Search Our Obituaries in Calgary - Country Hills Crematorium

An obituary is a detailed look at the life of the deceased and a compilation of relevant facts that people need to know. An obituary includes essential details but it expands on them to provide a more complete look at the deceased's life experiences. Calgary obituaries tend to cover the life and times of those who pass away in our city.

The purpose of an obituary is to notify the public of an individual’s passing and relay the details of the services. It can also review the life of the deceased. The length of an obituary may vary by person and preference, but the length can also be limited by budgetary constraints or the space available in the newspaper. 

If you choose to publish your loved one’s obituary in the newspaper, it would be best to check how much space is available and the pricing options they have because it can become costly very quickly. However, there are newer options available when it comes to obituaries, due to the advent and popularity of the internet. Funeral home websites can often offer a larger space on which to publish your loved one’s obituary. Obituaries should be published a few days before the viewing, funeral or memorial service so people have time to find them and prepare to attend the services. Sometimes this isn’t possible, but if you are searching for the information, a simple Google search will help you determine if it is available online anywhere.

When you are searching for an obituary to find information about someone you know who has died, you can count on Country Hills Crematorium to provide the information you need promptly.

Families who work with us to plan the final disposition and funeral services of their loved ones get access to support with writing an obituary and we are careful to publish the obituaries quickly onto our website so that you can find the information you are searching for soon after discovering that someone has passed away. 

At Country Hills Crematorium, we also provide Calgary obituaries to the family so they can share it on social media and email it to those who would like to review the obituary, gain the funeral service details and to notify others that the passing has taken place.

When you arrive on our website, you’ll find the most recent obituaries on our Home page. You can also select the tab in our navigation menu at the top of the website to find all of our obituaries past and present. You can search for the obituary you are looking for by typing their name into the search bar as well.

When you hear of the passing of someone you know, it may feel like you do not want to burden the family with questions. If you know which funeral home they are working with, you can visit their website and find the obituary that way, provided the funeral home puts them on their site. If you do not know which funeral home, a simple online search should point you in the right direction.

Country Hills Crematorium publishes all Calgary obituaries on our website and strvies to have the information available as soon as possible for you.

Top 5 Services to Look For From Funeral Homes in Calgary

When selecting a Calgary funeral home to plan a current funeral with or to preplan your own arrangements with, you’ll want to consider the services they offer. You want to look at the basics to ensure they even pass the quality check you should hold all funeral homes in Calgary to. These basics include:

• Facilities for a memorial service or funeral reception

• Obituary writing services

• Cremation/burial

• Arranging musical requests

• Taking care of floral arrangements 

• Providing information to friends and family members

• Dealing with paperwork for burial or cremation

• Recording donations received

• Arranging for staff and vehicles for funeral and burial services

• Accepting donations for specified charities

• Setting up catered meals at another location following the funeral

You may find that you don’t need all of these services for the funeral you’re planning so it helps to consider these needs and which are most important before you start researching funeral homes in Calgary. 

The remaining notes are not all necessarily services. Some are important details that will influence the choice you make though.

1. Reputation - It’s very important to select a funeral home with a good reputation. A good funeral home will be with you every step of the way through your planning. While planning a funeral is never easy, the right funeral home will help make the process less stressful. 

To find a funeral home with a good reputation, we recommend that you start by asking for recommendations from friends and family members. Once you’ve gathered a list of recommendations, go online to see what others have to say in their reviews.

2. Religious or Cultural Needs - If you have certain religious or cultural customs that you’d like to observe during the funeral, it’s very important that you check that the funeral home can provide for you. 

If religion is your main concern, then you’ll be pleased to know that there are many Calgary funeral homes these days that cater to specific religious needs. 

3. Location - It’s also very important to consider the location of the funeral home that you choose. 

You’re going to be in frequent communication with the funeral home, so a convenient location can be helpful when making preparations. However, if you plan to have the service and reception at the funeral home, you’ll want to make sure that the location is convenient for the guests. 

4. Price - Of course, price is also a factor you need to consider when choosing a funeral home. Before you start calling funeral homes, lay out a budget. Then, call each home you’re considering to get a price quote. Reputable funeral homes will offer you a breakdown of all of the expenses. 

5. Staff - It’s also very important to choose a funeral home that employs caring staff members. 

Oftentimes, the best way to learn about the staff of a funeral home is to call them directly or visit them in person. When on the phone, pay attention to their demeanor and whether or not they take the time to thoroughly answer your questions. 

When visiting a funeral home in person, make a note if someone greets you right away as well as how the staff interacts with you. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, a good Calgary funeral home can make things less stressful, respectful and compassionate staff is the foundation of good funeral homes in Calgary.

Choose the Right Place for a Funeral Reception in Calgary

After a funeral or memorial service, some families choose to hold a funeral reception. The funeral reception often takes place in a different setting, and it serves as a smaller and more intimate gathering to invite close friends. The post service reception is usually more casual and not tied to strict schedules, making it the perfect setting for family members and friends that are coming from farther away. Planning a funeral reception can also happen with the funeral home you are working with. It really just depends on the preferences of your family on where the right place is to hold it.

If you decide that a funeral home is the best plae to hold your funeral reception, it’s importnat to include this in your criteria when choosing a funeral home in the first place. It is much easier to hold but the service and the reception in the same place. 

When choosing where to hold a funeral reception in Calgary, you’ll want to consider the following and be sure to ask the funeral homes you are considering if they can accommodate your needs effectively.

Provided you’ve done some leg work and have determined that each of your options has a good reputation for taking good care of the families they work with, the biggest consideration will be the onsite services, what they include in their packages and the needs that are most important to you. Ultimately for many families it comes down to costs. Here is how to understand the costs associated with planning a funeral reception and service.

1. Professional Service Fee:

A funeral director and staff’s professional and personal staff services typically include: Transfer from place of death, obtaining a medical certificate of death, completing government forms, registering the death, obtaining necessary permits.

Basic sanitary care of the deceased; embalming, restoration and dressing of the deceased for viewing (if requested); and or as required (e.g. transportation by air). 

Complete personal supervision of all service arrangement details preceding, during and following the services which includes: arrangement conference with family; preparation and placing of an obituary notice, consultation with clergy, cemetery and/or crematorium; arranging and caring for floral tributes.

Use of the funeral home and all necessary facilities including: arrangement office, reception areas, chapel, selection room, preparation room, parking and services areas. Use of all specialized equipment required for either a church, chapel or other types of service. Use of funeral coach and any other vehicles.

Transfer of deceased to crematorium and/or cemetery

2. Merchandise:

The merchandise purchased for a cremation or burial can vary greatly depending on individual preferences and needs. Funeral providers that have containers and caskets on display are required by law to display their lowest price container and casket. They are also required to have a book or brochure illustrating the entire product line of caskets for sale.

    • Cremation Container / Casket.

    • Urn for cremated remains

    • Stationery (memorial book, thank you cards, service folders).

3. Cemetery and/or Crematorium:

Cemetery and crematorium charges may be paid to the funeral provider or directly to the cemetery/crematorium. Regardless, authorization for disposition must still be obtained from the legal representative of the deceased.

4. Indirect Costs (or cash disbursements):

Indirect costs or cash disbursements are sums of money that the funeral provider pays out (advances) on your behalf, for such items or services such as:

    • Obituary notices.

    • Organist, soloist.

    • Flowers.

    • Clergy or officiant honourariums.

Choose a great funeral home to work with and they will be a huge help in planning your funeral reception.