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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Memories of Old HIALEAH, Florida - Historical Photo Galleries and Commentaries - click on image to view and read > 1960's - Carl F. Slade Funeral Home at 800 Palm Avenue, Hialeah
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Early 1960's Courtesy of Daniel Worth

1960's - Carl F. Slade Funeral Home at 800 Palm Avenue, Hialeah

800 Palm Avenue, Hialeah, Florida


Thank you to Daniel Worth for contributing this great old image. This was their original location which opened in 1955 and operated until the early to mid-70's. Their funeral home and chapel moved to W. 49th Street and 14th Avenue in the early 70's.

There was no Fire Rescue service with stations all over Hialeah to respond quickly to medical emergencies back then. Either you hauled ass, or had someone transport you, to Hialeah Hospital or you waited for a Carl F. Slade or Randall-Eastern ambulance to arrive at your home to transport you. And Lord help you if Hialeah Park was running horse races in the winter season because streets were clogged with traffic then. My dad taught me how to drive his stick shift VW Beetle at the age of 12 in case he had a heart attack at home due to a bum heart.


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Daniel Worth 18-Jun-2021 19:26
I've noticed recently that the old Carl F. Slade Funeral Home building at 800 Palm Avenue appears to have been gutted and possibly undergoing some sort of major renovation or demolition. Can anyone please go by there and take some recent photos, possibly of the work now completed and post them so that we will know what has become of this building. Thanks.
Charles Franz 23-Oct-2015 04:04
Paul Mazptas, I worked at Kens for a while during the early 60s, His wife drove a green 59 Cadillac 2 door hardtop!! WOW what memories, Charles Franz
Don Boyd11-Oct-2015 18:44
Paul Mazotas, thank you for posting your memories of Ken's American station, Recordsville and Harry Casey (KC) working there at night, especially since you're a HHS-65 classmate. Please feel free to post more under other photos if you can remember anything about them.

