Our Staff

Keith was born and raised in the Santa Fe Community of Maury County. He is the son of the late Ralph and Mai (Woody) Baker. He graduated from Santa Fe High School and attended Radio School in Atlanta, Georgia. Keith has three children, Angie (Jeff) Roberts, Jeremy (Ashlee Fisher) Baker, and Brooke (Dr. Travis) Hensley; and ten grandchildren.

Keith began his successful business career in Columbia in 1976 when he opened Keith Baker Homes - a manufactured housing sales center. Keith Baker Homes grew for many years with locations in several surrounding counties, also owning several manufactured home rental communities.

However you will now find Keith at the funeral home on a daily basis and serving an active role in the majority of the services held at Heritage. Keith has a passion for people and one of his favorite sayings is; “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Keith has a servant's heart and you will find him listening, consoling, and visiting with friends and family during visitations and funerals.

Keith is a member of the First United Methodist Church, the Kiwanis Club, a charter member of the YMCA, and was inducted into the Tennessee Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame. He has served on the board of directors of many organizations in Maury County.

Keith is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Brooke is a native of Maury County and currently resides in Hampshire. She is the daughter of Keith Baker and Sandy Endsley Baker, wife of Dr. Travis Hensley, and proud mother of Raegan, Baker, George, and Audria Mai Hensley.

Brooke is a graduate of Columbia Academy and received her undergraduate degree from East Tennessee State University. She always knew she wanted to work in the family business, and began her current role at Heritage Funeral Home in 2010. She graduated from John A. Gupton College as a licensed funeral director.

During her tenure, she has learned the importance of the compassion and care it takes to provide quality service to families. She is also licensed by the State of Tennessee as an Insurance Pre-Need Agent.

As with the entire staff, it is Brooke's goal that every family have the opportunity to plan and conduct the more personal, memorable services possible with the Heritage Funeral Home Family.

In her spare time, Brooke loves spending quality time with her family on their farm.

Tately is a native of Maury County and is the daughter of Ted Jennings and Priscilla Hines Jennings. She is married to Zack Gray, has two older siblings Tessa Jennings Ashworth and Tyson Jennings and numerous very special nieces and nephews.

She is a 2009 graduate of Columbia Central High School. Immediately following high school, Tately began pursuing her dreams of becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer by attending John A. Gupton College in Nashville. She graduated from there in 2010. It is Tately's passion to help families in their biggest time of need. She specifically enjoys personalizing and customizing funerals and memorial services by making each one unique and special for all of the families she serves. As a licensed funeral director and embalmer, Tately shares her gift of compassion with the families she serves on a daily basis.  Tately enjoys working at Heritage Funeral Home and has worked here since 2011. Tately became a licensed Insurance Pre-need Agent in 2014.

In her spare time Tately enjoys drawing and painting, watching Tennessee football, spending time on the Tennessee River, volunteering in the classroom of special needs students, and spending time with her family and friends.

Rick was born in El Dorado, Arkansas and is the son of the late J.E. Points and the late Leona Points. He is married to Teresa Points, a well known real estate agent in Maury County and Williamson County. He has three daughters: Sabrina Pritchard of Arkansas, Karleana Brooks of Texas, and Hannah Points of Columbia, TN. Rick is proud of his four granddaughters and two great grandchildren.

Rick began his work as a Cemeterian in 1990 in North Little Rock, Arkansas before moving to Tennessee in 1992 where he continued his career in serving families in the most difficult point in their lives. Because of his desire to minister to families during such a difficult time, he became a licensed funeral director in 1995 and continues to serve families at Heritage Funeral Home and Maury Memorial Gardens. Rick is also known for his love of officiating funeral services for many families.

In his spare time, Rick loves eating out and going shopping with his girls.

Dale Shelton is originally from Clarksville, TN and the son of the late Lewis Thomas “Scooter” Shelton and the late Martha Sue Kirby Shelton. He has been in the Maury County community since 1992. He worked for Heritage Funeral Home from August 2012 to October 2021, when he retired. He’s now back at Heritage full time as funeral director, embalmer, and cremationist. Dale is a 1974 graduate of Clarksville Academy and of the last graduating class of the KY School of Mortuary in the fall of 1980.

