GOING BACK IN TIME

Our History

Earnest L. Oulla (1881-1960) acquired, in the early 1900s, a business long-remembered as “The Vaughan Undertaking Company.” The new business was operated as Oulla’s Inc., and it was advertised as offering “Furniture and Pianos, Ambulance Service, Funeral Directors.” The funeral home was located on South Dargan Street next door to St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Expansion became necessary as Mr. Oulla’s clientele began to increase. The residence of Dr. Frank H. McLeod, Sr. at 300 South Dargan Street became available. The McLeod house, which was completed in 1917, was one of the residential showplaces of Florence. A brick structure, it incorporated many elaborate architectural details and had been the family home of Dr. McLeod for nearly 20 years.

In the early 1930s the price of the McLeod residence was reported to be 10,000 dollars, a tremendous price at that time. In order to purchase the house, Oulla used the property on which his funeral home stood as a down payment. Oulla Funeral Home moved into the old McLeod home at the corner of Dargan and Palmetto Streets.

In 1946 Conner D. Stoudenmire (1911-86), purchased the Oulla Funeral Home. In 1948 the name of the business was changed to Stoudenmire Funeral Home.

In 1973 Stoudenmire incorporated his business, allowing his employees to become stockholders. Two of them, Alton Parker and Merle Baxley, remained stockholders and active employees until their deaths.

In 1980 John F. Dowling joined the staff as a funeral director and embalmer. A native of Darlington County, Dowling had been associated as a stockholder with funeral homes in both Darlington and Hartsville. In early 1981, he was named manager of the firm, and purchased a portion of the business. Upon the death of Stoudenmire in 1986, Charlotte C. Stoudenmire was named the president, and Dowling was named vice president and general manager. On June 30, 1988, Dowling purchased all of the outstanding stock in the corporation. Since that time he has served as president and general manager, and his wife, Wanda Haynes Dowling, as vice president and office manager. In 1990 the name of the corporation was changed to Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home, Inc.

In 1996 Dowling came to realize that just as Florence was experiencing a rapid growth, so was his business. It was apparent that his beautiful facility was not going to be adequate to handle the needs of their families. After several months of searching for the right location, the Dowlings purchased a four acre tract on the outskirts of Florence on Highway 301 and 52 South. After extensive site preparation construction was begun on February 27, 1998 for the new facility.

The new facility is a two story colonial design with a front porch with four columns. The approximately 16,000 square feet space on the lower level is designed with large rooms and high ceilings. The entry foyer offers access to the office complex, which is comprised of a business office, a bookkeeping office, private offices for John and Wanda Dowling and the arrangement office. The arrangement office is conveniently located next to the Casket Selection Room, which can exhibit 26 adult caskets, a vault display, and a clothing display. Also adjoining the arrangement office is a cremation display room with both cremation caskets and cremation urns.

The foyer also offers access to the center of the building where the large reposing rooms open into a large center hallway accented with columns and chandeliers. The foyer also offers entrance to the chapel area. The chapel has its own large foyer, which can be used as a reposing room. The chapel also has an adjoining family room. Together, they have a seating capacity of 275 people. A custom-made 3 –piece stained glass window highlights the pulpit area. The building is equipped with 2 sound systems, one in the chapel and one for the remainder of the building. The chapel also has a wheelchair area and equipment for the hearing impaired. One person from an area adjacent to the pulpit area can control the sound and lighting systems. The preparation room is a two-station facility with state of the art equipment. It has a cooling and ventilation system utilizing a custom designed air exchanger. The preparation room is joined to an enclosed garage area that will allow unloading directly into the prep room. Also adjoining the preparation room is a dressing and cosmetology room which provides a more suitable area for visiting hairdressers to work.

A minister’s study is situated near the family entrance to the chapel and to the pulpit. This was designed to give the ministers a quiet area for meditation and study yet easy access to the families arriving for services.

Florists are able to deliver flowers directly into a floral delivery room and have access to the room during all business and visitation hours.

The paved parking lot can accommodate in excess of 150 automobiles. Handicapped parking is available on all four sides of the building.

The Dowlings are proud of their funeral home and its rich heritage, and they are also proud to be a part of the Florence community.