Our Staff

Joseph is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in the State of Georgia. A native of Troup County, Georgia, where he began working at Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home of Hogansville when he was just sixteen. Even as a child Joseph always knew his calling in life was to serve his fellow man in funeral service. The McKibben family took up much time with Joseph to enable him to serve with professionalism and compassion. He will forever be grateful to the Mckibben family for the values, mannerisms and ethics taught to him even at such a young age. Joseph is 2002 graduate of Callaway High School and a 2004 graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta. He moved to Albany in 2005 to work as a funeral director with Hall and Hall Funeral Home. In 2007 Joseph became the manager and funeral director in full and continuous charge at the age of 22. In 2009 Joseph was given the opportunity to purchase the business and real estate and remains the owner. Hall and Hall Funeral Home of Albany has faithfully served the surrounding areas since 1977. In 2011 Joseph moved to Leesburg and felt a great need to establish a funeral home that would conveniently serve those in Lee County and surrounding areas. In September of 2015 this vision became a reality as he opened Leesburg's own hometown funeral home. In 2022 Joseph opened Leesburg Cremation Services, LLC and is proud to offer Lee County an on site crematory. Joseph’s desire is to offer his years of training, service and professionalism to his community by going above and beyond the expectations of a funeral home. He believes that a funeral home is much more than a business; it is also a place of ministry where service is most important. He is a charter board member of the newly established Exchange Club of Lee County and currently serves as vice president, a member of The Georgia Funeral Directors Association, and a member of The Academy of Graduate Embalmers of Georgia. He is the assistant pianist at First Baptist Church of Leesburg and enjoys filling in when needed. Joseph is married to Leigh Collins Jones who also serves both of their locations as a funeral director and embalmer. He has four children that he is very proud of, Natalie A. Jones, Joseph W. Jones, Jr., Watson Crew Jones, Chapel Rose Jones, and one baby angel in Heaven, Collins Cecelia Jones (February 25, 2020). Joseph, Leigh, and their caring staff are honored to serve, Leesburg, Albany, Smithville and surrounding areas. They are proud to serve as Lee County's only funeral home and crematorium and promise to always render their services with true heartfelt compassion.

Leigh is a native of Warner Robins, Georgia and a 2011 graduate of Warner Robins High School. After high school, she attended Georgia Military College where in 2013, she earned an Associate’s Degree in Pre-Nursing. Shortly after, Leigh decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer. In 2014 she began her career as an apprentice funeral director and embalmer at McCullough Funeral Home in Warner Robins. She graduated from Ogeechee Technical College in 2015 with her degree in funeral services and later went to work full time as a Licensed Funeral Director and embalmer at Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Warner Robins. Leigh married Joseph in 2018, and is proud to serve at the funeral home in Leesburg and Hall and Hall Funeral Home in Albany. She is the proud mother of Crew and Chapel and the loving bonus mom to Natalie and Joe. In her free time, she enjoys trips to the beach, shopping, and spending time with friends and family. Leigh truly feels that the funeral industry is a ministry. She is passionate about her work and feels blessed to be able to serve the families of our community in their time of need.

Susan Dillard grew up in Dawson and has been a resident of Leesburg for over 40 years. She retired from First Methodist Church of Albany after 26 years of service as administrative assistant. She is married to Bobby Dillard and they have one son, Rev. Jason Dillard (Tawndee) who is pastor of Gray Methodist Church, in Gray. She has two granddaughters that she is very proud of Josie Grace and Adeline. In her free time, she enjoys grandparenting, traveling, and crafting. She is a member of First Methodist Church of Albany and looks forward to ministering to the families we serve.

Rev. Tim J. Bass, is a native of Alabama and moved here to Leesburg in 2019 to be near family. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 35 years and is an ordained Baptist minister. He currently serves as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Acree. He is married to Somer Bass, has two children, Joshua Bass, and Alyssa Bass, and 3 grandsons that he is very proud of. In his free time he enjoys playing golf, boating, and fishing. We are proud to welcome Rev. Bass to our family and team.

