Decades before the term Funeral Celebrant was recognized, Hewitt Helmsing was performing ceremonies including Funerals, secular and religious, Celebrations of Life, Dedication and Blessing of Children as well as Marriages and Renewal of Marriage Vows.
Hewitt is a licensed funeral professional in the Province of Saskatchewan and the Province of British Columbia. He also held membership in the Canadian College of Health Service Executives and holds an appointment as a Marriage Commissioner in British Columbia.
Hewitt works very closely with families and funeral providers in developing ceremonies that are reflective of the individual and family’s desires making each ceremony reflective of their history, culture and tradition.
Ph: 250-656-8882
Cl: 250-889-0340
Email: helmsing@shaw.ca
Jim has a passion for offering services to grieving families, especially to those who prefer a “green burial,” which fits with his Franciscan spiritual beliefs and values.
Jim’s inspirational services are person-centered, spiritually meaningful, and based on a family’s religious, semi-religious, or secular beliefs. You can learn more about Jim and the services he can provide at the website for Life’s Circle – Ceremonies For All Occasions, a Victoria-based company created by Reverend Jim Lauder, MA.
Ph: 250-519-0055
Email: jmlauder@telus.net
Website: www.LifesCircle.com
Dave was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a graduate from the Salvation Army School for Officers Training and served as a pastor for 28 years. He also served as president of Goodwill Enterprises for many years. As a member of the Victoria Rotary Club Dave continues to be involved in many community services.
Dave is a Certified Celebrant (CC) who can assist families as they celebrate the life of their loved one. Dave is also actively involved in the pre-arrangement services concept and his vast experience enables him to assist families in making wise decisions that meet their individual funeral and cemetery needs.
Ph: 250-920-9343
Pgr: 250-385-4464
Email: daveperry@shaw.ca
Every life deserves recognition. When a memorial event takes place it is someone’s life not death that is given the last word. The goal of events planned by Stephen Swift of ‘At Your Service’ is to honour life.
Every event is personal and fitting for the one we gather to honour and conducted according to the wishes of those making arrangements. For any setting
Stephen brings 20 years of experience to help plan and lead non-religious or religious events including celebrations of life, memorials, funerals, gravesides or dispersal of ashes.
Ph: 250-888-9334
Email: jsswift@shaw.ca
Website: www.SwiftServe.org
The Board of Cemetery Trustees of Greater Victoria is pleased to announce the opening of the Terraces at Section T, a traditional casket interment section at Royal Oak Burial Park.
The new interment Terraces represent the largest, most complex landscaping and grave development project ever undertaken at the cemetery. Designed to take advantage of the significant location adjacent to the Royal Oak Mausoleum the Terraces has a number of unique features:
The Mausoleum ‘Piazza’: At the north transept of the mausoleum, rustic pavers create a large piazza feeling with a reflecting pool lined with green slate. The plaza overlooks the entire Terraces development area as well as a wide expanse of the northwest section of the cemetery. A sweeping vista of mountains, trees and landscaped grounds not to be missed.
The Interment Terraces & Walk: 4 distinct interment terraces separated by a formal walkway of rustic pavers lined by perennial flower beds. Down the middle of the walkway a water rill slowly takes overflowing water from the mausoleum reflecting pool down to the lower fountain level. The west side of the Terraces will be developed (2009) into unique cremation gardens featuring in-ground as well as above ground columbaria niche interment.
The Fountain Plaza: A large interment area whose central focus is the unique fountain fed by the mausoleum reflecting pool and water rill. The plaza at the fountain was designed for and is large enough to accommodate committal services. Grave types in this area also allow for upright monument and flat marker interments. A grass walkway defined by towering red maples links the area to Section W to the east.
ROYAL OAK BURIAL PARK
We are a B.C.’s largest community owned, not for profit cemetery which was founded in 1922 by the City of Victoria and the District of Saanich. The Burial Park is operated by the Board of Cemetery Trustees of Greater Victoria, comprises 54 hectares of land and employs 16 full time grounds workers and 4 administrative staff.
Gordon has provided over 20 years of personalized memorial and funeral services to the Greater Victoria community.
His mandate is simple – create spiritual celebrations of life for those who grieve through the telling of stories about the deceased and, recognizing that bringing the experience of loss through death to a meaningful conclusion is a basic human need.
Ph: 250-652-4289
Pgr: 250-389-8026
Email: gthurston@life-events.com
Website: www.Life-Events.com