Don
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Paul Mazotas 11-Oct-2015 13:18
To the right of the funeral home was a gas station. That was Ken's American, owned by Ken Wrinkler. That was my first job in 64, and I remember pumping gas and filling tanks for less that 3 bucks. Checking oil and cleaning windshields was all part of the service. I graduated in 65 from Hialeah and then went to work at Recordsville in the Palm Springs Shopping Center. Great memories, and our night time clerk was Harry Casey. (K.C. and the Sunshine Band) We used to go bowling at Palm Springs Lanes and then go to the IHOP in front of Zayres. Great Memories
RPL 30-Jan-2012 04:45
Manocarz, When I Lived in Sun Tan Village, on East 6th Lane, by The Hialeah Lanes Bowling Alley, and Burger King: I Never Remember Slade's Funeral Home having any Cadillac Ambulances. They Had Cadillac Hearses, But all of their Ambulances, were Fords, Pontiacs, Dodges, ect. And also: Looking at the front of The Funeral Home: The Slade Ambulances, were on The Left Side of The Building, on A Ramp, But in this picture: where that Ramp was: is A Garage Door. We moved Way North to West Hialeah, in 1964, and weren't around the area as much: so I Guess this Picture, and the changes : were after We had Moved Later On. Where All of Those New Looking Cadillac Ambulances and Hearses are Parked: was Customer / Visitor Parking before, when I lived near tthe Burger King on East 9th Street, where You and I went to Eat. Just My Observation. RPL.
RPL 14-Jan-2012 07:07
Manocarz, I am so sorry , to Hear about Your Very Serious Auto Accident . I Had No Idea, about that. I'm Glad to Hear from You though, and I'm Glad that You and Your Wife: are now Recovering. All The Best Of Luck, to Both Of You From Me, Your Fellow Big Ed's Hushpuppies Fan !!!!!!!! They Were Great !!!!!! So Delicious, indeed !!!!!!! We Do indeed Share That Memory. My Mom: took My Brother and I to Big Ed's All The Time to Eat Cheap, But Good !!!!!! 55 Cents, for A Rubber Basket, with A Beef Or Pork BBQ Sandwich, French Fries, and Hushpuppies !!!!!!! What A Bargain, and it was Delicious !!!!! Take Care, My CARZ Friend !!!!!!! RPL.
Manocarz 13-Jan-2012 17:30
Hello RPL & Others. Still recovering from a bad auto accident that almost killed myself and severly injured my wife. We both made it and will eventually recover so we are very grateful. Just now able to look again at the Miami site. Look forward to seeing more great memories shared here. Thanks to all the posters.
RPL 24-Oct-2011 07:04
Manocarz, I am Quite sure: that You got Your Bike License, at Bauer's Bicycle Shop, on East 8th Street, just east of Palm Avenue. That's where I got My Columbia Bike's License . That place: was A Good Bike Repair Shop. I always got my Bicycle Fixed there. I Had about 3 different Bicycles, over the years. My Last Bicycle: was A Beautiful Schwinn Jaguar 26 Inch Bike, Gold and Chrome, with A Bell in The Tank, and A Spring Fork Front Shock Absorber, on The Front Chrome Fender. It was from The Schwinn Bike Shop, on East 4th Avenue, and East 41st Street. I got that, when I lived in East Hialeah. I think I was in 6th Grade, and I had it until I was in 8th Grade. I wish I still had it, But I Don't. My Dad got Rid of it, when I was in the 9th Grade. Health to You, My Friend !!! RPL.
RPL 24-Oct-2011 06:53
Manocarz, How are You Buddy ??????? I Have Missed Your Posting. Part Of Slade's Funeral Home, on Palm Avenue, is some kind of Small Convenience Store / Liquor Store. And Big Ed's : is Still Boarded Up. And Yes: Big Ed's was Great in it's Day: when We Both went there. 55 Cents, for A Beef Or Pork Sandwich, in A Rubber Basket, with French Fries, and Their Great Hush Puppies. My Mom , took My Brother and I there to eat A Lot. I Miss that Place !!!!!! Do You have A Long John Silver's Seafood Fast Food Place, where You Live ?????? If So: They Have Real Good Hushpuppies, similar to Big Ed's. I Gety Hushpuppies At The Hialeah Long John Silver's , which is on West 49th Street, where The Royal Castle was . They are Really Good Hushpuppies there !!!!!!!!! Best Regards, My Friend . RPL.
Manocarz 21-Oct-2011 19:59
I got my first bicycle license at one of those bike shops. Made me feel real big to have a license like adult's with their driver's license. Recently noticed on Google Earth/Street View that the old Carl F. Slade building is still there but is not a cocktail lounge. Very shabby. Big Ed's BBQ will never be duplicated...it was the greatest, as me and RPL both well know. A good memory we share.
RPL 18-Aug-2011 18:47
Gerry, that Movie Theatre, was the Hialeah Theatre . It closed, and Re Opened, sometime in around 1960, but didn't stay open long . And there was 2 Bicycle Stores around there , and they were May's Schwinn Bike Store, and Bauer's Bike Repair. I went to The Hialeah Theatre, when it Re Opened, A couple of times, and I went to Bauer's Bike Shop, for Bike Inspection, and Repairs . And my family frequented Big Ed's BBQ nearby.
Gerry 17-Aug-2011 22:45
Right across the street from Slade’s was the Moon Glow Bar. Catty corner from Slade’s was a defunct theater (can’t remember the name). Just east of Slade’s (across Palm Ave) was a bicycle store. Got my first Florida bike there in 1958.

