H.W. Wallace Cremation and Burial Centre

10/18/2025

A poem and a ritual for grievers.

From my heart to yours...
In my work as an end-of-life doula, a hospice and palliative care nurse, and in my own journey of grieving, I have discovered the gentle power of ritual and ceremony. Poetry offers me comfort, simple rituals help me feel grounded, and when I share these practices, for myself and for others walking similar paths, I can see the quiet strength in being held. I offer these words to you as an invitation: take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and allow yourself to find the comfort that feels right for you.

xo
Gabby

The Memory Keeper

Grief sits beside me
but so does love
folded into the small corners of my memory
where your voice still hums
where your touch still lingers

I walk with both the ache and the gift of what remains
it is my memory of you that softens the sharp edges
that steadies me when silence feels too loud

I am the memory keeper…
the one who carries your light forward
and who lets your story breathe through mine
and in the holding of the memory
I am held too

A Reflection for the Memory Keeper:
Sit quietly and close your eyes.
Breathe in slowly, and let yourself feel the presence of the one you love.
Call to mind a single memory that makes you smile, or that feels like their essence.
Notice how it warms you, even through the ache of loss.

Whisper to yourself:
“I am the memory keeper. And in the holding of the memories, I am held too."

Allow yourself to stay in that moment for a few breaths, letting the memory both hold you and be held by you.
When grief rises, return here, always returning to the lantern of memory, soft against the dark.

xo
Gabby

Optional Ritual:
1. Light a candle and place a photo, flower, or object that reminds you of them nearby.
2. Read your mantra from the poem out loud, slowly, letting each line settle into you.
3. Close with a quiet intention: “I carry you forward in love, and I allow myself to be carried by it.”
4. Extinguish the candle if you wish, or leave it burning as a symbol of a memory held.

You can find this poem and ritual here:
https://www.thehospiceheart.net/post/the-memory-keeper

07/28/2025

Laura-Lee Parris

H.W.Wallace would like to welcome Terrie Harrison Pickering to our team. Terri has been a Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer for 15 years and brings a tremendous amount of Experience, Compassion
and Empathy. Welcome my Dear Friend!!!

07/28/2025

H.W.Wallace would like to welcome Terrie Harrison Pickering to our team. Terri has been a Licensed Funeral Director/Embalmer for 15 years and brings a tremendous amount of Experience, Compassion
and Empathy. Welcome my Dear Friend!!!

07/07/2025

Silver Sponsor
2025 Cycle of Life Tour

04/11/2025

I hide my tears
when I say your name
But the pain in my heart
is still the same

The world is dimmer,
and the silence echos louder
without your laughter and warmth

I carry you with me,
in each beat of my heart ,
as a guiding light that
never fades

And though
the tears may fall,
they are a testament
to the enduring bond
that will never sever

Missing you so much ~
On earth and in Heaven

Until we meet again …

Helen Lapierre
Hello to Heaven

04/11/2025

Common Question

If you’re attending a funeral but can’t locate a dress code for it, this guide will help to answer questions about funeral dress codes.

04/01/2025

We are very pleased to bring you the Spring 2025 online issue of "We Need Not Walk Alone," courtesy of The Compassionate Friends!

03/29/2025

03/29/2025

Hike for Hospice on May 4 is a wonderful way to celebrate someone you’re missing. 🌈♥️🌈

“We talk about the good times, and it gives us a chance to remember,” says long time participant Annette Quan. “It’s a great opportunity for anyone who is missing someone you love to go out there and be with people who know how you feel – to be with others and to be there for others.”
Register now to create your personal or team fundraising page at https://ow.ly/LIWT50VqGnu

02/19/2025

I lost my child today.
People came to weep and cry, as I just sat and stared, dry eyed. They struggled to find words to say, to try and make the pain go away, I walked the floor in disbelief, I lost my child today.

I lost my child last month.
Most of the people went away, some still call and some still stay. I wait to wake up from this dream. This can't be real. I want to scream. Yet everything is locked inside, God, help me, I want to die. I lost my child last month.

I lost my child last year.
Now people who had come, have gone. I sit and struggle all day long. To bear the pain so deep inside. And now my friends just question, Why? Why does this mother not move on? Just sits and sings the same old song. Good heavens, it has been so long. I lost my child last year.

Time has not moved on for me.
The numbness it has disappeared.
My eyes have now cried many tears.

I see the look upon your face,
"She must move on and leave this place."

Yet I am trapped right here in time.
The song’s the same, as is the rhyme.
I lost my child... Today.

Words Netta Wilson

02/19/2025

02/19/2025

Have you considered starting a chapter of The Compassionate Friends in your community? Visit our website and request more information on getting a chapter started where you live.