In 1918, construction began on a modern funeral home across the street from the Hand furniture and undertaking business. Designed by F.M. Trimble with elegant arches and paired columns, the Carey Hand Funeral Home was a stately Roman-Tuscan-style building. It was one of the first funeral homes in Florida to have its own chapel. The crematory, added in 1925, was the first to be built south of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Washington, DC.
During this period, the Carey Hand Funeral Home was the largest in Central Florida, and the only such facility in a five-county area. It served people from as far away as Polk and Hillsborough counties, and since hotel accommodations in Orlando were limited at the time, the second floor of the funeral home included a number of guest rooms for grieving families. In the 1930s, other funeral homes opened, as did affordable hotels and motels, and the guest rooms were gradually converted into dormitory space for the staff.
Not only did Carey Hand operate an exceptionally progressive funeral service business, he was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and one of Orlando’s leading citizens. His wife, Nellie, worked with him in the business and on community endeavors. Carey Hand was a charter member of Orlando’s first Rotary Club, among many other civic interests. The couple became prominent in many of the city’s civic and social affairs.
During the first half of the 20th century, it was common for funeral homes to also operate ambulance services, especially in smaller communities. A Carey Hand tradition – one that would continue for a decade after his death – was to provide free ambulance service to bring new mothers and their babies home from the hospital.
Carey Hand died in 1947, leaving Mrs. Hand to operate the funeral business until she sold it the following year. The new owners, O.C. Yeargin, C.M. “Neil” Franklin, and Russell Cole, were licensed funeral directors who shared Mr. Hand’s commitment to quality, compassionate funeral service.
Major remodeling efforts were completed at the Carey Hand Colonial Funeral Home. Stained glass windows from the original Carey Hand Funeral Home were installed in the chapel and viewing room, creating a warm, comforting atmosphere for families and friends. Framed photographs from Orlando’s early days contribute a sense of history and continuity to the facility’s ambiance.
Though most Americans tend to avoid talking about death, it is important to recognize the funeral service is an important part of any community. The process of bidding a final farewell to loved ones is one of the strongest threads in the fabric of our lives. This is especially true in Central Florida, where Carey Hand used his remarkable vision and foresight to help bring Orlando into the future. His concern for people began with their birth and lasted until they were laid to rest with dignity.
Today, the caring professionals at Collison Carey Hand Funeral Home continue the caring traditions Carey Hand established nearly a century ago.