Brandon was born in Nashville, Tennessee to Lisa Cochran and has two children, Ali and Zaiden. A native of Hickman County, Tennessee, Brandon was a 2003 graduate of Hickman County High School. He is currently the Pastor at Open Door Baptist Church in Columbia.

Brandon pursued his calling of becoming a funeral director in 2022, graduating from Mid America College of Funeral Service in 2024. He finds comfort in helping families in their biggest time of need. Brandon became a licensed preneed agent in 2020.

In his spare time, he enjoys watching his son play soccer and all sporting events. He also loves supporting his daughter as she is pursuing her dream job of becoming an attorney. 

Janel is an East Tennessee native and the daughter of Philip Gaddis and the late Frances Carter Seaton. Janel began serving families at their greatest time of need in 2006. From that point, she knew she had found her niche in society. Janel is licensed in Tennessee as a Life Insurance Producer and Pre-need Agent.

She was a previous co-owner of Croys Cabins, LLC and is also a taxidermist. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, refinishing vintage furniture, reading, and spending time with her family and her Great Dane, Reagan. Janel is a major advocate of organ donation.

"Caring for families, making a difference"

*Janel is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Michelle is a native of Lockport, New York located in Niagara County of Western New York. She is married to Gene Elson, they have 3 children; Heather, Rion & Reese, and she is GiGi to Wesley Douglas, Dakota Gene, and Gabriella Rose.

Michelle became a Memorial Specialist in 1995 in Niagara Falls, NY and a Cemeterian in 2011 with the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo before moving to Tennessee in 2017.  Because of her desire to serve families she became licensed by the State of Tennessee as a Life Insurance Producer and a pre-need sales agent. She was honored to join the staff at Heritage Funeral Home and Maury Memorial Gardens, where she can continue her passion of serving families.

In her spare time she likes shopping, photography, FaceTiming her family and traveling back to New York.

Michelle is not a licensed funeral director.

Mat is from southeast New Mexico, west Texas, located in Lea County. Mat has one son, Knox. Also has extended family native to Dickson, TN and Thompsons Station, TN. Mat enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2016 and served until 2021 and was honorably discharged as a Corporal.

After finishing his enlistment, he was awarded his degree in Business Administration and is continuing his education at Middle Tennessee State University studying Microbiology. Also, after finishing school, he obtained his pilot’s license and became licensed by the State of Tennessee as a Life Insurance Producer and a pre-need sales agent. Mat found a passion in helping the community and was ecstatic to join the Heritage Funeral Home staff to proudly serve families. In his spare time he enjoys spending time at the dog park with his husky, going to local shooting ranges, and spending time with his son.

Mat is not a licensed funeral director.

Raymond Workman is a native and life-long resident of Mt. Pleasant, TN. He is married to the former Nola Frazier of Mt. Pleasant, and has four children, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Raymond has been around the funeral industry for over 45 years making first contact with grieving families, caring for cemeteries, setting monuments, and working during funerals and visitations.

He is a graduate of Haylong High School in Mt. Pleasant, and the Donelson Police Academy. He attends the First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant and is a member of the F.O.P. Lodge in Columbia. During Vietnam Raymond served in the United States Army. He currently serves as an officer for the Ethridge Police Department and is a former officer with the Mt. Pleasant Police Department.

In his free time, Raymond can be found working in his yard, spending time with his family, and camping. He loves being outdoors and being around nature.

Raymond's sense of quiet compassion is an asset to the Heritage Funeral Home Family. He looks forward to serving families with a friendly smile and an encouraging word at visitations and services.

Raymond is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Kim is a 1999 graduate of Columbia Central High School, and received her Associates Degree in Business Administration/Management from National College of Business in 2005.

She is the daughter of Keith & Tammy Cates of Columbia.  She has two younger siblings, Jennifer Cates and Kris Cates.  She is the proud mother of four children; Kamdyn, Kendarius, Keston, and Ca'myah.

Kim has brought a wide array of accounting experience with her after working for Affinion Group in Franklin, Tennessee for over 10 years.  She handles the accounting for both Heritage Funeral Home and Maury Memorial Gardens.  She also enjoys meeting and communicating with the families and is here to assist them in any way that she can.

In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and attending her children's football and basketball games.  She is a fan of the Tennessee Titans win/lose and she bowls occasionally in a league with some friends at Galaxy Lanes for fun.

