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About Us

Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home With Crematory was founded by Charles and Lou Ellen Davis in 1974.

From the original 4,600 square foot building, it has expanded on three different occasions. Total square footage now exceeds

11,000 square feet, giving the facility two full chapels, four visitation rooms, two offices, two reception areas, preparation areas, and a merchandise display room.

The staff includes four licensed directors and embalmers, full time prearrangement counselor, staff organist, and mortuary support personnel.

Believing in the concept of community involvement, the staff is involved in several service and fraternal organizations.

Some of which include, Hospice activities, education programs for the local high school, a major sponsor of the annual "Teacher Of The Year" recognition program, one of the founders of the Citrus Co. Education Foundation, Chamber of Commerce leadership, and various community benevolent funding opportunities.

Chapel

Cremation Merchandise Display

On Premise Crematory

A little bit of history: The fireplace in the lobby of our funeral home is made with bricks from the old Citrus High School building, which burned down in 1985. The artwork above it is a depiction of the Last Supper made from only one piece of silver, completely crafted from behind. Come write your own history at our funeral home by making your prearrangements today.

A little bit of history: Above the fireplace in our lobby, there are two trophies awarded to Charles Davis from the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida. The green W. Clyde Lankford Distinguished Service Award was presented to him in 2006 for going above and beyond as a Funeral Director and friend. This award is the highest award the organization can bestow on a member. In 2014, the MVP (Most Valuable Partner) Award was given to Mr. Davis for his role “in building and maintaining one of the most successful Funeral Trusts anywhere – and for your unwavering commitment to the IFDF Family.”

Here is an example of a Greek Orthodox family with their personalized funeral service. We understand that every family is different, and we do our best to provide the most special and touching funeral for your loved one and your family. Tell us what we can do to serve you.

A little bit of history: These watercolor paintings hanging in our funeral home lobby were painted in 1927 by Jessie Wiggs Davis, Charles Davis’s mother. We preserve our family history around our funeral home, and we hope to preserve yours too with the same care we’ve provided our own.

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” – Rabindranath Tagore

A little bit of history: Over the years, we’ve been given many mementos in remembrance of those we laid to rest. Starting in 1987, Edna Bilyeu gave us a cardinal and later donated more of her bird collection so that “they wouldn’t be lonely.” Other families have given us keepsakes to thank us for the hard work we put into serving their loved ones, and the assortment has since grown and is on display in our funeral home.

“Grief is the last act of love we have to give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there is deep love.”

We proudly work with the Florida National Cemetery located in Bushnell. They provide free burials and headstones for honorably discharged veterans and their spouses.

Meet Charles E. Davis, Licensed Funeral Director and
A native of southern Illinois, he spent his early childhood growing up in a small funeral and furniture store combination. A Florida resident since 1960, he attained his Mortuary Science degree from Miami-Dade Community College and in 1974, he and his wife Lou Ellen founded the Chas. E. Davis Funeral home in Inverness, Fl. Charles is involved in many professional affiliations, including:

Independent Funeral Directors of Florida (past President)
National Funeral Directors Association
Academy of Professional Funeral Service
International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association
Cremation Association of North America
International Order of the Golden Rule

He is also involved in:

Chamber of Commerce (two-time past President)
Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs (past President)
Elks Lodge (past Exalted Ruler)
Citrus County Fair Association (past Treasurer)
Masonic Lodge, Scottish and York Rite Bodies

Former Chairman of the Board of Federal Savings and Loan Association

Meet Debbie Noonan, a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Born in Greenville, Texas and raised in the small Texas town of Quinlan, she relocated to Florida 25 years ago. In 2014 she graduated from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Decatur, GA. She began her career in funeral service here at the Davis Funeral Home in April of 2015. She has always felt compelled to comfort and care for others in their time of need. “It is truly an honor to help guide families through the difficult experience of losing a loved one and help them find a way to honor and remember their life.” When she is not at the funeral home, you will usually find Debbie enjoying long peaceful drives through the countryside with her 3 wonderful rescue dogs. She also loves spending time at home with her family, making family meals and watching movies.

Meet W. Joseph (Joe) Echols, a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. Originally from Birmingham, AL, he has lived in most states along the eastern seaboard between Massachusetts and Texas. He entered the funeral industry in 1985 as an attendant and graduated from Gupton-Jones Mortuary College in Atlanta, GA in 1991. He has been working at the Davis Funeral Home since 2011 and enjoys his work. “I have been very blessed meeting with some of the most pleasant people under the most unpleasant circumstances.” Outside of the funeral home environment, he is a professional drummer with over 50 years of experience playing all genres of music. He also enjoys computer games and spending time at home with his family.

Meet Abigail S. Brown, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer Intern, formally of Gillespie, IL and a current resident of Inverness. She joined the Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home staff in October of 2019. Abby graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Wheeling, IL in 2017 and will be a first-generation Funeral Director and Embalmer. Abby was drawn to working with the deceased from a very young age and has always had a desire to lovingly care for them, treating them with dignity and respect as she prepares them for their final resting place. She particularly loves helping families choose the services that best fit the wishes and reflect the life of their departed loved one. On her time away from work, Abby enjoys kayaking with her husband on the many rivers and springs in Florida, Bible-studying on her lanai, hunting for shark teeth and sea glass on the beach, hiking on park trails with her dog, camping, and spending time with her family.

Meet Laura Akers, our Administrator. Originally from Louisville, KY, she has been at the Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home since November 2015. She works behind the scenes, assisting the Funeral Directors with their family's services. Away from work, she spends most of her time with her young adult children and her Maine Coon cat. Her daughter is a 2016 graduate from the Lecanto Panther’s IB Program and a 2020 graduate from Stetson University; and her son is a 2019 graduate from the Lecanto Panther’s AVID Program and a student/athlete at Barton College, NC.

Our full-time Funeral Directors and Staff are devoted to serving your family in every way they can. Come to a funeral home that truly cares about your wellbeing during a tough time. Stop by to make prearrangements today and learn what we can do for you!

Meet Steve Knight, the maintenance and lawn care professional at our funeral home for over 10 years. Thanks to Steve’s hard work, we receive daily compliments on our lawn and landscaping. Born in Tampa Fl, he has been a lifelong resident of Citrus County. Prior to joining our staff, he was a heavy equipment operator with several different companies. In his free time, Steve loves to spend time with his family.

Meet Steve Chambers, our driver and attendant. He is originally from Pensacola, Fl, and is a lifelong Florida resident. He has been with us at the Davis Funeral Home for four years. Before working with us, he was at the ER Orthopedics department at North Shore Medical Center in Miami. In his free time, he enjoys yardwork and gardening.

Meet Donnie Simpson, an associate. He has been an employee of the Davis Funeral Home since 2010. A lifelong resident of Inverness, his family has been in Citrus County for 5 generations. He served in the military and retired after 36 years as the senior supervisor at Sumter Correctional Center. He is married with two children and has one grandchild and one great-grandchild. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and boating.

Meet David Detmer, an associate. He is a life-long resident of Florida. Born in Brooksville. He is a graduate of Citrus High School Class of 1973. He has been married to his lovely wife, Gwenda since 1974. He retired from CenturyLink in 2017, as an engineer. He loves to travel, fish, wood working, and having fun with his grandchildren. He has been a Georgia Bulldogs fan for a very long time… Go Dawgs!!