Shawn is a native of Worth County and grew up in the home of a Freewill Baptist pastor, Rev Benny Smith and Faye Smith. He has served for 30 years in the Southwest Georgia area as an appliance technician and has owned and operated A-1 Appliance Repair. He enjoys playing guitar, singing, and hunting in his free time. He is married to April Smith, has 3 children, and 3 grandchildren that he is very proud of. He attends Life Church of Leesburg.

Reverend W. Robin Chaplin serves the funeral home as one of our office managers, pre-need counselors, and book keeper. He has lived in Albany since 2001 and is the Pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Leesburg. He graduated from Tabernacle Baptist Bible College of Greenville, South Carolina in 1988 and he is a licensed Insurance Agent in the State of Georgia. He is married to his high school sweetheart Shirley and they have three children and four grandchildren.

Bro. Donnie Phillips is a native of Colquitt County and moved to Albany when he was 6 years old. He later moved to Leesburg where he has been a resident for over 20 years. For over 25 years he and his wife owned and operaterd Albany Sporting Goods and Pawn. He also worked at the Marine Corps Logisits Base for 8 years. He is a licensed minister and loves The Lord Jesus and his family more than anything. Donnie and his wife are members of Liberty Baptist Church where he leads the singing and his wife Sheryl plays the piano. Together they are the proud parents of LaDonna, Lacey, and Phillip Phillips and the proud grandparents of 4 grandchidlren. In his free time he enjoys playing Pickleball, hunting, and fishing.

Arthur B. Clark, a native of Cairo, Georgia has lived in Lee County for the past 38 years. He attended ABAC in Tifton and worked at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station, part of the University of Georgia in the Horticulture Department for 2 years. While in Tifton, he met his wife, Belinda Long of Lee County. They were married in 1976. They lived for one year in Griffin, Georgia while Arthur worked at Pomona Products, a division of Stokely Van Camp and Belinda taught school. They returned to Lee County in 1977. Arthur worked with the Carlton Company and Oakland Plantation as groundskeeper from 1978 until 1979. Belinda taught school in Lee County. In 1979, Arthur started working at the Grounds Superintendent for Georgia Southwestern College (Now Georgia Southwestern State University). While at GSW, Arthur served on the GSW graduation committee for 32 years. He served on various committees including the University System Board of Regents Emergency Operations committee, the University system Disaster Recovery committee, the Environmental Safety Self Auditing committee and the University System Environmental Safety Advisory council. He also served as chairman of the Sumter County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). Arthur served as the campus liaison to the rest of the community after the significant tornado that hit Sumter County in 2007. He served as the first Chairman of the Horticulture Advisory Council for South Georgia Technical College. He served as the chairman for the inaugural committee of Dr. Kendall Blanchard, past President of GSW. He also served on the Board of Directors for the National Institute of Parks and Grounds Management. While a member of that organization, he received the Outstanding Professional Award for 2000. He also was a member of the Professional Grounds Management Society as well as the Georgia Green Industry Association and the Georgia Turfgrass Association. While at GSW, Arthur was responsible for many set ups and special events that was on campus. One of the highlights of his career was providing cut flower center pieces for the Rosalynn Carter Institute Gala event. He grew the flowers in his yard and arranged them for the centerpieces. During his tenure at GSW, Arthur received the Outstanding Staff Member Award from the GSW Alumni Association in 2006. In 2007, he received the President’s Campus Leadership award. In 2010, he received the GSW Athletic Department’s Hustle Award. Arthur graduated from GSW in 2000 with a Business Administration degree. After 32 years at GSW and a total of 34 years with the University System of Georgia, Arthur, retired from GSW as the Assistant Director of Physical Plant, Landscape Design and Development and Director of Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management. He continues to work part time as Special Events Coordinator. He is very active in the Leesburg Methodist Church where he currently serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees. Arthur and Belinda, who retired after 31 years as a 3rd grade teacher in the Lee County schools, live in Leesburg. They have one daughter, Rebecca (Ronnie) Blalock that live in Doerun.

George Robinson is a native of Sandersville, GA. He is married to Cindy Strickland of Americus, GA. They have two children. Kevin and his wife Tess live in Canton, Ga. with their three children. Kristin and her husband Matthew Suggs live in Leesburg. They have one daughter. George worked for Michelin for 22 1/2 years. After retiring, he and Cindy moved to Leesburg to be closer to family. George and Cindy are active members of First Baptist Church of Leesburg.