The Smith Legacy
The Smith’s legacy began in 1938, when brother and sister Wilbert and Jeanette Smith purchased the local funeral chapel on Brant Street from the Williamson family.
They were both licensed funeral directors having spent ten years in Chatham with their aunt and uncle learning the profession. They renamed the property Smith’s Funeral Service, and began to serve the community.
Wilbert and Jeanette Smith purchase Williamson's Funeral Service
E.W. Williamson and Wife
As Burlington grew so did the Smith’s business and family. In 1942, Wilbert and his new wife Kathleen (Kay) Little relocated the funeral home north to its current location on Brant Street; now a cornerstone of the downtown. They were joined by Wilbert’s younger brother Stan, licensed in 1947, and then by their two sons, Don in 1966 and Doug in 1982. In 1996, Burlington’s population shot up to over 139,000 and Smith’s Funeral Service opened a secondary location on Guelph Line – a former fire station.
Wilbert, Kay, Don, and Doug, 1966
Since choosing Burlington as their home, the Smith’s family has valued the community’s confidence and has proactively supported the city’s prosperity. In fact, they have been recognized, as a business and as individuals, for these efforts. In 1991, Smith’s Funeral Service was awarded the Pursuit of Excellence Award from the National Funeral Directors Association, named Burlington’s Company of the Year in 2000, and received the Mayor’s Community Service award in 2013. Company president, Don Smith, has been the recipient of multiple awards for his dedication to Burlington’s residents, including a Philanthropist of the Year recognition, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and a YMCA Peace Medal – just to name a few.
