Fountain Funeral Home

Fountain Funeral Home is an independent, family-owned funeral service establishment located at 507 US Highway 27 North in Avon Park, founded in 1973 by lawman, Realtor, and licensed mortician James Earl Fountain (1941–2005).

Founder James Earl Fountain

James Earl Fountain was born on 20 May 1941 in High Springs, Alachua County, Florida, moving to Avon Park in 1961[obit-james-fountain-2005]. During his initial years in Avon Park, Fountain served as an officer on the Avon Park Police Department, engaged in local real estate sales, and qualified professionally as a licensed funeral director and embalmer[obit-james-fountain-2005].

Fountain was closely tied to local historical preservation. In 1975–1976, he served as Treasurer of the Historical Society of the Old Settlers Association, Inc., working alongside society president Robert W. Burkhart to coordinate community sponsors for the publication of Leoma Bradshaw Maxwell’s centennial volume, The First Hundred Years of Avon Park, Florida[maxwell-1976].

Establishment and Facility (1973–1975)

Fountain formally incorporated Fountain Funeral Home, Inc. on 12 December 1973 under Florida corporate charter Document 500854[sunbiz-fountain-fh].

In early 1975, while acquiring land and planning a dedicated mortuary facility, Fountain leased the former Russell Mizell funeral parlor at the corner of South Lake Avenue and East Walnut Street from Florida Funeral Chapel, Inc., operating his new enterprise from that location for several months[maxwell-1976].

Later that year, Fountain completed construction of a permanent funeral home at 507 US Highway 27 North, located several blocks north of West Main Street[maxwell-1976]. Highlands County Property Appraiser records identify the 0.63-acre commercial tract as Parcel A-21-33-28-010-0040-0011, with an Actual Year Built of 1975 and 3,708 square feet of finished space encompassing a chapel, visitation parlors, arrangement offices, and an adjoining private apartment where James Fountain and his wife, Cynthia (Prescott) Fountain, resided[hcpao-fountain-parcel][maxwell-1976].

Community Service and Continuity

For over five decades, Fountain Funeral Home has provided comprehensive funeral and burial services to families throughout northern Highlands County. The firm regularly conducts committal services at municipal Bougainvillea Cemetery and has served as the primary mortuary handling interments and memorial services for the town’s African American families at Lakeside Historical Cemetery (Lincoln Garden)[fountain-fh-about].

James Earl Fountain died on 15 February 2005 at the age of 63, having served forty-four years in Avon Park civic and professional life[obit-james-fountain-2005]. The mortuary continues operation at the 507 US Highway 27 North location under family management.

References

• maxwell-1976 — Leoma Bradshaw Maxwell. The First Hundred Years of Avon Park, Florida. 1976. Held at the Avon Park Historical Society Depot Museum, Avon Park, Florida
• fountain-fh-about — Fountain Funeral Home. About Us: Our Heritage, Fountain Funeral Home. 5 September 2026. https://www.fountainfuneralhomeap.com/about-us
• hcpao-fountain-parcel — Highlands County Property Appraiser. Highlands County Property Appraiser Parcel A-21-33-28-010-0040-0011, 507 US Hwy 27 N, Avon Park. 5 September 2026. https://www.hcpao.org/Search/Parcel/28332101000400011A
• sunbiz-fountain-fh — Florida Division of Corporations. Fountain Funeral Home, Inc., Articles of Incorporation, 12 December 1973. 12 December 1973. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Document 500854
• obit-james-fountain-2005 — Tampa Bay Times / Legacy.com. James Earl Fountain Obituary (May 20, 1941 – February 15, 2005). 18 February 2005. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tampabaytimes/name/james-fountain-obituary?id=28828942

Related

• Finding: The Undertakers and Funeral Homes of Avon Park
• Entity: Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home
• Entity: Bougainvillea Cemetery
• Entity: Lakeside Historical Cemetery
• Report: The cemeteries of Avon Park

Where this comes from

Evidence

corroborated — More than one independent source agrees.

Review

unverified — Drafted from sources but not yet checked by a volunteer.

Rights

society

Sources

1. Leoma Bradshaw Maxwell, The First Hundred Years of Avon Park, Florida (Held at the Avon Park Historical Society Depot Museum, Avon Park, Florida) (1976) · book
2. Fountain Funeral Home, About Us: Our Heritage, Fountain Funeral Home (2026) · secondary
3. Highlands County Property Appraiser, Highlands County Property Appraiser Parcel A-21-33-28-010-0040-0011, 507 US Hwy 27 N, Avon Park (2026) · official
4. Florida Division of Corporations, Fountain Funeral Home, Inc., Articles of Incorporation, 12 December 1973 (Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Document 500854) (1973) · official
5. Tampa Bay Times / Legacy.com, James Earl Fountain Obituary (May 20, 1941 – February 15, 2005) (2005) · archival

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