Reviews of First Memorial Funeral Services (Mortuary)

Kizzy Scott

The experience was entirely welcoming, and every detail was met. They make sure everything is taken care of and provide the best price and services.

Maureen Songhurst

Adrienne Kotyk was very personable, knowledgeable, punctual and organized. She offered all services available with out any pressure to buy everything. She gave me time to think about my options and discuss things with my daughter. Making these arrangements while I am healthy and well made everything less emotional and I am thankful that my daughter will not be faced with difficult decisions when the time does come....everything is looked after and the decisions have been made.

Zoe Kirk

My First Memorial experience started way back in Richmond, BC, in the 70's when my parents both elected to pre-purchase their after death care and cremations. My siblings and I all were so thankful, that when the time came, so many of the upsetting details were well taken care of. All we had to do was 'show up.' They led us through everything, and later with my mother's death, they were even were able to provide the death certificate. What could have taken weeks, was respectfully and swiftly handled. This allowed us to finalize all details efficiently, giving us the breathing space to grieve. Now, as I begin to think about 'making it less onerous' on my executor, I too have pre arranged and paid for my end of life details and cremation, as has my sister. It has given us a total sense of relief; relieving our loved ones of the burden and a few of the tasks that come with dying. I highly recommend First Memorial - the staff and service is top notch.

Diane Lamarre

My brother Thomas Lamarre died suddenly and I contacted your company from PEI and I was well received. Once I arrived on Sunday ,I was greeted by the funeral director Catrionia Crichton. Catrionia explained everything to me and she was so kind, sympathetic , calm to my needs. And Stefanie McLean, Jill Whitford where awesome to my needs also. I had a great experience for my first time dealing with cremation arrangements. I will never forget these beautiful ladies in a time of my life where I was so alone. Thank you Ladies for being so wonderful to me and I brother. Sincerely. Diane (Dee) Lamarre

Andrew Thompson

My dad passed away this month and my mother was in going through all the stress and grief of his passing. My dad was a pastor in Nanaimo for decades and was familiar with First Memorial Funeral Services. The familiarity to First Memorial was the reason we wanted to use them. The main focus for myself and my brothers was honoring Jesus Christ, our dad, loving on our mom and being with our family to celebrate his life. We were all well aware of the shady practices of some funeral businesses gouging families during times of vulnerability and grief. But we were hoping my dads good experiences with FMFS would still be true in 2019. Word travels fast in communities and even faster online. Joe did a good job of balancing kindness, care, and understanding while at the same time covering the business side of things in a gentle way. He seems to have a good understanding that business is built by being there for the community during times of need instead of taking advantage of people who need help. Thanks Joe and First Memorial Funeral Services!

Heather Gibson

My parents had pre-purchased funeral arrangements in 1998 and when I had to access those arrangements for my Father last year (2019), it was so easy, seamless, and comforting. That led us to decide that it was time to make the same kind of arrangement for ourselves, so that our daughter would have the same easy experience we we pass on. Alicia made the whole process simple, unemotional and all in all pleasant. We are both grateful to her for her assistance and guidance.

Deb Nicholson

My experience with First Memorial was excellent. Carolyne was incredibly compassionate, caring and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend First Memorial and Carolyne Gamble.

Honestly Speaking

These folks help you through every step,going above and way beyond.They're right beside you to lean on every step of the way. The place is immaculate,and I highly recommend,absolutely above five stars in my opinion.Thanks so very much!

Dorota Bidas

Sincere thank you to Mark, who provided us with an outstanding service during a difficult time. We appreciate his tact, patience, expertise and professionalism. Thank you Mark, Dorota

Bette Anderson

A difficult event made easy and comforting. Thanks Adrianne

Mason Paleck

We recently lost our beloved Anna Cruesemann. Our parents chose First Memorial Funeral Services initially as recommended from a friend. We cannot express enough how grateful we were that they did. Losing a loved one, you can feel lost, dazed and overwhelmed, but as soon as we came in, we were welcomed, felt taken care of and treated with sincerity and respect. We can not thank Carolyne enough for her professionalism and how she made a difficult situation, a time where she helped to bring our family to peace knowing Mom was so very well taken care of. We cannot express how Carolyne's wonderful people skills gave us such a relief. We are in awe of your abilities. Ralph, Carla and Andrea

Edward Purse

The staff were very caring and knowledgeable. They were very helpful in our time of need and there was no pressure. I felt like our daughter was very well taken care of. I highly recommend them.

