An independent local funeral home
Tester & Jones Funeral Services is proud to be independent and we take great care to provide an exceptional service. Serving Crowborough, Mayfield and the surrounding areas, we’re a local funeral home that cares. Contact us today for more information.
Meet The Team
Glenys Jones
Managing Director
One of the original founders of Tester & Jones Funeral Services, Glenys has more than 25 years’ experience as a funeral director.
Two decades after launching Tester & Jones, she says: “I really care about the community here in Crowborough and its surrounding villages and want to support local people, offering traditional care and attention to our families.”
Glenys is particularly proud of the Tester & Jones Bereavement Group (the BGs), which she launched more than 15 years ago and that now has more than 100 members.
“We have an amazing group of people, and it’s evolved so that existing members are fantastic at welcoming and supporting newer members,” she explains. “Some lovely friendships have developed; they comfort each other and offer support at times when it’s needed.”
Members enjoy trips to the theatre and Christmas markets, visits to gardens, meals out and holidays away. At the meetings, there are a variety of speakers.
When she’s not at work, Glenys is a member of The Rotary Club of Crowborough and also enjoys travelling.
William Rofe
Branch Manager
Experienced funeral arranger and branch manager, William, joined our team in October 2024, having worked at other firms on the south coast, as well as in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
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“I was attracted to join Tester & Jones as I knew the firm had a good reputation,” William explains. “The team here is small and everybody helps each other. I also appreciate the fact that Tester & Jones is independent, and there’s a lot to be said for that. We can offer a more personal touch, and we, as arrangers, have more of a free rein to make the service special. Families can see that we listened and we care about the job we are doing for them.”
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During his time in the funeral business, William has worked as a chauffeur-bearer, a backroom operative, and an arranger. He also worked at a crematorium owned by one of his previous employers, where he completed a number of qualifications. He’s also conducted funerals.
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In his spare time, William enjoys spending time at home with his wife. He also volunteers with the Maritime Volunteer Service in Eastbourne.
Mick Wood
Funeral Director
Since joining us in March 2024, Mick Wood has become a familiar face as both one of our trusted bearers and, impeccably turned out in his top hat and cane, conducting funerals, too.
For Mick, joining Tester & Jones Funeral Services marked a return to a profession he first became involved with in his early 20s.
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Conducting a funeral on the day is very much like being the conductor of an orchestra, as everyone looks to that person for the lead, including our bearers and the family.
"When I get to Tester & Jones on the day of a funeral, I make sure we’ve got everything we need and that the coffin is ready with the correct flowers and anything else that might be required,” says Mick. “I coordinate the bearers and walk in front of the coffin to pay my respects. I also talk to the family and make sure everything is just as they’d like it, such as whether they’d like to walk in before or after the coffin and what they’d like to happen to the flowers afterwards. It’s always important to double-check their requirements on the day, as sometimes they might change their mind, and that’s fine.
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He adds: “I take great pride in conducting a funeral and feel immensely proud to be in a position to help a family through the worst possible time in their lives.”
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When he’s not at work, Mick is a keen motorcyclist and has three bikes. He’s a member of a local Harley-Davidson Chapter, plays in a ten-pin bowling league and loves cooking, particularly Indian and Chinese food.
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Also, having been an engineer for 30 years, Mick loves discovering how things work. He used to buy and repair 16th to 17th-century clocks, but now enjoys reconditioning pocket watches and wrist watches.
Mandy King
Funeral Arranger
Mandy King joined our team as a funeral arranger in May 2024, having spent nine years in a pastoral role at St Gregory’s Catholic School in Tunbridge Wells.
“In my role here at Tester & Jones, I am often the first point of contact a family has with us,” Mandy explains. “I am here to guide them through everything that needs doing in the run-up to their loved one’s funeral. In many ways, it’s event planning but with more challenging deadlines than most other events. But I thrive on that.”
Her time working in pastoral care means she has some experience of dealing with students in grief, as well as students with life limiting illnesses.
“It’s good to be able to help families at such a hard time, when they are probably not thinking straight and need our support,” says Mandy. “It’s also a privilege to be let in by a family and have an insight into somebody’s life. Helping a family to create a fitting tribute is an amazing thing to be able to do.”
In her spare time, Mandy enjoys yoga, has recently joined a gym and discovered the joys of gardening. She also volunteers at the National Trust property, Standen House.
Louise Stapple
Funeral Arranger
Funeral Arranger, Louise Stapple, joined our team in February 2025, having gained experience at another local funeral director, while she also worked at the Kent & Sussex Crematorium for a while.
In her crematorium role, she dealt with tasks including ashes interments and burials. While there, she also got to know the local funeral directors.
“You notice how the different firms portray themselves and it was clear that the team from Tester & Jones was always professional and easy to deal with,” says Louise. “That certainly gave me confidence when joining the firm that they would be a good place to work.”
Louise says she enjoys her role with Tester & Jones: “I like dealing with the families and reassuring them that we are looking after them and their loved one. Sometimes they come in very stressed but leave looking so much more relieved, as they can see we are there to support them and gently navigate them through this period.”
When not at work, Louise enjoys walking her dog, cooking and spending time with family, while she also sings in a country band.
Jo Walsh
Accounts & Memorial
Jo Walsh joined Tester & Jones Funeral Services in September 2015, initially as our bookkeeper/payroll clerk/management accountant. That role involves keeping the company’s accounts up to date, producing monthly management reports for
the directors, running the month end payroll for all the staff and ensuring all suppliers are paid and invoicing has been done. However, her role has grown.
“Since joining Tester & Jones, I have completed and passed the Health & Safety for Funeral Staff course run by the Independent Funeral College (IFD) and the Foundation Funeral Practitioner course,” Jo explains. “This has enabled me to help
families with all of the funeral arrangements of their loved one from taking the first call and bringing their loved one into our care to arranging the funeral. I also work in the memorial side of the business and this could include adding an additional
inscription to an existing memorial or arranging a new one for a churchyard of cemetery."
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When Jo joined Tester & Jones, she hadn’t worked at a funeral directors’ before and ‘wasn’t sure what to expect’ but she says it’s a very friendly place to work.
“Everyone here is so warm, kind, sympathetic and friendly,” Jo says. “Families come to us at a very upsetting and vulnerable time and they leave with the reassurance that their lost loved one will be well looked after and any wishes they want for the funeral service will be fulfilled in the best way possible.”
When she’s not at work, Jo enjoys gardening - growing a variety of fruit and vegetables - and looking after her chickens. She also loves spending time with her ‘very large’ dog called Diesel, particularly enjoying walks at Walshes Park and the
beach.
The Funeral Personnel
We have a wonderful team of bearers and conductors to assist with arranging the collection of your loved one and to be there on the day of the funeral service.
“Tester and Jones were so helpful and professional and efficient in organising my mother’s funeral. They showed such kindness and care. I wish to thank Glenys, Jo, Will and Sharon especially.”
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