That maroon color was excellent.
Guest 12-Dec-2010 17:35
WOW old memories come back. I worked for Carl at this location and do have pictures someplace. Carl was one of the most wonderful people I have ever known.
Guest 31-Aug-2010 16:58
Boy, this brings back memories. Carl Slade was a good friend to my Dad, who was pastor at East Hialeah Baptist Church.
Robbin P. Learned 22-Jun-2009 17:35
I Grew Up in Sun Tan Village, Right Off East 9th Street, on East 6th Lane, By The Hialeah Lanes Bowling Alley, and Karland , The Go Kart Rides Track, and We Saw Slade's Maroon Ambulances, all The time, around Our Area. When There was A Car Crash, Bicyclist, or Pedestrian Hit, By a Car, or Someone Sick, or Hurt, You would See Hialeah Police there, and A Slade's Ambulance, was either there, or You Saw it Speeding Down East 9th Street, Siren Blaring, On The Way. In those Days, There were no Rescues, at The Fire Stations, only Fire Engines, and They were only Called to Car Crash Scenes, To Wash Down The Street, But Not For First Aid, or Anything Else, only Washdowns, Ordered By Hialeah Police. Slade's Ambulance Service, was 1st Rate, Very Fast Response Time, and The Drivers and Attendants, were Very Neat , and Professional. Their Appearance, and Performance : I would Say was Very Impressive, and I Would Rate What I Saw as A Kid: Excellent !!!! And Back then, if someone Died: Everyone went To Carl F. Slade Funeral Home, and Their Place was Impressive also. Great Service, and MR. Slade, and Staff, were Very Nice, and Caring. You Got Dignity, Compassion, and Nice Funeral Services. Everyone Liked MR . Carl F. Slade, He was a Nice Man. RIP. I went to Miami Springs JR. High, with Ricky Slade, Son Of Carl F. Slade, and He was always A Nice Guy. And He Did Follow in his Dad's Footsteps, and Became A Licensed Funeral Director. I once Saw Him at A Rosary, of A Friend, on Red Road, and 16th Street, when He Was Co- Owner Of The Funeral Home There, and He was Very Nice, and Very Professional, Like His Dad. Robbin P. Learned Of West Hialeah.
Manocarz 26-Oct-2008 20:10
After the four funeral homes owned by Carl Slade dwindled to one, it too finally closed. The Hialeah location of Van Orsdel (Hialeah location now also closed) briefly called itself "Van Orsdel-Slade." Mr. Slade's obituary in the Miami Hearld listed his services as being under their direction. That was the end of Slade's.
Don Boyd22-Oct-2008 05:52
Bruce: Rick Slade sat next to me in a computer accounting class at Miami-Dade in 1971 as I recall after I got out of the service. He was far more studious than me but a nice guy. I don't know if Rick followed in his dad's footsteps and entered the business or not but I seem to recall him telling me that it was his intention to do so. Virtually all funeral homes down here are part of some national or regional chain and there are very few locally owned funeral homes like the old days. Slade Funeral Homes disappeared from the scene many years ago.

Don
Bruce Wiggins 22-Oct-2008 04:53
Me and Samuel "Butchie" Klaus (sorry Butchie) used to be friends with Rick Slade, Carl's son. He was a couple of years younger than me and Butchie and kind of (totally, actually) a dork. The three of us spent many an afternoon inside the funeral home. We would gawk at the dead bodies in caskets prepared for the funerals, each in their own funeral parlor. Rick would also show us around the embalming room and show us how they sucked the innards out of a corpse and then fill it with embalming fluid. Slade made a shit load of money and he had one of the nicest houses in Hialeah. It was just a few blocks north of west 49th st and an avenue or two west of palm avenue. I left Hialeah (good riddance!) in 1973 and have never been back. Lost track of Butchie and Rick, but I'll bet Rick followed in his father's footsteps, and took over the funeral home. Does anybody have any idead?
Dick Gwinn 13-Feb-2008 20:26
My Dad, Charles E. Gwinn helped Carl start the ambulance service. He used to take the weekends so Carl could have a bit of time with his wife and kids. Dad often went to the car races with an ambulance and parked in the infield in case someone needed transportation to the hospital after a wreck. Carl's dad, "Doc" Slade and his wife Beatie were my god parents and Doc Slade, an Optometrist, saved my vision when I was just a tyke. Gave me my first pair of glasses when I was 18 months old in 1943. We lived at 6949 NW 6th Court in those days.
Guest 09-Feb-2008 23:20
I think I may have used the term "Palm Springs Mile" loosely in the comment above. I think the new funeral home was officially beyond the 'Mile' mark. It was on W. 49th Street on the north side of the street - most likely just beyond the end of the "Mile.'
Guest 09-Feb-2008 11:47
When Mr. Slade died in 1983, the Miami Herald noted that he had at one time owned four funeral homes. This one is the first, followed by a location somewhere on Bird Road, then a Cuban funeral home on Red Road (W. 4th Ave), and the new Palm Springs Mile location. Interestingly, his funeral was conducted by Van Orsdel-Slade Funeral Home Hialeah-Miami Springs location which was location right near Hialeah Park. The other four locations must have been closed by then. Van Orsdel did not use the Slade name for very long and their Hialeah location eventually appears to have closed too.