Funeral Services

A funeral is a timeless tradition that has given families a chance to say goodbye for thousands of years.  It is a place where a special life can be honoured, their values and accomplishments can be celebrated, and a place where family can begin to heal.  There is so much more a funeral provides than simply a eulogy and biblical quotes; it is a way to commemorate a life and all those it touched. 

Say More Than Just Goodbye

For some families, a traditional funeral may provide the most comfort. However, we invite you to be as original as you want.  Our specialists will work creatively and resourcefully to ensure your memorial is custom tailored to your needs. 

Traditionally, a visitation is done before the funeral service, giving others a chance to offer one-on-one condolences, love and support.

Planning a Service and Reception

Don’t feel confined to the traditional service, as there are nearly endless opportunities to honour your loved one in a unique way.  For example, someone who spent a lifetime baking delicious treats can be remembered with a taste of his famous brownies, or for the avid reader, friends and family can take home a copy of her favourite book.  The possibilities are endless, and we are here to discuss your ideas.  

Here are some things that can help make sure the service is personalized:

• Special interests, hobbies and characteristics you want to honour
• Reminiscences to share
• Close friends and relatives to invite
• A spiritual leader to conduct the service
• Those who may want to share a memory at the service
• Favourite music to play at the ceremony and/or visitation
• Favourite authors to read at the ceremony

After the funeral, a reception is a time for family and friends to reflect, laugh, and cry together over refreshments or a meal. While Highland Memory Gardens will work closely with any funeral home you choose, we suggest you consider our sister Arbor Memorial funeral homes: Highland Funeral Home-Scarborough Chapel and McDougall & Brown Funeral Home - Scarborough Chapel.

Online Tributes

We proudly offer, free of charge, our exclusive memorial site Sharing Memories.  This is a unique and long lasting way to pay tribute to your loved one with videos, pictures, quotes and more.  These online profiles stay current, and are easily accessible to those who may not be able to attend the service, or who want to take a moment to reminisce after the fact. 

Helping You Cope with Grief

Highland Memory Gardens is pleased to offer free AfterCare support services.  We are available to help you cope with your grief, offer guidance and advice, and assist you with complicated matters after the funeral, such as finalizing the estate.

Planning Ahead

Planning a funeral for a loved one requires you to make many decisions and choices during a time of grief. You can spare your family from the stress – and financial burden – by pre-planning your own funeral. Planning in advance lets you tell your final story in your own unique way. It feels good to know it’s all taken care of.

When you plan ahead, you also receive valuable benefits, including the ability to transfer your plan to any of our locations within Canada.  Learn more about pre-planning your final arrangements.