Welcoming people from all walks of life, our caring group of funeral professionals proudly serve the Eustis, Mount Dora, Tavares, Umatilla, Leesburg, Grand Island, Sorrento, and Mount Plymouth communities. We’re committed to guiding you through life’s most difficult moments with a gentle approach and firm attention to detail — a tradition we’ve upheld since opening our doors in 1958.

We invite you to visit us and see how we’re different. We’d love to get to know you.

Blending Tradition with Today

Though our offerings have evolved since Clarence E. Harden and Albert Layton first began serving families, our commitment to exceeding expectations has never wavered.

In honor of our 50-year anniversary, we renovated our facility to better meet the growing and ever-changing needs of our community. Today, our location features a large, welcoming lobby and reception area, a spacious chapel, and flexible event spaces.

Personalized Funerals and Celebrations of Life

We take pride in creating memorials that are as unique as the lives they honor. We sit with you to listen and learn what made your loved one special. From there, we design a service that truly reflects their spirit by incorporating personalized touches.

Some examples include a service held at a local softball field, complete with an actual game afterward, or an oceanside ceremony in our reserved section of Daytona Beach, where families can gather for a shoreline service and the scattering of ashes.

The History of Harden/Pauli

Our story began in 1958, when Clarence E. Harden and Albert Layton founded the Layton‑Harden Funeral Home in Eustis. Their vision was to bring dignified and affordable funeral services to Lake County. Clarence, his wife Dorothy and their daughter Kathy lived in the funeral home so they could be available to families around the clock. In those early years, the funeral home also operated a 24‑hour ambulance service, serving the Central Florida area.

As the region grew, so did the funeral home. After Clarence purchased full ownership in 1966, the business became Harden Funeral Home and underwent several expansions, including major renovations in 1971 and 1981. In 1982, Lance Pauli began purchasing interest in the funeral home, and the business was renamed Harden-Pauli Funeral Home.