Hill & Robinson Funeral Home & Cremation Centre

05/07/2026

Funeral Processions and Red Lights – Need to Know Info

With the increase in red light cameras across Brantford and Brant County, we want to share an important reminder regarding funeral processions.

All vehicles in the procession must come to a complete stop at red lights. Funeral processions do not have special privileges under Ontario traffic laws. Proceeding through a red light at a camera-controlled intersection will result in a traffic infraction.

Our priority at Beckett-Glaves and Hill & Robinson is always the safety of every person in the procession and the Community we live and work.

Thank you for your understanding. We do appreciate drivers pulling over safely as a sign of respect for the families we serve.

05/05/2026

National Hospice Palliative Care Week: May 3-9, 2026

The first week of May marks National Hospice Palliative Care Week – a time to celebrate the work of care providers across the country while also calling for improved access to resources and respite for all Canadians.

Being diagnosed with a life-limiting illness can have a significant impact on every aspect of life. Fortunately, no one has to face the battle alone thanks to a network of professionally trained individuals who support communities across our nation every day. With a wide range of services offered in every setting – homes, hospices, hospitals and long-term facilities – the goal is to help ease suffering and improve quality of life for everyone involved.

Palliative care is person-centred care approach that can begin at any stage during an illness. In addition to pain and symptoms management for the sufferer and the promotion of better living conditions, palliative care promotes positive emotional and mental health for the entire family – parents, partners, children and grandchildren in need of respite from their daily roles. Some refer to it as holistic care to support the mind, body and soul when and wherever people need it most.

National Hospice Palliative Care Week asks us all to be mindful of the suffering of terminally ill individuals. Without this much needed support, the prognosis they face would occur in isolation without the benefits of this compassionate care.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

04/29/2026

There are many ways you can do things!

In recent years, we who provide death care services have seen many changes in the ways individuals and families decide to have their service.

Some families continue to opt for traditional type services, with a casket and a full funeral service. In this instance, the funeral is the chosen way to say goodbyes. The service is structured in a manner similar to what we have seen in the past. Often religious sacrament is part of the service.

Some choose a service which is based more on convenience for the family and attendees. All elements of the service occur within the same day. Sometimes a service is with a casket, sometimes with an urn. Sometimes there is a graveside service. In all these scenarios the funeral home will work with families to customize the service to best suit their specific needs.

There are also families who opt for minimalist type services, perhaps a private family service or sometimes a very brief committal type service. Often, in this case, the focus is about making the service meaningful in some way.

There are benefits and drawbacks to each and every one of the above ways of having a service. If you have questions about current day practices for funeral services, please contact us. We would be happy to walk you through what today’s families are choosing for their service.

There are many possibilities!

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

04/24/2026

Make this a Self-Care Day

Sometimes we get ourselves caught up in the frantic pace of today’s world and become so tied to our to-do lists we don’t give ourselves the much-needed time to reenergize and reset our internal clocks.

Why not make today a self-care day. Be a bit selfish and do what sooths your soul. Don’t feel that you have to please everyone. Own responsibility for what is yours, and not what others expect from you.

Start your day with positives and gratitude. Meditate to clear your mind. Reach out to your favourite people. Keep it simple. Go for a long walk with your dog. Have a chat with a stranger about a light hearted subject. Sit in the sun. Relax and enjoy your favourite beverage or dessert. Don’t rush because you have other matters to tend to. Slow it down.

Focus on the moment and on yourself. Be kind to yourself.

Remember this feeling… the one you get when taking a dose of self-care. Committing to a regular practice of self-care holds benefits for your mind, body and soul. Feeling good is a decision away.

True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake; it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.
-Brianna Wiest

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

04/20/2026

Psychotherapist Amy Morin, LCSW shares seven things she learned about grief after her husband died. Learn how to cope with the grief of losing your partner.

04/15/2026

It’s Important to Bring their Picture

When you meet with us to make arrangements for your loved one, you will be asked to provide a photo of them to be used for the death notice. The photo chosen can be recently taken or one from the distant past. Some families bring a pic of their beloved dressed formally, while others give us a more casual image. Sometimes we receive a few pictures to use to show the deceased at different points in their life.

We primarily use images to help us complete our online obituary listing. Families can either provide a hard copy photograph or an electronic file. We will work with either format and enhance the image as needed. Sometimes we will crop it so that it presents well graphically.

Bringing a favourite photo of a loved one to the initial meeting will save some of the back and forth that often occurs, and will allow the obituary to be posted at an earlier time.

If you have questions about choosing and providing photos, contact us. We can easily walk you through what works best.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

04/09/2026

04/05/2026

Happy Easter

Easter is a symbol of spring and new life. As you partake in today’s festivities take some time to reflect on new beginnings as you share Easter traditions with those who are close to you.

To individuals and families in our community who are Christian in faith, today marks the anniversary of Jesus' resurrection. May you find peace and joy as you remember his sacrifice.

04/01/2026

View Marilyn Sparling's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

04/01/2026

April is Cancer Awareness Month

Spring has sprung with a mix of colourful flowers popping out of the ground, but none more significant than the yellow daffodil. For the last 65 years, Canadians have rallied around the yellow flower to make life better for people living with cancer.

Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada. It knows no social, cultural, religious or geographical boundary. The disease has touched everyone, whether it be ourselves, a loved one, a friend, a neighbour or a complete stranger we read about on social media. Because of its crushing physical, emotional and financial impact, a collaborative effort is necessary to reduce its burden on patients, families, communities and health-care systems.

Canadian Cancer Statistics:
• Over 1.5 million Canadians are living with and beyond cancer today.
• Nearly half of all Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
• Breast, prostate and colorectal cancers account for nearly half of all cancers in Canada.
• Approximately 64 per cent of people are expected to survive at least five years after their cancer diagnosis. This is up 55 per cent from the early 1990s and a further 25 per cent from the 1940s.

A hallmark of Cancer Awareness Month is the Canadian Cancer Society’s Daffodil Campaign. This annual initiative helps fund life-saving research to create more tomorrows and provides a support system to ensure no one faces cancer alone.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online

03/26/2026

Free Online Memorial Pages

Surviving family members consider a variety of ways to pay tribute to their loved ones. Memorial pages provide an online venue where family and friends can share memories and pay respects over time.

There are many such platforms which offer services such as photo sharing, storytelling, uploading of personal information, life achievements, condolence wishes and videos. Some are available for a fee while others have no cost for their basic service package.

Below are six memorial page providers who offer a free page to memorialize a loved one:
• Never Gone
• Keeper
• Forever Missed
• Gathering Us
• Murial
• We Remember

This is by no means a complete list. If you seek to create a memorial webpage for a loved one, an online search will present even more providers who offer these services for a nominal fee.

© Hill and Robinson FH/CFHC Online