Cam Good

I can't speak to their care for families but don't choose them if live-streaming the event is important to you or loved ones who can't attend in-person. I attended a live-stream today and saw <10% of the service. When it was working no one moved the camera to show the speaker when not at the podium. So disappointing. So frustrating.

Onered 1

The service from the employees was very personal and caring with good attention to all the details to guide you through the process. As seamless and meaningful as it could be. Thank you very much to the First Memorial Funeral Services team.

Shannon Draper

Beautiful place, BUT we were completely misled and improperly informed about what the “scattering” of my grandfather’s ashes in the garden really meant (pouring your loved ones ashes down a hole, into a receptacle under the ground with everyone else’s ashes was NOT what we expected when we were told that we would scatter his ashes in the beautiful garden). Not properly informing families when they are making decisions during such a difficult time is completely unacceptable.

Linda B

Ron Whyte at First Memorial Funeral Sevices could not have been more thoughtful or helpful after the death of my Father Thomas. Ron looked after every detail from the funeral to government notifications and emotional helpline and much more. Saved my mother and I a lot of stress. even follow up calls to see if he could do anymore. Thank you Ron!

Heather Lang

Wonderful experience ! Laura Lee is a gem of a human and fantastic funeral director. She walked me through the process of planning my Nana's funeral with compassion, professionalism, and went the extra mile to ensure the service went smoothly keeping social distancing in effect at all times. Highly recommend First Memorial. Thank-you!

My Opinion

Mom & Dad passed away and there service were great kind and extremely friendly

Rick Lachaine

We had to arrange very quickly at the last minute for the cremation of my father as a result of rapid declining health at St-Vincent Hospital in Ottawa. We contacted First Memorial and all arrangements were done over the phone. The funeral director we dealt with was very professional, compassionate, and understanding. The cremation itself and the return of the ashes was very prompt along with all paperwork that included the death certificates and all other necessary documentation.

Dalyce Clark

Great service, friendly staff, takes care of everything if you want to pay a little bit extra they will even let most of the bureaus know about the passing which takes the pressure off. Only deducting one star for the high amount of times in a short period I was contacted to leave a review via email and text when clearly there is a lot going on. Bit annoying but otherwise highly recommend.

Titiania Eubanks

I felt as if I had a close friend helping and guiding me through this very difficult journey.

Janet Simmons

Wonderful agent Adrienne Kotyk helped us so much. She informed us of all their services.

Carolyn Cooper-McOuatt

Honestly each moment of connecting with each person was outstanding! I felt heard and cared for right from the first phone call. I was in a state of shock and Carolyne Gamble helped me so much to feel better instantly. When I went in I met with Carolyne and I was shocked by her ability to sense what I needed with a presence of love and care. I brought my son with me and she was so incredibly kind and thoughtful and made us both feel calm and looked after. We both felt so blessed. She looked after each step with incredible precision, efficiency and focused care. I did not have to worry about a thing at any time during the process. Whenever I had a question she was there with the exact answer that I needed. I love her spirit, energy and character of who she is. I appreciate her ability to customize my experience and take ALL the stress out of the journey of letting go of my Mom. I would and have already recommended Carolyne Gamble and First Memorial to many people with confidence and conviction. It honestly was the most kind, caring, compassionate, gracious experience I could have ever asked for. I did not expect it to be so easy and I am so grateful. I thank First Memorial for having such great leadership and thank Carolyne for making such a positive difference in my life!

C Rabb

They take the time and really care about looking after you.

Charlotte Elder

Warren, our funeral director was helpful, caring and personable. Made me feel comforted during the process. Would recommend.

cindy Evans

It is beyond words, how great the staff were at this funeral home. They helped me before, during and after mum's death. They are still supporting my family with Seminars, counselling and all the answers to the questions I have had. They have been SO helpful. This has taken a great deal of worry and stress away. I have been helped so much in my grieving process. Because of the welcome here, I feel like a family member. The education, the conversation, and the listening ear they gave me, helped my late mother - and consequently my whole family. These services have gone so much wider than the funeral. I especially want to personally thank Philip, Rick and Victoria. The personal manner - and expertise of these people, has made it all work. As a team, they offer more than words can say.

