Jeffers Funeral & Cremation Service held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for its new Afton facility, Jeffers Funeral Chapel, which will be located along the East Andrew Johnson Highway in front of Graceland Memorial Gardens.

The new chapel will cover 7,700 square feet and be a one-level facility.

It will have a large visitation room, including a fireplace and sitting area, a kitchen and family lounge, arrangement office, business office, and large men's and women's restrooms.

The planned facility has been designed by local architect Dave Wright. Idell Construction is in charge of construction.

Completion is estimated in May 2010, at which point Jeffers Funeral Service will operate out of both its present downtown chapel and the new one in Afton. The downtown facility will continue to house the firm's main office.

Jeffers Funeral & Cremation Service, which is Greeneville's only locally owned funeral home, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month.

Jeffers started in the old Allen home (where Town Hall stands today) in 1959 and has operated solely out of its N. College Street location since 1964.