Circle of Life Cremation cleared to move — with condition to add partition for privacy

The Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers conditionally approved a change of location on July 14 for Circle of Life Cremation LLC, provided the applicant installs a partition to create a private arrangement area.

Jennifer Sutherland, the applicant and owner, told the board she plans to operate a direct‑cremation business from a suite in a professional building and that viewings would either occur at a local crematory or at an affiliate funeral home under agreement. Board members raised concerns about accessibility (the suite is on a second‑floor stairway) and about confidentiality because the proposed suite contained a single large room with a shared restroom rather than a separate conference room.

Members cited the board’s "fixed place of business" rule that permits consideration of whether an establishment is clearly separated from other tenants and whether the space provides appropriate privacy for arrangement conferences. Several members said previous approvals for similar nontraditional office locations had included a separate private conference room or shared conference‑room access; others emphasized this meeting’s board is a different composition and must weigh privacy carefully.

After discussion the board voted to approve the change of location contingent on the applicant installing a temporary or permanent divider that visibly separates the arrangement table from the desk. The board directed staff to have an inspector verify the divider and, if satisfactory, allow administrative approval instead of requiring the applicant to return to a future meeting.

The board also approved a reciprocity license for Rick Allen Holston (application through reciprocity) during the same session.