About Us

Our History

In 1900, Clarence Bogle began a Funeral Service in Kenton, Tennessee. He managed this business until 1928, when Thomas Blaine Karnes took over the operation of the Kenton Funeral Business. In 1945, Mr. Karnes' son, Thomas Clarence (T. C.) Karnes joined him in the business, and the name was changed to Karnes and Son Funeral Home.

In 1959, the Karnes' purchased Baird Brothers Funeral Home in Dyer and changed its name to Karnes and Son Funeral Home. In 1997, Karnes and Son opened a new facility in Kenton and relocated in 2002 to the present site at the old McCleish home on Maple Heights, until its closure after the acquisition of Leitherland Funeral Home in 2011. T. C. Karnes continued to operate the business until his death in 1997. His wife, Mrs. Carolyn Karnes, continued to carry on the traditions set by T. C. until her retirement in 2007. Mrs. Carolyn rejoined the staff in January 2008 until her death on August 4, 2011.

In 2007, the funeral homes were purchased by Marc and Angela Sims. Marc began working with the Karnes' in 1993. He became a licensed funeral director/embalmer in 1996. Today, the staff of Karnes and Son Funeral Homes continues to serve the people of Dyer, Rutherford, Kenton, Mason Hall, and Yorkville with the same compassion, honor, and dignity established by their predecessors.