Business Details
Emergency
services
Trusted Funeral & Cremation Services in Eastern Kentucky & Tennessee
Arnett & Steele Funeral Home has served Bell County, KY and surrounding communities since 1867, making it one of the oldest continuously operating funeral homes in the United States. Founded by T.J. Hoskins and later expanded by N.T. Arnett, the business transitioned to Julius M. 'Jay' Steele and Mary Flynn Steele in 1988, who modernized facilities while maintaining century-old traditions. Our team combines historical expertise with contemporary innovations, offering personalized funeral services, cremation options, veterans honors, and grief support.We maintain deep community roots through active participation in local organizations and have received national recognition through the National Funeral Directors Association's Hall of Excellence. Our staff includes Certified Funeral Service Practitioners committed to exceeding state education requirements, ensuring families receive both compassionate care and professional service during their time of need.
Services
Funeral Services
Cremation Services
Veterans Services
Preplanning
Grief Support
Obituary Services
Memorial Planning
Casket Selection
Cremation Options
Personalization Services
Highlights and features
- We offer personalized funeral services tailored to individual life stories
- Our staff includes Certified Funeral Service Practitioners with advanced training
- We provide 24/7 immediate assistance for unexpected losses
- Our veterans service experts coordinate full military honors and benefits
- We maintain century-old traditions while embracing modern memorialization options
Associations and certifications
- National Funeral Directors Association's Hall of Excellence
- NFDA Consumer Assurance Program
- Certified Funeral Service Practitioner
What people say
Compassionate staff
Personalized tributes
Professional expertise
24/7 availability
Community commitment
Services
Funeral Services
We offer comprehensive traditional funeral services with customizable visitation, chapel ceremonies, and graveside options. Our experienced directors guide families through every decision, from casket selection to officiant coordination. Services can be tailored to religious traditions, cultural customs, or personal preferences while maintaining budget considerations.
Cremation Services
Our cremation services include traditional funeral ceremonies followed by cremation, memorial services with urns, and private cremation arrangements. We provide transparent pricing and help families understand all available options, including permanent memorialization in our on-site columbarium.
Veterans Services
We specialize in coordinating full military honors for veterans, including flag presentation, rifle salutes, and Taps. Our staff assists with VA benefit applications and ensures proper recognition through personalized ceremonies that honor service members' sacrifices.
Personalization
We help create unique tributes through photo displays, video memorials, and personalized keepsakes. Our technology allows digital storytelling integration while traditional options include customized urns and memorial folders that celebrate individual life stories.
Preplanning
Our preplanning services allow individuals to document their final wishes while reducing future family burdens. We offer online planning tools and in-person consultations to create comprehensive plans that ensure personal preferences are honored.
People
Julius M. 'Jay' Steele
Owner/Operator
Jay Steele has served as funeral director since 1988, bringing decades of experience and modernization to the historic business. He earned national recognition through the NFDA Hall of Excellence and maintains active community involvement.
Mary Flynn Steele
Owner/Operator
Mary Steele became Tennessee's first licensed female embalmer while modernizing the funeral home's facilities. She served as President of the Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky and maintains active roles in both business and community organizations.
Jason Steele
Funeral Director
Jason Steele continues the family tradition as third-generation funeral director. Certified through advanced education programs, he focuses on technology integration while maintaining personal service standards established by previous generations.
Questions
What types of funeral services do you offer?
We provide traditional funerals, cremation services, veterans honors, and customized memorialization options to meet individual family needs.
Can I preplan my funeral arrangements?
Yes, we offer comprehensive preplanning services including online tools and in-person consultations to document your final wishes.
Are you licensed to handle veterans' benefits?
Our staff specializes in veterans services and will coordinate all military honors and VA benefit applications.
How can I personalize a service?
We offer photo displays, video tributes, customized urns, and memorial keepsakes to create unique celebrations of life.
Do you offer grief support resources?
Yes, we provide a grief support lending library and weekly online messages to help families through the healing process.
What areas do you serve?
We primarily serve Bell County, KY and Claiborne County, TN with services available throughout eastern Kentucky and Tennessee.
