Our History

Smith’s Funeral Home is Burlington’s oldest and leading funeral home. The family-owned and operated business has provided personalized and valued service for more than a century. The Smith family purchased the business from Edward Williamson in 1938, and now has a dedicated staff of over 50 caring professionals.

Where We Began

Edward Williamson operated a cabinetmaking, carpentry and undertaking business as early as 1877. By 1900, his son Edgar W. Williamson ran the business, which served a community of about 1,300 people.

In 1938, Wilbert J. Smith purchased the business when it was located immediately south of the Coronation Hotel on Brant Street. Wilbert had served 10 years in his uncle’s funeral business in Chatham, and was assisted by his sister Jeanette, who was also a licensed funeral director.

Special thanks to the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and Sold Right Away for this Heritage Award video, filmed in 2020.

In 1942, the funeral home was moved to its present location at 485 Brant Street, following his marriage to Kathleen (Kay) Little, although Wilbert continued to operate the Smith Furniture and Electrical store at the old location until it was closed in 1956 in order to focus all his efforts on helping families who had experienced a death in the family.

As the firm expanded, other members of the family joined the staff, including Wilbert’s brother Stanley D. Smith in 1948 and Wilbert’s sons, Donald S. Smith in 1966 and Douglas R. Smith in 1980. Wilbert, who served in the honourary role of chairman, died March 23, 1995 and Don became president and sole owner of the company.

On January 15, 1996, a second location was opened at 1167 Guelph Line, Burlington, one stop light north of the QEW. This second location features more contemporary elements of design and décor, is all on one level (and fully accessible) with room to host much larger gatherings and events and plenty of parking both onsite and additional parking nearby.

In August 2002, a second company, Smith’s took on its third location, Stonehouse-Whitcomb Chapel, located at 11 Mountain Street in Grimsby. This location has served the beautiful town of Grimsby and its surrounding communities since 1928.

One of the major goals of the Smith organization is to perpetuate and expand the legacy of family, independent ownership in funeral service. In April 2008, we added the Stoney Creek Chapel to our growing list of fine facilities. This initiative brings the traditions of the Smith family run funeral homes, to the people of Stoney Creek and Hamilton.

Smith’s Funeral Homes has received many awards for service excellence & community involvement, including:

Burlington Chamber of Commerce Heritage Award (2020)
Burlington Chamber of Commerce Mayor's Community Service Award (2013)
First Canadian Funeral Home to be Certified by the Green Burial Council (2009)
Burlington Chamber of Commerce “Company of the Year Award” (2000)
Burlington Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Award - Service (2000)
Mayor’s Community Service Award (1997)
First Canadian Funeral Home to receive the Pursuit of Excellence Award from the National Funeral Directors Association (1989)

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Smith’s Funeral Homes is a member of many industry organizations, and was a founding member of the Independent Cremation Group, comprised of thirty other dedicated independent funeral owners who in 2003, came together to build Evergreen Crematorium located in Milton. This facility is now the largest cremation provider in Canada. Smith’s Funeral Homes is also affiliated with Canadian Cremation Services, a licensed transfer service located in Hamilton, which provides specific limited services to the public as an alternative to a traditional funeral home.

Our mission at Smith’s is to help people of all faiths and beliefs create meaningful experiences that acknowledge and celebrate the life of a person who has died. We will do this in a caring, confidential yet sensitive manner that respects the dignity and worth of the deceased, honours both traditional rituals and contemporary rites and responds to individual financial circumstances or preferences.

We are proud to continue this long tradition of caring and service excellence that all began with a family, one leap of faith and many sacrifices over the years, starting in the small town of Burlington, Ontario.