Roger Vignales

Excellent, professional assistance during a difficult period AND after from Philip Thompson, Family Advisor, and Erik Oakley, Funeral Director. Highly recommended.

Pat Dean

A first class organization. They are truly a bunch of professionals. Thank you Amy for all your help and knowledge during such a difficult time. Amy sure make things easier. I like the sit down talk and look at all the options and price that goes with each choice. All up front contract information makes the financial picture clear. Thanks Again.

Cliff Charron

Nadia and staff have been so accommodating during this time. Everything was done according to my dads wishes. Good service. Wonderful staff

Rich Boisvert

During one of the most difficult times for my family, we felt lost and unsure of what to do or where to go. First Memorial was suggested by a neighbor and I'm very thankful for that direction. From the first phone call through the whole process the people at First Memorial were very kind and patient. They understood the stress we were facing. Thank you David for being the friend we needed. Thank you to all the people that helped us at First Memorial, it was the ease of transitioning from one step to the next that I believe made it as easy and simple as possible in this kind of situation.

mike poulos

In 1972 this was the LDS church in Duncan. Before being purchased by the LDS church, it was the community Catholic church. Many wonderful memories were acquired here when I was a LDS missionary and lived in the back quarter area.

Gary Mace

Our family can't say enough about the kindness, Sympathy and caring we received at First Memorial with loss of my wife. Kevin Lewis, Victoria Diewert and Adrienne Kotyk especially helpful to us during our painful loss.

France Fontaine

We have received an honest and polite reception. All of their services offer were with no pressure at all. All our wills were respected as well with our budget. We were looking to have a very simple service/accomodation as per the will of our dad. Even if we were not to spend thousands $, the staff was supportive and never felt pressure of whatsoever. I would highly recommand them for the excellence of assistance of the staff.

Christoph Driehuis

Incredibly organized and caring.

Karen Klassen

The details and planning the memorial service went very well and it all came together very nicely.

judy lariviere

I can’t believe how thoughtful and helpful it has been for me with your service. I have recommended you to every one that I know. You have made this stress free for me , and I thank you so much. I will be preparing my cremation with you soon .

Liz S

We used First Memorial Funeral Services for our mothers funeral service last week, and although Covid has left things very chaotic, the staff did a fantastic job keeping us informed every step of the way. The service was a beautiful celebration of our mothers life and we can't thank First Memorial enough! A very special thank you goes out to both Chloe and Caleigh! You two have made the grief process bearable with your kindness and consideration along the way. You have our highest praise and we definitely recommend First Memorial Funeral Services going forward.

Denis Arbour

Great staff. Very good service

Annette Hewitt

The staff were helpful & professional.

Marleen Murphy

I am extremely satisfied with my experience which was by telephone during Covid. From the kind , understanding and efficient receptionist, to my conversation with Justin. Justin answered all my questions and provided all information very quickly .I appreciated his advice and would highly recommend First Memorial.

Donna Hobal

Patricia Amy Cobb provided the most Exceptional & compassionate service! Amy really listened and was able to answer every question I had. She made myself & Family so very comfortable and made the planning process feel like we were being guided by a knowledgeable trusted friend. Amy is a true Angel and is imprinted on my heart forever for showing me the greatest kindness at one of the saddest moments of my life! Thank you Amy❤

Isel Y

Discussing my parents funeral arrangements was extremely positive. Mr. McNulty was professional, patient and caring. I never felt being pushed into something else that we planned. Thank you for supporting my parents requirements.

Yves Couturier

They are excellent at what they do they came to the house 3 times because we are quite a distance from the funeral home because my wife and I had chosen this funeral home from 3 quotes that my daughter in law had received from other funeral homes First Memorial was the cheapest of the 3 but there professionalisms was excellent second to none l would recommend them to everyone.

