Our Experienced Staff

Michael Neal

Funeral Home Manager

Licensed Funeral Director, Licensed Insurance Agent, Licensed Pre-Need Sales Agent.

Michael is originally from Doyle. He attended White County High School, then continued with his education in the Funeral Home business. Michael loves spending time with his family, working on his farm, and volunteering with bible camp. He and his wife have two daughters. "I am pleased to be the manager of Spencer Funeral Home. Being able to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps, proudly serving the great people of Van Buren County, is an honor and privilege. We are striving to continue the high level of love and compassion that Mr. Jimmy Neal always lived up to. In moving into the future we are working to update our building to better service our families and friends. I am looking forward to being able to spend more time working and helping in the community; catching back up with old friends and making new ones. You can rest assured that the staff at the Spencer Funeral Home and myself are here to serve you. We strive to make each service special, allowing the family to honor their loved one in a way that is special to them."   

Lauren Fox

Pre-need Specialist

Licensed Insurance Agent/ Registered Pre-Need Agent

Lauren lives in Cookeville with her husband Wesley and three children Hadley, Parker, and Hunter. They sing on the praise team at Collegeside Church of Christ where they attend church as a family.

“I am proud to serve as a prearrangement specialist for all of our funeral homes located in Cookeville, Sparta, McMinnville, and Spencer. My job allows me to meet with many people and share what I know about planning for what some might deem to be the worst day of their life. Prearranging your funeral in advance is a gift that outlives you. Your family may not understand the “why” now, but when circumstances change to at-need and they are presented with all the hand written details of their loved ones wishes fully-funded suddenly there becomes an understanding and a burden lifted from those left behind. I would love to guide you through the planning process and answer any questions you may have about pre-planning. Do the hard work in the details today so your family can focus on the grief when tomorrow comes.”

Tony Turner

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Tony is native of Warren County. He is a Veteran of the Vietnam War serving in the United States Navy. Tony is an Adjutant for the American Legion Post 207 of Spencer. Tony retired from Ben Lomand Telephone where he was a Staking Engineer. He is a former Volunteer Fire Fighter for Sparta Fire Department. Tony is on the Council Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, and he is a member of the West Sparta Church of Christ. Tony has one son and to grandchildren. He says, “I am glad to be able to help the families of Van Buren and White County in one of the most difficult times of their lives, and to do for people of this community as they have done for me.”

Will England

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Will was born and raised in Sparta. After attending White County High School, he went on to Tennessee Tech where he received his BA in Secondary Education and his MA in Elementary Education. Will and his wife Renee have been married 38 years. They have two children, and three wonderful grandchildren. Will retired from the White County School System after 38 years and has been assisting us at both the Oak Lawn and Spencer locations for about three years. He is a Deacon at Central Church of Christ in Sparta. During their free time, Will and Renee love to travel, especially to The Smokey Mountains and to the beach. They also enjoy watching sports and gardening together. Will says, “I enjoy meeting people and helping them. It is rewarding to be able to be there for those I’ve known so long—being a part of this community, and ultimately giving back to my community.”