Celina's oldest contiuously operating business.
The beautiful old building which now houses Upton Funeral Home is the oldest continuously operating business in Clay County and has a rich history and has been a lasting landmark, starting out as Montvale College. Several important people attended the college, including Cordell Hull, who helped create the United Nations and was a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Upton Funeral Home was originally organized in 1922 by H. Turner Netherton in 1943; Netherton sold the business to Charlie Rich, who sold in 1949 to Mr. and Mrs. Butler Upton and Mr. and Mrs. Estil Burnette. Butler was a graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science, and one of the first professionally trained embalmers in the area. After Butler’s death his daughter, Betty and son-in-law, Jim Briggs operated the funeral home for a while and sold the business to Phillip Anderson from Red Boiling Springs in 2002. At that time the historic house was completely renovated. Now thirteen years later, Anderson has done more renovations for the beauty of the building and to accommodate and make more comfort for the patrons of the facility. This includes the use of the former office as part of the lounge area with tables where families can take breaks and have more space to sit, eat and fellowship, made a play area for children, moved the office area allowing for better access for the public to talk to staff and conduct business, enlarged another room for the chapel to allow families to have more privacy, more seating and installed stained glass windows to add beauty and light and a chairlift for going upstairs to view merchandise in the showroom. Shirley Anderson redecorated the facility to emulate the beauty and “yesteryear” period of the building. A new parking lot has also been added behind the back area of the next door buildings for the use of the funeral home patrons and visitors. This parking area is on the same level as the funeral home building making it closer and easier for the public and those with disabilities to get in and out of the funeral home. You can enter and exit this parking lot from the square between the neighbor buildings or enter and exit the lot from the back of the funeral home. Many things have changed over the years. But one thing that has not changed is our continuing commitment of service to the families in Clay and surrounding counties.
Upton Funeral Home was originally organized in 1922 by H. Turner Netherton in Moss, Tennessee. Netherton also owned a cabinet shop, and as was common at that time, he built the coffins used in the area. Since cars were scarce, he also used a horse-drawn hearse for transportation. In 1943, Netherton sold the business to Charlie Rich, who moved it to south Celina, on Highway 52. In August of 1949, Rich sold the funeral operation to Mr. and Mrs. Butler Upton and Mr. and Mrs. Estil Burnette. Butler was a graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science, and one of the first professionally trained embalmers in the area.
The beautiful old building which now houses Upton's started out as Montvale College. Several dignitaries attended the college, including Cordell Hull, who helped create the United Nations, and was a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Over the years the building served as a school, a hotel and a private dwelling.
After the death of Butler, Phillip Anderson bought the funeral home. Anderson is not new to the funeral business. He started helping in the Hackett Funeral Home in Kempville when only 16 years of age, owning his first funeral business in 1977.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1
