Needham-Jay Funeral Home

04/28/2026

April 15, 1970 — April 3, 2026
Odessa, Texas
Trevor LaPier, 55, passed away on April 3, 2026, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Trevor was born on April 15, 1970, in Sarnia, Ontario, to Tom and Karen LaPier. He attended Lambton Central Collegiate & Vocational Institute and graduated in 1988 in Pe...

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04/28/2026

With her family by her side on Sunday, Monday, April 27, 2026, in her Petroliia home, Audrey Vera Graham (nee Harris) passed away in her 93rd year. Survived by her beloved son Mark and his wife Nicee Graham and their children, Billy and Jeniffer de Souza, Timothy and Makaylah Graham, Lexi and Ryan B...

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04/28/2026

National Day of Mourning Workplace Deaths and Illnesses

Today, on April 28, Canadians remember the lives lost from workplace accidents and illnesses, while renewing the commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace to prevent further tragedies.

Every year, thousands of workers in Canada are injured or killed on the job. According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), 993 workplace fatalities were recorded in Canada during 2022. But these statistics only show part of the picture. With each workplace tragedy, there are countless loved ones, family members, friends and co-workers left behind, their lives forever changed.

It was in April 1991, when Canada recognized its first National Day of Mourning. Today, the observance has spread to more than 100 countries.

How Canadians observe the National Day of Mourning:
• Canadian flag flies at half-mast on Parliament Hill and on all federal government buildings.
• Lighting candles, laying wreaths and wearing commemorative pins, ribbons or armbands at cenotaphs across the nation.
• Participating in a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m.

So, this April 28, take a moment to pause, reflect and remember those impacted by a workplace accident or illness, to help facilitate improved health and safety for everyone.

© Needham-Jay Funeral Home/CFHC Online

04/24/2026

Epitaphs of Celebs

The ‘final words’ that are inscribed on our memorial… ‘an epitaph,’ are typically a tribute or message in remembrance, such as, “In Loving Memory.” Sometimes those who are famous have a bit more to say.
Below are the epitaphs of some actors, and political or religious leaders:

Mother Teresa, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (St. John, 15-12)
Ronald Reagan, "I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life."
Rita Hayworth, “To yesterday’s companionship and tomorrow’s reunion.”
Wyatt Earp, “Nothing’s so Sacred as Honor and Nothing’s So Loyal as Love.”
Rodney Dangerfield, “There goes the neighborhood.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty I’m Free At Last.”
Lucille Ball, "You've come home."
Mel Blanc, “That’s all, folks!”
John Wayne, "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life, comes into us at midnight very clean. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."

Sometimes reflective, sometimes funny and always inspirational the final words we leave on our memorial will be inevitably encourage personal thoughts and emotions for everyone who visits.

© Needham-Jay Funeral Home/CFHC Online

04/20/2026

Losing a spouse is one of the most painful experiences you can go through, but you're not alone. Take advantage of support available to you.

04/15/2026

Some Items you may Wish to Bring when Meeting with Us

When we meet to make (or conclude) arrangements for a loved one, bringing the following information and items will help us to address requirements for the service more quickly. We will be able to finalize the death notice and details of the service, meaning the anxiety associated with these decisions will be behind you.

Please Bring:
• Any preplanning forms and prefunding documents if prior prearrangements have been completed. These will serve as instruction for the service during our meeting.
• Vital statistics for you loved one. Proper name, date of birth and place of death. We will need this and other information to register the death.
• A picture of your loved one. This will be used for our online death notice and for the newspaper obit.
• Will out of town guests be attending?
• Any notes that your loved one may have left for their service. Who they wish to say the eulogy, preferred scripture, poems, music and food.
• Ideas: This is the creative part of the service. What were their hobbies, were they part of any local clubs, organizations or charitable causes? Did they paint? Did they fish? What activities were they passionate about? Talk with family to get a thorough list of these past times and of any highlights from their life.
• Stories: these can be shared at the service.
• Clothing they will wear.

Having these items with you for the meeting will save some of the back and forth that comes with making these arrangements, moving you forward with these duties more quickly. We will walk beside you as you tend to these matters. We understand this is difficult for you and we will provide support and guidance throughout this time.

© Needham-Jay Funeral Home/CFHC Online

04/13/2026

Norma Jo Ewen, 65 years, of Petrolia died surrounded by family on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at Bluewater Health Sarnia. Norma Jo was the loving wife of the late Brian Ewen (2015). She will be missed by her children, Brent Ewen and James (Zoe) Ewen, and her grandson, Theo Ewen. She was the daughter of t...

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04/09/2026

04/05/2026

Wishing you a Joyous Easter

We hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend enjoying family traditions and sharing special moments. May your children have fun and find happiness as they partake in the day’s festivities.

For members of our community who are of Christian faith, let us take a moment and reflect on the significance of this day, the resurrection of Christ. In remembering by prayer, we acknowledge his truth.

04/02/2026

Spirituality

We are sentient beings. We perceive; we appreciate and comprehend; we question events and aspects of our lives. We feel; we experience happiness, sadness, jubilance and embarrassment. We seek to understand and to find meaning.

In its broadest sense, spirituality is the inner feeling that something larger than us is part of our world. It is a sense of belonging to a way of thinking and a community which is for the betterment of humankind.

Traditionally, religion has been at the center of spiritual thought. Whether a person chooses to follow and practice a specific faith or if they engage an inner dialogue, it is not for others to judge. If we strive for the betterment of others, is salvation not already present?

Sometimes when we struggle with life challenges such as grief, we find we are overwhelmed and are not able to cope. Sometimes even with the help of our family and friends we remain trapped in our grief. Finding spiritual meaning and purpose may be what, deep down inside, we seek.

© Needham-Jay Funeral Home/CFHC Online

03/30/2026

Clarence Keith Drope, 87 years old, of Petrolia died at C.E.E. Hospital on Sunday, March 29, 2026, six weeks after his loving wife and best friend Marjorie Drope (nee Rundle)(2026). The son of the late Ken and Margaret Drope. He will be missed his children Dave Drope of Petrolia, Darlene and Darren ...

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03/29/2026

Peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, March 27, 2026 at St. Josephs Hospice in Sarnia. Wayne Lassaline, 71 years, of Arkona and formerly of Oil Springs. Wayne will be missed his wife of 46 years Karen (nee Downie). He will also be missed by his daughters Angela (Robert) Clouse and Monica (Dave)...