywood Park Hospital Board of Trustees, and the Rotary Club. He is a member of New Vision Baptist Church.

Chris proudly joins Elliott, Jody, and the rest of our caring staff in serving the wonderful citizens of Haywood County and surrounding areas in providing the most compassionate service in caring for the loss of their loved one. He also heads our pet loss division which provides burial and cremation services for our loyal companions. Our funeral home is 100% locally owned and operated; therefore you can be assured that it is “Our Family Serving Your Family”.

Chris  brings with him nearly 40 years of experience in the funeral industry and is a graduate of John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science. He is also licensed in the states of Arkansas and Mississippi, and has earned the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner.

In 2022, Chris was appointed to the Tennessee State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers by Governor Bill Lee. 

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Cindy L. Blalock

Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer

Cindy is a Friendship, TN native and a 1993 graduate of Crockett County High School.  She graduated from John A. Gupton College of Mortuary in 2013 and has been serving the families of Crockett and Haywood Counties for the past ten years.  In 2017, she received her license as a Pre-need Counselor.  Cindy is married to Darron B. Blalock and has three children, Robert Pace, James Conner Pace and Brilee Blalock. Cindy is very proud to be serving alongside her two sons, Robert and James Conner. 

Non-Licensed Staff

Richard Dickerson

Family Services Counselor - Funeral Assistant -
Licensed Insurance and Preneed Agent

Richard was born and raised in Bolivar, TN.   He is a graduate of Bolivar Central High School, Union University, and Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, TX.    Richard brings great experience in Family Care having served on the staff of three churches over the past 40 years.   He has served on the staff at Lea & Simmons Funeral home for the past 4 years.   

Richard is married to Carol H. Dickerson of Franklin, TN; one son, and they have one son, Russell Dickerson, his wife Kailey, and grandson, Remington, all of Brentwood, TN;  one daughter, Claire Dickerson Murphy, her husband Virgil, of Baltimore, MD and one dog, named Keegan.  He enjoys college sports,  following the Tennessee Titans, and following his son's career in Country Music.  

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Robert Andrew Pace

Funeral Assistant
Robert is a 2013 graduate of Crockett County High School and the son of Cindy L. Blalock.  Robert has been serving the families of Crockett and Haywood Counties for the past seven years.  He is the grandson of the late Robert E. and Wanda Garrett Cheshier of Friendship, TN.   

Mike Marbury

Funeral Assistant

Mike Marbury was born and raised in Haywood County. The last of eight children, son of Herbert Lee Marbury and Olive Sullivan Marbury. Mike has one daughter, Summer Marbury Smith. He graduated from Bells High School in 1970 and a member of the Baptist Church. He retired from the Tennessee Farmer’s Coop after 40 ½ years. He is a volunteer for the Bells Fall Festival and his hobbies include gardening, cooking and traveling

jAMES cONNER paCE

Funeral Assistant

James was born and raised in Crockett County by his mother, Cindy Blalock.  He is a graduate of Crockett County High School.  He has been assisting with funerals for the past two years at Lea & Simmons.  He enjoys spending time with his friends and family.  He also finds enjoyment in his extensive collection of Gundam Model Kits.  

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