





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
We invite you to plan a service that’s as traditional or contemporary as you want. We welcome unique requests to honour the memory of your loved one and our planning specialists will work creatively to ensure your memorial is a one-of-a-kind tribute. Traditionally, there is a visitation period before the service for friends and family to express their love, support, and concern. We offer access to quiet visitation rooms that provide a peaceful atmosphere for your visitation period.
Planning a Service and Reception
If you want a clergy-led service, Hillcrest Funeral Home & Cemetery offers a beautiful chapel that can seat 200 friends and family. 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 to think about which will help tailor the funeral to the person being celebrated:
- Specific interests or qualities about the deceased that you feel are important to remember
- Anecdotes and stories
- People you want to be sure to include
- Clergy or appropriate speaker to lead the service
- People who may also want to speak at the service
- Songs and music to be played at the service and other events (visitation, reception)
- Poems, passages and other readings for the service
After the funeral, a reception is a time for family and friends to reflect, laugh, and cry together over refreshments or a meal. We offer a large reception room that opens onto an airy patio, and is also equipped with full kitchen facilities.
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
Moving forward after a loss can be difficult. Our free AfterCare service is here for you with guidance, literature, and support when it’s needed. We can also help with executor duties, such as finalizing the details of the estate.
Planning Ahead
We understand it can be difficult to make important decisions during a time of mourning. Pre-planning allows you to be certain your life will be commemorated as you see fit, while having the peace of mind of knowing your family won’t be left struggling financially during their grief.
Planning ahead also give you access to valuable benefits, including funeral coverage for family members under 19, and being able to transfer your funeral plans to any of our locations within Canada so you never have to worry if you move or retire to a new city. Take a moment to learn more about pre-planning your funeral and cemetery arrangements.
The Benefits of Planning Ahead
- Savings: Planning early offers cost savings of up to thousands of dollars.
- Reduce the burden on your family: Planning your final arrangements ahead of time reduces the responsibilities on your family at their time of distress.
- Peace of mind: Gain comfort in knowing your plans are ready.
When you plan ahead, your funeral service can be as elaborate or as elegantly simple as you wish. You’ll want to work with a facility that can offer a wide range of options, from a traditional church ceremony to a memorial celebration. Find out more about choosing the service that’s right for you in this informative video.
Take an interactive tour of our funeral home. You’ll see our beautiful chapel, reception rooms, catering facilities and much more! Click anywhere inside the tour to get started.
Free Guide
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