Our Staff

Alan Blevins has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer for over 44 years, holding a license in Arkansas and Tennessee.

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 an on-site crematory, Polk Memorial Gardens, Pinecrest Memorial Gardens, Cemetery Memorials of Tennessee and Family PALS, the pet and animal loss division of Williams Funeral Homes and Crematory. Alan 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 and now serves as the Past- President 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.

Lauren Blevins is a native of Columbia, Tennessee. Lauren went to Belmont University in Nashville, where she graduated with a bachelor's in business administration. During her early years at Belmont, Lauren decided to follow in her father's footsteps of service and currently serves as a licensed funeral director, a licensed crematory operator, and a certified celebrant. Her role as the Director of Operations expanded her passion into cemetery, memorialization, planning in advance, and caring for pets.

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.

In 2013 she completed her Master's degree in business from Trevecca Nazarene University. Lauren is a current member of the board of directors for the International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association (ICCFA), The Past-President of the Southern Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association (SCCFA), Past-President of The Cemetery Association of Tennessee (C.A.T), as well as a sitting member of the United Way Board of Maury County, The Youth Educational Foundation and The Maury Alliance. She also holds the title of Certified Cemetery and Funeral Executive issued by the ICCFA.

Lauren speaks in various parts of the country within different organizations on subjects ranging from wow factors and motivational seminars, to the importance of pre-planning and relationship building.

I am a native of Hohenwald, Tennessee, and graduated from Lewis County High School several years ago. My husband is Don, and we have two fabulous children, Andrew, who works as a welder. He is married to Megan, and they have one daughter, Lilliana, for which I am “Nonna.” Lilly brings much joy and blessings to our family. My daughter, Ashley, graduated from Lipscomb University and now lives in Nashville. I came from a large family of 8 children. Having grown up poor like many other families at the time I did not have the opportunity to go to college.

I worked in a few sewing factories before getting a position in an office. Soon after, my husband and I started a family. I always said I would stay home with my kids, and I did. When my daughter started kindergarten, I signed up at the school to be a substitute teacher. Eight years later, my son got his driver’s license and could be responsible for himself and his sister, so I applied for a full-time job. I started out doing data entry and worked up to office manager at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Several years later, as life would have it, I decided it was time to move on. I worked as a Medical Receptionist for almost two years when I saw a job posting for Office Administrator for Williams Funeral Home. I felt like this would be a better fit for me. I lost a sister-in-law to cancer just a few years earlier and my mother-in-law after that. It was a difficult time for my family. I wanted to use these life experiences and the things I learned over the years working in an office to help people. It makes me very happy to be able to assist families with writing obituaries, filling out all the information in the online database for death certificates so the families can take care of their personal business. I also like working in the company to help make things go smoothly for everyone.

Samuel "Jake" Jacobs was born and raised in Midway Tn, where he lived until enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1993. He returned home in March 2013 after serving his Country and shortly after met his wife, Renee. They were married in November 2015. He has a stepdaughter Cassidi, who is a student at UT Martin studying wildlife management. Jake began working here at Polk Memorial Gardens in July 2017. He currently lives on his farm in Pulaski with all his various pets and animals.

Aaron Policelli grew up in Downriver Detroit, Michigan. He lived there his entire life and went to the same school from kindergarten to 12th grade. In 2018, he decided to make a change and move to Columbia, Tennessee, for a church his friend was starting.

Aaron moved with no job, no family, and nowhere to call his own. Within two days Arron had a job, and within two weeks he met my wife, Madi, and within two years he was married and purchased our first home.

Aaron started working at Polk Memorial Gardens shortly after getting married.