Andrew Nagy

In October 2017 my mother passed away suddenly. This came as a shock to both my brother and I given the unexpected nature of her passing. We flew in from Ontario to make final arrangements after researching funeral homes and picking First Memorial. Adding to the stress was the fact that neither of us had ever dealt with a death so there were a great many unknowns. Thankfully, Karen Geck from First Memorial helped us by explaining all of what needed to happen and when. She was thorough and understanding. I cant' say enough about how much Karen made a difference in a difficult situation. Thanks Karen.

Ron Mountain

All aspects of the experience were beyon my expectations i am totally satisfied by the professional and courteous care that was offered to me

Ken David

My wife and I had purchased prearranged funeral packages with First memorial years ago. The entire process was great, never feeling pushed, or up sold as to what we wanted.Recently we received letters that the company we had bought these packages with had been bought out by another company. I had some concerns so I called First Memorial and spoke to Lisa. She was so friendly and helpful answering all my questions. So glad we chose First Memorial for our final needs.

Margaret Lake

I have just had a very good Meeting with Toni May, who was very thorough and patient with me to make sure I understood the process of registration with First Memorial. I felt comfortable with his approach on this difficult subject, and felt also that I could trust him to carry out my wishes and will involve my family now, and later, in a moist compassionate way, as he has done for me At the same time he is a business person with a good knowledge of how your Serv;ices work, and an expert with the computer. I would be pleased to recommend Toni to my friends and relations who might wish to sign in with FIrst Memorial.

Julia Allain

The whole experience was very good

Eszter Farkas

At a very difficult and sad time in our lives, we were blessed to have Funeral Director, Cathy D. guide us through the process with her compassionate, kind and professional care. Our family is so very grateful for her service.

Mandi C

Taylor was amazing and I was very happy to work with her

Kelly Jenik

My family and I were very impressed with the service we received. Barb took very good care of our needs and wants for our mother. She did not pressure us to buy things we did not want ,and she was very good at making this difficult time a whole lot easier.

Spook Spook

My aunt had prepared her funeral arrangements in advance and they did not dissapoint. It was the only stress free part of the entire process. I would recommend pre-planning with this group and will be meeting with them later in the year to plan my own funeral arrangements.

Diane King

We were very disappointed last week when we went to visit my father's resting place on Falaise Dr. The square for all 4 names had been removed to add another name. Completely understandable. The problem was that when they removed the cover of the 4 spaces they threw a personal memento that my sister had made into the dirt. We picked it up and took it home to clean it. I called First Memorial to express our disappointment about this incident. No one offered to call my mother to apologize, no one asked me my name or for any contact information to follow up with us. Nothing. I cannot recommend First Service. February 11 - it's a little late to ask us to call again. The time to resolve this was when I called on behalf of our family. Now you want us to call again and say what? The opportunity has come and gone.

K.L. Elzinga

Jordan and the team were amazing at consoling me, making sure I knew all my options. They all were very empathetic, compassionate and I truly felt like they cared. I really appreciate all they did for us and our mom.

I Am Always Write

I used First Memorial for cremation services. The staff and Caleigh in particular were exceptional. They handled everything professionally, compassionately, expediently and with precision. The cost was very reasonable. I would highly recommend First Memorial to everyone.

Michele Pungente

Tony Mah assisted me in filling out a personal planning guide and answering questions re: my will. He was very attentive and helpful. I will recommend First Memorial to family and friends.

Kristie K

First memorial were amazing during a loss of are child.. great care to my son, to us and family.. being such a devastating circumstance they left positive impressions that will never be forgotten.

Karen Ekroos

Catherine was extremely helpful during this time especially when things had to be done from a distance. She was able to answer all of my questions quickly and efficiently. Tony was also very helpful in guiding me in the right direction when it came to everything that needed to be done after a death. You two make a great team. Thanks again for everything

Pat

We have dealt with First Memorial for both my parents and have been impressed with their professionalism. The Staff in Duncan have made this experience easier for us at this time. Thank goodness my parents purchased a contract with their wishes well in advance of their passing. Made our lives so much easier. My wife and myself shall preplan our arrangements in the new year.

