Bluff City Chapel

The Fox Mortuary circa 1961

The first funeral home in Bluff City, Tennessee, was opened around 1940 on the corner of Main and Maple Streets in a home previously occupied by a Dr. Moody and his family. (The Fellowship Hall of the First Baptist Church of Bluff City is now on this property.) Arnold Lowery and John Spears, the first owners, operated the firm as Bluff City Funeral Home, and later sold it to Mr. Harry Smith. When the old Moody house burned, the funeral home was moved into another large residence at 245 Main Street, where it is today.

In the early 1950's, Mr. Smith sold the firm to Mr. Al Rogers of Scott County, Virginia, who changed the name to Rogers Funeral Home. Later in that decade, Mr. Smith repurchased the business, changing the name back to Bluff City Funeral Home. (Mr. Smith was known to go from door to door throughout the Bluff City area selling memberships in the funeral home's burial association.) On December 1, 1960, Mr. Roy Fox bought the firm, moved his family into the apartment on the second floor of the funeral home, and changed the name to Fox Mortuary. Mr. Fox had no experience in funeral service but was looking for a second career following his retirement from the Tennessee Highway Patrol. In 1968, Mr. Fox added a large chapel to the funeral home and continued to operate the business until he sold it to Rev. Edward Castle of Bristol in June of 1977.

Richard Tetrick Owner/Funeral Director, purchased the funeral home in 1985

Ed Castle, a native of Russell County, Virginia, was a previous owner of Weaver Funeral Home in Bristol. He operated for a short time as Castle-Fox Funeral Home, and then as Castle Funeral Home. He was the first fully licensed funeral director/embalmer to be associated with the firm on a full-time basis.

Around the first of 1979, Mr. Castle sold the firm to Buddy Brown and Keith Carr, both funeral directors from the Kingsport, Tennessee. Mr. Brown and Mr. Carr operated the funeral home and an ambulance service as Brown and Carr Funeral Home until 1982, when Mr. Castle again became the owner and manager of the funeral home. He renamed it Castle Funeral Home.

Bluff City Funeral Home, Rogers Funeral Rome, Bluff City Funeral Home (again), Fox Mortuary, Castle-Fox Funeral Home, Castle Funeral Home, Brown and Carr Funeral Home, Castle Funeral Home (again). Seven owners operated the firm under six names before Richard Tetrick purchased Castle Funeral Home in 1985 and changed the name to Tetrick Funeral Home - Bluff City Chapel. Within the next three years, the firm was completely remodeled with new furniture, carpeting, and drapes, and was painted inside and out.