We are a family-owned funeral home with a determination to provide the best service at the best price possible.

 

Where it all began…

 

Mike Philips was raised in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and began working for McLaughlin Mortuary in 1974. It all began with the notice of his grandfather’s funeral; Mike had placed a request for time off to attend his grandfather’s funeral service. When his employer refused to grant permission to attend, Mike resolved to prioritize family unity and resigned from his job at the bank. Upon hearing the unfortunate nature of his resignation, Maurice McLaughlin presented Mike with a unique career alternative. What began as a job at the Funeral Home soon became a series of deeply rewarding experiences. It was there, in the service of families, that Mike realized that he’d discovered his true calling.

After graduating from Gupton Jones School of Mortuary Science, Atlanta, in 1977, Mike returned to McLaughlin. As the needs of his growing family changed, Mike expanded his knowledge by obtaining work in funeral homes located in various states.

Now, with over 50 years of experience in the mortuary field, he has witnessed the heart-breaking changes that have taken place in the funeral industry. The typical, local, family-owned and operated establishments have surrendered to corporate influence.

Once upon a time, these owners were involved in the community. They were willing to help their neighbors in times of grief, but gone is that compassionate care – in its place stands cold, unsympathetic cogs in a corporate-run machine. Although Mike has worked for a variety of corporate funeral homes in the past, the push to “up-sell” as well as the increasing cost of the average funeral has led Mike to decide that there must be a better way.

Mike joined the Lakeland Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1986, where he met his wife, Marsha. Marsha and, later on, Mike served as president of the Lakeland chapter. Both have continued their involvement in Junior Chamber International on both state and national levels. Mike is a trustee for the Florida JCI Senators Foundation which awards scholarships to high school seniors to further their education. Mike is an active member of the Anna Maria Privateers and several other community organizations. First Baptist Church at the Mall, Lakeland, is the family’s home church. They have two daughters, Candice (Eric) and Starr (Seth), who both have families and careers of their own. They also have three grandsons, Robbie and Emerson in Plant City and Greyson in Atlanta, who all bring joy to the family.

We opened Central Florida Casket Store in April 2000 as a retail establishment specializing in caskets, vaults, and urns. Federal law prohibits any funeral establishment from requiring its customers to purchase needed merchandise from the funeral home. Many customers, upon learning that Mike was a fully licensed funeral director, requested that he add funeral services, and thus the name was changed to Central Florida Casket Store and Funeral Chapel in 2002, and we expanded in 2004 to add a much-needed chapel. Our chapel seats 85, with added seating and video feed available in other areas of the funeral home.

Candice began working at our funeral home in 2007. She opted to attend Miami Dade College and graduated in 2014 with a degree in Mortuary Science. The Funeral Service Education program at Miami Dade College is one of the oldest programs of its kind in the State of Florida. Candice worked for several corporate funeral homes on the west coast of Florida, as both an intern and a fully licensed funeral director. She returned to Central Florida Casket Store and Funeral Chapel in 2019, where she, alongside Mike and Marsha, run the daily operations at the funeral home, helping to ensure that you and your family do not overpay for your funeral needs.

If you are visiting this site at a time when you have lost a loved one, please accept our condolences. We are always available – please call Mike & Marsha Philips for assistance.