SOUTHERLAND FUNERAL HOME, INC.
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA

I n 1955, J. Ray Southerland, his wife Bobbie and their son, Steve, established Southerland Funeral Home, Inc. in downtown Panama City, Florida.  The business was housed on the ground level of a humble house and their living quarters were in the upstairs part of the home.  As the years passed, their family-owned funeral home became known for its personal service, friendly atmosphere, and willingness to help those less fortunate.  In 1962, Steve met and married Mary Sue Nordan, who immediately began working along with the family and before long became an important part of the daily operations of the company.  After establishing a firm foundation, Ray and Bobbie retired in the mid 1970's and handed the reins of the company over to Steve and Mary Sue.After operating the business in the same location and going through a series of remodels, Steve and Mary Sue turned their attention to the future.  In 1985, realizing how the growth of the county was affecting local development, they designed and built a new funeral home facility that would easily carry the family business into the next generation.  This new facility was 15,000 square feet and centrally located to meet the needs of all current and future neighborhoods in the county.  The Southerland's still consider this 19th Street location as their mother ship as it houses all of their administrative offices, the Care Center including the company crematorium, as well as its human resource functions.In 1987, the third generation of Southerland�s joined the business to continue the family heritage. Steve Southerland, II, the oldest of Steve and Mary Sue�s children followed his father and grandfather�s footsteps in the funeral business. Filled with many ideas about the business�s future growth, Steve, with the support of his parents acquired the Smith Funeral Homes of Panama City and Lynn Haven in 1992. This single acquisition doubled the size of the business overnight and enabled the organization to serve a much larger area of the county as well as increase their market share.     Together, Mary Sue and Steve have worked in funeral service for the last 41 years. Steve has served families by directing funerals and working in the community. He has served on many local boards and is a deacon at the First Baptist Church of Panama City. Mary Sue has taken care of the administration and behind the scenes details that are so important to funeral service. Mary Sue and Steve both grew up in Panama City and attended local schools. They are the proud parents of Steve II, Tim, Suzanne and Shane and grandparents of 10.  Then in 1994, the family acquired Gilmore Funeral Home in Port St. Joe, Florida. Small yet strategically located on the Gulf Coast, this small funeral home gave the Southerland�s a presence in a high growth area and fit nicely into the company�s long-range plan.In 1995, the only Southerland daughter, Suzanne, married Bart Way from Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The addition of the only husband and wife funeral director team in Northwest Florida was a wonderful fit for the company desiring to grow and become a regional provider of quality funeral care. Both Bart and Suzanne have assumed important positions within the company, including Bart becoming the Operations Manager for the organization. Under careful management, the company has become one of the largest family owned and operated funeral companies in Northwest Florida. With three separate locations as well as a full service granite company and crematory, Southerland Family Funeral Homes touches thousands of lives along the gulf coast as it celebrates lives lived and loved ones remembered.   Here at Southerland Family Funeral Homes, we are committed to providing superior value to you and your family with personalized ceremonies that help you remember your loved ones. Our team of caring professionals will help you in creating a meaningful service, allowing your family and friends to come together to remember, to honor, to support each other and to celebrate a life that has been lived.