Along with the other employees here at Heritage Funeral Home, Kim strives to ensure that the families we assist are aware that we are here to provide them with a memorable experience to honor their loved ones.

Kim is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Gay is a native of Mt. Pleasant and is the daughter of the late Melva Williamson Floyd and the late William Floyd, Jr. She has four brothers, who she loves fiercely, as well as many nieces and nephews and her special furbaby, Graycee. 

She is a graduate of Hay Long High School and following graduation, she worked at the Tennessee Farm Bureau for fourteen years as the switchboard operator. She later worked twenty-nine years in the business office for Dr. William Hunter, III. She is presently the office manager for Dr. Tim Gordon and Dr. Ralph Hamilton and works part-time at Heritage Funeral Home as a door greeter.

She loves road trips, especially those leading to the beach and country music concerts.

Gay is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Kyle was born and raised in Maury County and was a 1975 graduate of Columbia Central High School. He is the husband of Betina and the father of Chamberlain. Kyle is a member of First United Methodist Church in Columbia and has worked at Nissan as a Production Tech for 23 years.

Kyle works at Heritage Funeral Home as a funeral assistant and greeter during visitations and funeral services.

Kyle is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Deb Collins moved to Columbia in the late 60's for her father to minister at Grace Church of the Nazarene. She is retired from the State of Tennessee and has worked in and around music all of her adult life. Deb has taught music for several years and has played for weddings, funerals, and various gospel events for the past 40 plus years. She is a member of Mooresville Pike Baptist Church. Deb is the daughter of Gene and Frances Shelton and  married to Danny Collins. They make their home with their pug, "Buddy" in Columbia, Maury County. Deb comes to Heritage Funeral Home to be able to help the families doing something she dearly loves- music.

Deb is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Mrs. Fay M. Haywood, age 74, wife of Harold F. Haywood, and a resident of Roy Sellers Road in Columbia, passed away Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at her residence, surrounded by her loving family.

Fay was born on January 15, 1945 in Maury County, and was the daughter of the late James Mangrum and the late Virginia Hardin Mangrum. She was married fifty-six years to Harold Haywood, and together they had two children. She worked many years for General Trucking and in banking and was the former owner of A Balloon Shop. In her later years, she enjoyed working at Heritage Funeral Home where she greeted visitors and played the piano for services.

Fay began playing the piano in church at eight years old. She spoke many times of playing piano and singing with the Paul Quartet. Her incredible talent was a blessing to all who heard her play. She loved the Lord and served Him for many years with her gift of music.

Fay loved people and never met a stranger. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughters: Teresa (Art) Fitzgerald of Columbia, Tracy (David) Temes of Columbia; grandchildren: Ryan (Sarah) Parks of Columbia, Cody (Bailey) Fitzgerald of Columbia, Zach (Leah) Temes of Columbia; sister: Jamie (Tim) Bailey of Culleoka; brother: Bobby Mangrum of Columbia; special nephew: Steve (Amy) Mangrum of Summertown; and several other nieces and nephews.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers: Jimmy, Steve, Van, and Mark Mangrum.

Pallbearers will be: Ryan Parks, Cody Fitzgerald, Zach Temes, Steve Mangrum, Tim Bailey, and Tony West.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Caris Healthcare, Dr. Thomas Farmer, and the staff at Heritage Funeral Home for their extended care and love for Fay.

Fay is not a licensed Funeral Director.

Frances is a Maury County native that has stayed in the Columbia area and shared her love and gifts with many over the years.

After graduating from high school in Culleoka, Frances begin helping grieving families by doing hair for funeral homes.  She now adds Heritage to her resume and joins the Heritage Funeral Home family in addition to her shop in downtown Columbia.

Frances many talents include doing hair, providing hair restoration for those that have been ill, and cosmetics.  

Frances has been the owner of Royal's Hair Fashion at 812 S. Main Street for over 35 years. She has three children; Royal, Lori, BJ and one grandchild, Breanna. She loves the funeral industry, caring for families, and loves people. Frances stated; "I love to make people look nice for their families when they have to say good-bye."  

If you haven't met Frances; please get to know her. She is a precious soul with a warm personality. She will make you feel good about yourself.

Frances is not a licensed Funeral Director.