Kylie Hansen

I must admit , even though this was my (first experience) dealing with such affairs , I was expecting high pressure sales tactics and to be bombarded with an extensive list of options that I had no interest in . My experience was the complete opposite . The level of consideration and professionalism was exceptional , and any preconceived expectations I formerly had were allayed within moments . I highly recommend First Memorial Funeral Services for their outstanding service , timely response , and overall legitimate concern and handling of such affairs .

Cathy Bryce

Karen was amazing. I am so thankful for all her help and guidance. I can not thank her enough.

laura robertson

The staff I dealt with at First Memorial were outstanding. They were compassionate and caring and extremely competent. I would recommend this funeral home.

Scott Hagarty

I needed the services of a funeral home in Nanaimo when my mother passed. Not living there I reached out to fellow RCMP Veterans who lived in the area and several recommended First Memorial. I was very pleased with the exceptional service that my family was provided. They made a difficult time much easier.

P Morrison

Absolutely professional, but also sensitive to our emotions and needs. The staff are wonderful people.

Joan Borsa

The services were sensitive, dignified and very timely in supporting us with my mom's passing.

rwprovost

We contacted First Memorial Funeral Services to make arrangements for my mother. Our contact, Lia Spoltore was amazing! She walked us through the entire process and helped us choose the details we wanted to ensure a personal approach that reflected my mother’s wishes. Lia was both kind and professional. She made an emotional situation easier for us to make the decisions that we needed to make. We have already recommended First Memorial Funeral Services to family and friends.

rodrigo alejandro

The staff and directors made this difficult transition easier for my family and I. They were very helpful in setting up and finalizing my cousins cremation arrangements, and did a great job in helping us choose the right cremation package that fit our loved ones last wishes, all while staying within our tight budget. Thank you First Memorial.

David Johansen

I would like to say thanks to all the staff at the First Memorial in Royal Oak for the great services and support given to my girlfriend and her family.

Leslie Spray

Thank you for this option of Google. I have had major frustrations with the other. I filled it in immediately and rated all 10 but when it came to the section about our own services, I knew that Andrew wanted to leave that for a little while. With not filling out that section, it seemed there was no way of sending the whole lengthy questionnaire. Then I was frustrated and left it for my husband to work out. He came in later to look at it and didn't see the previous form but only this one. No help. We have been more than satisfied with your business and your very kind attention. Our first face to face meeting ended with a virtual hug and we so appreciated Laura Lee, the careful listening and awareness of our issues. The whole experience was strongly supportive. Many thanks, Leslie Spray

Manon Brunet

Exceptional services

Ben MacNaughton

We went through a huge loss in our family recently and had terrible experiences with funeral homes in the past so we werent looking forward to trying a new one. We wanted to express our gratitude for the care we received at First Memorial. A special thank you to Kerstin: you made us feel like family. Ben MacNaughton

Dianne Clark

This was all done via email and phone calls as I live in a different province and there was no service involved, just a cremation, obituary notice and shipping the ashes to my location. Any emails and phone calls were promptly returned - any delays experienced were all on my end. Terrie and Mindy were extremely helpful and professional.

Larry Griffith

I strongly doubt you would publish my comments.

Claude D

First Memorial Funeral Services is top notch in my opinion ! The staff Toni, Carolynn And Terrance were very professional in the manner they helped me out in a very stressful and sad time for me. I reside in Ontario and my brother passed away in Lake Country BC where he resided ...unfortunately he did not leave a will so it made it very difficult to move forward with his wishes.With the efforts of the said staff I was able to accomplish this for my brother ...Thank you so much for your kind condolences and I would like to highly recommend First Memorial!! Claude Deschenes

ken kuratko

Compassionate service with good value at a difficult time.

Beverly Fosbery

Wonderful caring people! At a very stressful time Carolyne was helpful and compassionate. I would recommend this company to others.

Bruce Gordon

I am pleased to write a very positive review for Nadia of First Memorial funeral services of Nanaimo who offered us outstanding help in the loss of our son, brother, uncle and husband: Seann Gordon. The professionalism and care Nadia gave us was outstanding and gave us great comfort during a very troubled time. ~ Bruce Gordon for the family

Moira Elder

During a difficult time,Dignty First Memorial,was wonderful.They showed great professionalism,and empathy.Very comforting.Thank you so much.

