Staff

Robert H. "Bob" Bell, Sole Owner, Operator and President, Funeral Director and Embalmer

Phone: 615-384-1000
Cell: 615-618-5737
E-mail: [email protected]

I am a 5th Generation Funeral Director/Embalmer here at Austin & Bell and purchased the business in 2007. I was born and raised in Springfield and came back to work in the family business in 1986. I came back to work for good in 1988 after graduation from Mortuary School. I am honored to own this business and feel a real need to honor those who came before me. I am not just an owner but a steward of Austin & Bell. I hope I can make a difference in the lives of the ones we serve. "Putting Families First" is our motto because that is the reason each one of us is here.

Tim Nicholson, Vice-President, Manager of Pleasant View location, Funeral Director and Embalmer

Phone: 615-746-4433
Cell: 615-618-9450

Tim is the Vice-President of Austin & Bell Funeral Homes and the Manager of our Pleasant View location. He was born in Springfield and raised in Pleasant View. "These two places- Springfield/Robertson County and Pleasant View- are very special to me. I have many family and friends in Pleasant View and all of my mother's family lives in Robertson County. I consider both places home."

Tim earned a Bachelor's degree from Austin Peay State University and graduated from John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, where he received his degree in funeral service. He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer and is active in Springfield/ Robertson County and Pleasant View communities.

Tim says, "I can't imagine not being in funeral service. Our profession is a "calling"- not a job. Helping people in their darkest hour is an honor and a privilege for me." Outside of funeral service and community involvement, his only hobby is his family- wife, Bev, and two sons, Noah and Micah.

Todd Yates, General Manager of Operations, Location Manager, Funeral Director and Embalmer, and Notary

Phone: 615-384-1000
Email: [email protected]

Todd is our General Manager of Operations, and the Manager of our Springfield and Greenbrier locations. He is a 1989 graduate of East Mississippi Junior College and holds his Associate of Applied Science degree in Mortuary Science. He is very active in the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association.

Todd lives in Springfield, but is originally from Nashville, and was raised in Kingsport, TN. He is a 1985 graduate of Sullivan South High School in Kingsport.

Todd married his wife Leslie in 1998, and they have two sons, Hunter and Carson, and two fur babies, Hank and Duke. Todd and his wife attend Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville.

Outside of funeral service, in his spare time, Todd enjoys spending time with his family and friends traveling, doing lake and water activities, and relaxing at home.

Briley Bell-Socey, Public Relations and Community Involvement, Non-Licensed

Email: [email protected]

Briley is Bob Bell’s eldest daughter, and she will be attending John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science in Nashville, beginning classes in the fall of 2024, pursuing her degree to become a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer.

Briley worked in the event planning industry for 6 years in the Nashville area planning weddings and creating floral arrangements, until she felt the pull towards the funeral industry, and she hasn’t looked back since. Briley will be a 6th generation Funeral Director and Embalmer, from the Bell family, when she completes her schooling and state licensing exams.

She grew up in Robertson County, attended Ole Miss and graduated from Western Kentucky University with a B.S. in Hospitality Management.

Briley hopes to make a positive impact on every family we serve and let them know that once they walk through our funeral home doors, they are family.

Cindi Milam, Manager of White House location, Funeral Director

It has been my desire to be in funeral service since I was a young girl. I continued to have a desire to meet the needs of grieving families and wanted to attend Mortuary College. My parents could not afford for me to come to Nashville, and it seemed my dream would never become a reality. I married, had children, and realized after they started school, that my dream was within my reach. I no longer lived in Chattanooga but close enough to Nashville to drive to school daily. I graduated from John A. Gupton in 2001 with an Associates degree and am licensed as a Tennessee Funeral Director and Embalmer.
I married Jim Milam in 1985 and together we have 2 children, Caroline and James. We have lived and served in White House since 1988. We are members at Holiday Heights Baptist Church, where Jim serves as chairman of the deacons and I serve as pianist. I served as the Executive Director of the Cemetery Association of Tennessee in 2003 and currently serve as chairman of the Hillcrest Cemetery Board in White House, being the longest serving member.
I started working with the Austin & Bell family in 2004, as the office manager at the Springfield location. I began as office manager and funeral director at the White House location in 2016. I am now fulfilling yet another dream, being a funeral home manager. I am so very grateful for the honor of serving as manager of the White House location. I am very humbled by the trust that Bob Bell has placed in me. I will strive every day to meet the needs of the grieving families in our community with care, love, compassion and respect that all of our families deserve. We try and treat every family like our own family. It is truly a blessing to work for a family owned company and for a man like Bob Bell, who shares the same values and love for serving families that I do. I am always here to help you or to answer any questions that you might have.

