Our Staff
Paul Connor Cawood, Jr. is the son of Paul Connor Cawood, Sr. and Joan Asher Cawood as well as the grandson of Hobart (Elnora) Cawood and T. Ed (Lynnell) Asher. Cawood Funeral Home was founded in 1932 by Hobart Cawood, the Cawood Family has been humbly serving the people of the tri-state area for generations. A lifelong resident of Middlesboro. Paul Connor Cawood, Jr. was born in Pineville, Ky and raised in Middlesboro. He is a 1982 graduate of Middlesboro High School and attended the University of Kentucky as well as Lincoln Memorial University. He is married to Laura Lee Cawood the daughter of Paul and Wanda Lee. Laura is also a retired teacher from the Bell County School System. They have one daughter Ellen Cawood Partin and a Son-In-Law Jake Partin.
Laura Lee Cawood, apprentice funeral director and embalmer, is the wife of Paul Connor Cawood, Jr. She was born and raised in Middlesboro, KY. Laura is the daughter of the late Paul and Wanda Lee. She is a 1982 graduate of Middlesboro High School. Laura received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Education degree from Lincoln Memorial University. Laura has been an educator in the Middlesboro Public Schools, and Fayette County Public Schools and eventually retired from the Bell County Schools. In 2020 she began working with the Elgin Children’s Foundation (Knoxville, Tennessee) where she served as a member of the academic team in Campbell County, TN schools. In addition to her work at the funeral home, she holds the office of treasurer for the Middlesboro Main Street Board. After 30 years in education, Laura has joined her husband at the funeral home where she will continue to serve the families of the Tri-State area. Laura has one daughter, Ellen Cawood Partin and a son-in-law Jake Partin. She enjoys spending time at the lake, gardening, antiquing and caring for her four fur-babies.
Alice Harris has been a resident of Bell County Kentucky all of her life. At the funeral home, she works in the office greeting families, works with our database system and accounting, answers phone calls, and assists our current directors. She takes great honor in being able to help and serve our families during their time of grief.
Before becoming a member of the Cawood Funeral Home family, Alice served as the HR/administrative assistant at the JRS Restaurant Corporation (KFC) and prior to that, the administrative assistant at the Bell County Chamber of Commerce. Alice also prides herself as being a very involved member of the Bell County community in the past. She had volunteered in various organizations such as the Bell County Relay for Life, Cumberland Mountain Fall Festival and Discover Downtown Middlesboro.
Alice is the daughter of the late James Russell Partin of Middlesboro and Mary Hoskins Karns of Pineville. She is married to her best friend, Tony Harris and is the proud mother of two beautiful daughters, Megan Harris and Tori Miracle. She has two son-in-laws, Brandon Miracle and Wendell Hunter and she also has six beautiful grandchildren, Kasen, Raelynn, Peyton, Beckett, Madison and Hadley. During her free time, she enjoys going to church, the lake, riding in the mountains and loves spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Melissa L. Yeary of Middlesboro, KY has been a resident of Bell County her entire life. Melissa is the daughter of Arthur “Buddy” Yeary and LouEdith Gordon Yeary, the proud mother of two sons Mark Comparoni and Peter Comparoni. She has one sister Marcia and one nephew Tipton Hembree. She is a member of the Hensley's Chapel Missionary Baptist Church.
She is a 1984 graduate of Middlesboro High School, a 1989 graduate of Lincoln Memorial University with a BS and a 2008 graduate of Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science with an Associate in Funeral Service. Melissa has been dedicated to the funeral industry since 2006 and holds a Funeral Director/Embalmer license in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee. She has devoted herself to the service of families and takes great pride in her job.
William Joseph Holder, Jr is the son of Nancy Cawood Holder and William Joseph Holder, Sr. He is the youngest Grandson of Hobart Cawood and Elnora Cawood and Kenneth Holder and Katherine Jane Callison Ausmus. Joe has been employed with the Middlesboro Police Department for the past 19 years and is currently captain of the department. Joe has one son Will Holder who is currently a junior at Bell County High School. In his spare time Joe loves to go hunting and fishing with his son Will.
Jake Partin the son of Chris John Partin and Tessa and George Stiltner, son-in-law of Cawood Funeral Home owners and operators Paul Connor Cawood, Jr., and Laura Lee Cawood. Born and raised in the Middlesboro area, Jake is proud to continue serving the community he has called home for most of his life.
Jake is a 2010 graduate of Middlesboro High School, where he played baseball. He continued his education and baseball career at the University of Pikeville, graduating in 2015 with a degree in Criminal Justice. His connection to the local community and his passion for supporting young people and local athletics remain important parts of his life.
Before continuing his career in public service with Cawood Funeral Home, Jake served as a police officer with the Middlesboro Police Department for seven years and worked for four years as a Probation and Parole Officer serving the states of Kentucky and North Carolina. Through these roles, Jake gained valuable experience helping individuals and families during difficult circumstances. He is proud to continue his commitment to serving others in his role at Cawood Funeral Home, where he looks forward to assisting families with compassion, respect, and care.
Jake is married to Ellen Cawood Partin, who has served as a nurse and nurse practitioner throughout the Tri-State area for the past eight years. Together, they have a son, Christopher Jacob Partin, Jr., affectionately known as “Kit,” who was born on January 21st of 2025. Jake and his family are members of Saint Julian Catholic Church. Faith and family are at the center of Jake’s life, and he is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside his family while continuing the Cawood family’s tradition of serving the surrounding communities.
Jake is honored to be part of the Cawood Funeral Home family and looks forward to continuing its tradition of providing compassionate service and support to families throughout the Tri-State area.