Bonnie Danielle

Professional and courteous service

David Stocks

The staff at FNFS were very competent. They prepared for our visit and helped us tremendously. I am so glad that we made arrangements several years ago.

Wesley Morlang

First Memorial Funeral Services in Duncan have been excellent people to have supporting our family during the recent passing of my father. From the first phone call until the duration of their excellent service provision, First Memorial went out of their way to ensure we all were fully taken care of, all questions answered and 12 out of 10 points for post follow up with our family. I highly recommend First Memorial Funeral Services in Duncan!

Denise Munro

Terance and his team did a outstanding job taking care of my husband. I would highly recommend their services. Scott would of been extremely proud of how Terance made our situation at ease. Thank you from the Munro family.

Brian Hackwood

Excellent service at a sad time

Tanya Switucka

Very kind and caring as well as professional and efficient. What a relief it has been to have the guidance and attention of First Memorial through such a difficult time.

Karen Gunderson

Nanaimo First Memorial Funeral Services We recently contacted the above to assist with our Mothers passing. We found them to be very efficient and handled all details in a professional manner, Joe Flannery was exceptional in his role as Funeral Director as he was our main contact person. Because of this positive experience we have decided to go ahead with our future arrangements with First Memorial Services. Thank you Joe and staff for all your kindness it was very appreciated in this difficult time. Chris Karen & Toni

Anna Price

My family has nothing but the best things to say about our experience with First Memorial Funeral Services during a very difficult time as we said goodbye to a loved one. The funeral was eloquent and the space was serene and calming. It was a very beautiful service and exactly what our family envisioned for this celebration of a very special life.

louise brazeau

The experience was as possible as can be, The representative that I met with was patient, compassionate, pleasant... I appreciate all their help especially that my loved deceased Mom was a victim of Covid 19 which is very upsetting. I would definitely recommend this institution to anyone of need of it. Thank you First Memorial

William Vernon

Although never a service any one of us seeks to use, it remains a fact of life that all of us, at some point, will need the services of a funeral home. Earlier this month, my mother passed away. She was 98. From the moment I contacted the funeral home, at 3 am. I was met with a sympathetic and very helpful ear. All through the process funeral director Jade Simms along with associate Marco Castro steered me through the process in a comforting manner. I was 5000 miles way during this process and these gentlemen replied always very quickly, with the answers I needed to my questions. My mother had a prepaid funeral, booked 38 years ago..and it all went very smoothly, from a paperwork perspective and there were no surprise sudden extra costs. Jade even went the extra mile to deliver by hand, an urgent document I needed to get to my downtown bank. That was service. So, I highly recommend First Memorial. It will be a difficult time whenever you may need to use them but be assured they will make it as comforting and easy as possible.

Emily Halpin

I cant say enough how amazing the people are who work for First Memorial Funeral Service. We had my mother in laws memorial today, and they went above and beyond my expectations. To all the staff at the St.Patrick location, I cant thank you enough! Your amazing!

G Hull

My wife M Hulls son passed away in Kelowna in January 2021. Living in the lower mainland it was going to be very difficult to get all of the arrangement handled from here. We called Carolyne Gamble at First Memorial Funeral Services to see what was needed to be done. Carolyne answered all of our questions from start to finish and then arranged everything for us from the transfer of our son from the hospital to the funeral home, to the cremation, and finally to the sending of the ashes to us. Carolyne was very professional and helped us through this sad time. We thank Carolyne and First Memorial Funeral Services and would have no hesitation recommending them.

Dodie Eastaugh

you were most efficient, especially with all the paperwork and who I should contact

Bill Marshall

Staff at First Memorial made us feel like they genuinely cared and that all of our needs were looked after from start to finish.

Linda Davis

Thank you First Memorial especially Clhoe. The assistance offered was very professional. Advice and help was very much appreciated while finalizing details for my mother.

Ginny Lake

The staff was very friendly and genuine in their compassion for the loss of my Mom. I was very pleased that I was not made to feel guilty or pressured into purchasing anything above and beyond what I asked for. Overall it was a better experience than I expected during this sad and stressful time.