Bill Manley, Funeral Director and Embalmer at our Springfield Location

Bill is a licensed funeral director and embalmer extremely skilled in the art of embalming. He is the Manager of our central preparation facility and has been in this position since he became a part of the Austin & Bell family. He has been in the funeral business since 1986.

Bill is a graduate of John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science with an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science, and a graduate of Nashville State Technical Institute with an Associate Degree in Banking and Finance.

Bill is originally from Nashville, TN and member of Harpeth Hills Church of Christ. He enjoys music and playing guitar, while being at home with his family.

Kevin R. Thompson, Funeral Director and Embalmer at our Springfield Location

Kevin is originally from Hamlin, WV and is a graduate of Marshall University with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, a graduate of Columbia College in Columbia, MO with his Associate Degree in Arts, and a graduate of John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science with an Associate Degree in Funeral Service.

He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) from the U.S. Army after 30 years of service and is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer.

He and his wife, Vicki, live in Greenbrier with their 2 fur babies, Jackson and Gracie Lou.

Kim Whitworth, Funeral Director at our Pleasant View location

Kim is a retired Postmaster of 34 years with the USPS and a 2021 graduate at John A. Gupton Mortuary College with his Funeral Director licence. He loves golfing and spending lots of time with his grandchildren.
He has been married to his wife, Lori, for 40 years and they have 2 daughters, Jessica and Emily, and 3 beautiful granddaughters, Anna ,Lilly , Nora and grandsons, Isaac and Haddon.
Kim began working for Austin & Bell in 2016 and enjoys ministering to those that are going through the difficult time with the death of their family member.

615-430-7169
615-746-4433

Ralph Toothman, Funeral Director, Death Certificates at our Springfield Location

Ralph is a 2nd generation funeral director with Austin & Bell. Ralph has been with our firm for almost 26 years.

He is a 1976 graduate of Goodpasture High School. Ralph is an associate graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, and a graduate of Austin Peay State University with a bachelor's degree in Animal Science.

Ralph is married to his wife Kathleen of 41 years, and has 3 beautiful daughters, Sarah, Jane (who passed away in 2002), and Leah, and 1 grandson, Dalton.

Ralph is a member of the Robertson County Education Association, the Tennessee Education Association, and the National Education Association and has driven a school bus in Robertson County for 38 years. He also serves as an Elder for the Hillcrest Church of Christ in Springfield, TN.

In his spare time, Ralph enjoys listening to country music, and spending time with his family.

Sean Patterson, Funeral Director, NFDA Certified Preplanning Consultant, After Care Specialist and Notary

Mobile: (615) 668.9241

Sean has almost 30 years of experience in every aspect of the funeral industry. She is a licensed funeral director and pre-need specialist.
Sean has spent the majority of her career educating people about the importance of preplanning.
Sean works for our Springfield, Greenbrier, Pleasant View and White House locations

Dee Cope, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Maxine Hester, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Ken Toothman, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Betty Ezell, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Betty has been a part of the Austin and Bell family since 2013.

Homer Wright, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Bob Snodgrass, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Robert E. (Bob) Snodgrass has been a Minister in the Church of the Nazarene since 1964. He has served as a Chaplain for the "Civil Air Patrol". "Raleigh County (WV) Sheriff's Department" and Hospice of Tennessee. He taught 17 years as an adjunct Professor for Trevecca Nazarene University. Bob and Joyce were married in 1966. They have three children and eleven grandchildren.

Randy Riggs, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant, Visitation Staff

Cody Wilkins, Non-Licensed Funeral Assistance, Visitation Staff