Who We Are
We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.
When we sit down with a family, we have just one goal: to create a fitting, memorable and affordable service for their loved one. Together, we will explore the wide variety of services and products available, as well as a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions.
Together, we'll design a memorial or funeral service that suits your needs now, and in the future. Families who come to us know that years from now, they will have deep peace-of-mind because in coming to us, they've done their best to honor their loved one.
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Our History
Everyone in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, and DeSoto County knows the devastation that was caused by Hurricane Charley in 2004. This firm was certainly not the only casualty; as our community was left in shock by the losses for months –years – afterward.
We had been a thriving funeral home in Port Charlotte, having originally opened our doors in 1979. But, the morning after Charley swept through the county, we were combing the wreckage of our funeral home, and wondering what was next for us.
We eventually picked up the pieces of our professional lives, and reopened the firm in a new storefront arrangements center. We purchased property on Kings Highway next to Kingsway Ace Hardware, and our intention is to build a new facility, but with the current economic forces at work – much like the forces of the weather – we made an alternative decision. We've moved just a short distance away, but still in the Port Charlotte Area, to Lake Suzy, across from the lake and adjacent to Kingsway Country Club on Kings Highway. We remodeled an existing building to provide a beautiful, full service facility to serve the combined areas of Charlotte and DeSoto counties. Call us at 941-625-3535 if you need further directions.
Today, we serve families with the same level of professionalism, the same attention-to-detail, and with the same heart as we always did. We urge you to call upon us, for at-need or pre-need solutions. Paul Schelm Funeral Home has long been the firm of choice for many Charlotte and DeSoto County families – and will continue to be, because we are the most affordable, most attentive firm in the area.
"I first had my grandma's funeral at this funeral home and I cannot say enough about how much help was given to me. Things that didn't even occur to me. The director helped me stay within my budget (his great ideas saved me a lot!) and never made me feel guilty about not being able to "go all out". We had a beautiful service that had such warmth and love that other family members have used this funeral home. I know that you don't want to think about a funeral home, but they truly comforted me and handled everything quickly and efficiently. I can never thank them enough or say enough good things about them." ~ Sarah L, Tampa
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Our Valued Staff
Paul R. Schelm, Jr., Founder/Owner
Paul and his wife Jacque are natives of Indianapolis, Indiana and moved their family to Port Charlotte, Florida in 1960. Paul attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and was a flooring contractor for Mackle Brothers and General Development Corp. before opening the first carpet and tile store in Port Charlotte. He made a career change in 1967 and then went back to school at Miami-Dade Community College in Miami, Florida while working for another local funeral home. He graduated with honors and an AS Degree in Mortuary Science, and worked for and managed the other firm for 12 years before opening the Paul Schelm Funeral Home in 1979. Paul and Jacque have been active in church, civic and fraternal organizations in Charlotte County, and receive great joy from being a totally family owned and operated facility serving our community.
Michael Palumbo, Funeral Director
Michael Palumbo was born in Bronx, New York and came to Port Charlotte, Florida from Danbury, Connecticut. He is married to Robin (Schelm) and has three children; Stephanie, Michael and Samantha. Michael has an AS Degree in Funeral Service Education from Miami-Dade Community College and is a Florida licensed funeral director and embalmer. He joined our family and firm in 1984, and is also a licensed insurance agent, and owns a bread distributorship. Mike is a Corvette buff who likes to do restoration on vintage Corvettes, is active in sports and is an avid golfer.
Paul R. Schelm, Funeral Assistant
Paul Russell Schelm is a Florida Native, born in Punta Gorda, Florida. He is married to Lori (Baker) and they have two sons; Paul Russell Jr. and Matthew Hunter. He was a member of the first graduating class of Port Charlotte High School and attended Miami-Dade Community College. He has an AS Degree in Funeral Services and is a funeral attendant at the firm. Paul also owns Island Coast Distributors, a building materials supplier for the West Coast of Florida. He attends Fort Ogden Baptist Church, and is active in the Charlotte-DeSoto Building Industry Association. He enjoys woodworking, golf and boating with his family, and they reside in Fort Ogden in a home they designed and built as a family project.
Mark Todd Schelm, Business Manager/Attendant
Mark was born here in Charlotte County and is the youngest of ten children. He is married to Maury Schelm, our office manager, and has one child named Mark, Jr. Mark has been exposed to the funeral business since a child and has worked for the funeral home since 1991. He is a graduate of Manatee Community College with an A.S. degree in Professional Pilot Technology. Mark flew commercially while still working for the funeral home, but is back full time, devoting his time to his family and work. Mark’s hobbies include “lots of family time”, flying, boating, fishing, basketball, coaching, and theme parks with his family
Maury (Mackie) Schelm, Office Manager
Maury was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and came here from there in 1994. She is from a small family, but that did not stop her from fitting right in with the Schelm family. She and Mark, who also works for the funeral home, have been married for 13 years and have one son named Mark Jr. Maury joined Paul Schelm Funeral Home in August 1997. She attended the University of Scranton for business management/psychology before attaining her cosmetology license and moving to Florida in April 1994. This training has been very useful as Maury is our in-house cosmetologist along with being our office manager. She is the one you would usually hear at the other end of the phone when you call. Maury is a people person and enjoys scrap-booking, holidays, family time, volunteering at school, cheering on her son at his basketball games, Disney trips, and all outdoor fun that Charlotte County has to offer.
Jennifer L. Mazzoni, Comptroller
Jennifer Schelm Mazzoni was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and came to Port Charlotte with her parents. She was a graduate of Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda, Florida and is married to Joseph Mazzoni. They have three sons; Jason, Joseph, Joshua, and two granddaughters; Jaylyn and Julia. Jennifer is our comptroller and event coordinator and has been with the firm since it’s’ inception. She enjoys her family, working to produce the annual Haunted House for ‘Time Out Respite’, and co-owns Mazzoni’s Preferred Pressure Cleaners with her husband, Joseph.
Mark Todd Schelm Jr, Up and Coming...
Mark is now a student at Port Charlotte Middle School in Port Charlotte and we enjoy having him around the funeral home. Career choices are still a long way off, but we suspect that the NBA "might" be a first choice.
