Our Story

SCENES OF EARLIER TIMES
Pictured here with the 1929 Nash coach are Bert Thompson, right, and son Ross.

Bert Thompson's father, George, bought the J.H. Horsley Undertaking and Furniture business in 1904 (operated on Main St. Port Dover).  At 17, Bert took a six month apprenticeship in Hamilton.  In 1930 Bert expanded his facilities on Main St., he purchased the building next to his store front adding a chapel, a preparation room and casket display room.  In 1939 an addition was added to his home on First Avenue, at which time the funeral business was relocated there. Two more additions were made over the years when his son Ross joined the business.  Bert continued to help his son Ross until he turned 91.

In the 1950's the Thompson's employed a young apprentice, Jack Waters.  Jack had started at the furniture store and transitioned into the funeral business, he did his training at Banting Institute at the University of Toronto.

In 1952, Jack married Evelyne Leitch, in 1954 they moved to the U.S.A.  Jack left the funeral business until he returned to Canada in the late 1960's and worked for a Toronto funeral home.

Ross Thompson and his wife Betsy owned and operated the W.B. Thompson and Son Funeral Home until their retirement in 1978.  At which time they sold the business to Jack and Evelyne Waters.  The name was then changed to Thompson Waters Funeral Home Ltd.

Over the next 19 years they worked together to serve the families of Port Dover.  In 1989 their daughter Nancy graduated from Humber College Funeral Service and came to Port Dover to work with her dad.  In 1997 Jack passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.  At that time Jack and Evelyne's daughter Carla joined the company as Business Manager.

In 1998 the long time dream of Jack's chapel addition was completed in his memory.

For the next 7 years Evelyne and her daughters Nancy and Carla continued serving the community.  In 2004 Nancy left the company to return to her first career of nursing.  At that time Leigh Hall joined the company as Managing Funeral Director and in 2006 Crystal Lightfoot joined our staff as Funeral Director.

In 2013 Leigh Hall retired and Gary Sywak become the Managing Funeral Director after successfully completing his Funeral Service Education at Humber College and writing his Board of Funeral Service Exams.

George Thompson with the first hearse for his new Port Dover undertaking business.

Today, Gary, Carla, and Crystal are committed to providing Port Dover and area families compassionate and understanding service, which has been a tradition that the Thompson family began 105 years ago.