Hill & Robinson Funeral Home & Cremation Centre

02/01/2026

View Lady Bonnie Hawthorn-Todd's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

01/30/2026

01/28/2026

View Dennis Laughlin's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

01/28/2026

Say Their Name

For one reason or another, at wakes, funeral services and other times following the death of someone close, there seems to be an avoidance to say the name of the deceased in conversations with others. “My (sister, uncle, cousin, parent) was a wonderful person, may they rest easy.” Alternately, someone talking to a surviving family member will skirt around the actual use of their name. “Their loss is a tragedy for us all.”

Why is it that there is an awkwardness in using their name when talking about the deceased? Perhaps saying their name may upset someone. Perhaps well-wishers are inadvertently trying to protect the feelings of those whom they are consoling.

Saying their name does show someone who is grieving that you are fully engaged in your support for them, for the mere reason it is awkward. By saying their name, you are acknowledging their life and are talking about them in the most personal way. Let’s remember them by name… it’s so much more meaningful.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

01/27/2026

View Phyllis G. Czarnowski's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

01/23/2026

1976, a Year of Firsts and Starts

It was a busy year in Canada with the CN Tower opening on June 26 in time for Canada Day celebrations. Parliament voted to abolish the death penalty, the Timbit made its debut and Montreal welcomed the world to the Summer Olympics, an unforgettable games that saw 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci receive the first ever perfect gymnastic score. On the international front, the G6 became the G7 with the inclusion of Canada as a member.

In science, space travel witnessed the successful landing of the Viking 1 on Mars and the release of the famous “Face on Mars” photo captured by this space craft; later in the year, Viking 2 would also arrive at our planetary neighbour and take the first close-up colour photographs of the planet’s surface.

Technology was big news in 1976 with the formation of many tech giants that continue to be successful to this day. Apple Computer Company was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak with the first personal computer, the Apple I, available to the hobbyist market. Later that year, little-known company, Microsoft, was officially registered as a company and IBM introduced the first commercial laser printer.

In entertainment, moviegoers flocked to see Redford and Hoffman in “All the President’s Men,” Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky” and Robert De Niro in “Taxi Driver.” The most popular tv shows of the year were Happy Days, MASH and Laverne and Shirley. In literature readers flipped the pages of Alex Haley’s “Roots, The Saga of an American Family.” In music, Paul McCartney’s “Silly Love Songs” topped the charts.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

01/23/2026

View Betty Rock's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

01/22/2026

View Shirley Buck's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

01/19/2026

Dr. Starla Fitch shows us how the ways we’re seeing may be endangering our lives in this poignant, funny talk. Her stories will make you change the way you l...

01/14/2026

Funeral Services and Flower Selections

The following are some considerations when sending flowers in memory of a loved one.

• Casket sprays and standing sprays are typically purchased by the immediate family of the deceased. More distant relatives and friends usually opt to purchase a simple spray or wreath.
• Floral arrangements are sent for both traditional services with a casket and memorial services with an urn.
• When making the purchase with your florist. Address the flowers to the funeral home with a delivery time earlier in the day, which the funeral is to take place on. Label the flowers with the name of the deceased. The funeral home may be hosting more than one funeral that day, so it is important to properly identify who the flowers are for. A condolence card can also accompany the arrangement.
• When deciding on which flowers to send, if you can find out if the family has a certain preference, or if the deceased had a favourite flower, these are both good choices. Or you may wish to research the meaning of different flowers and make a decision based on a certain virtue associated with a particular flower.

Remember you can always call us to find out our protocols for sending flowers to our funeral home. We can help you and even recommend a florist that we regularly work with.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

01/06/2026

View Richard Crow's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.