Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services

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Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services

Our compassionate and experienced staff have been serving the Stratford area for many years.

04/10/2026

ELIZABETH "BETTY" JEANETTE GAFFNEY
April 15, 1936 - April 3, 2026

We said goodbye to our beloved Mum, Nana, and Aunt—Elizabeth (Betty) Jeanette Gaffney—on April 3, 2026.

Betty is survived by her children Elizabeth Gaffney, Joseph Gaffney (Danielle Barrette), Dominic Gaffney, and Anita Gaffney (Kevin Misener). Mum is lovingly remembered by her grandchildren Ian and Sara Brown; Auriane, Jacinthe, and Philip Gaffney; her sister-in-law Jackie Johnston; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her son Dave Gaffney and by her husband of 47 years, Oliver Gaffney.

She was also predeceased by her parents, Elizabeth and Lowell Johnston; her brother Cedric Johnston; her brother Ed Johnston and his wife Merle; her sister Luella Sturrock and her husband Jack; her brother Robert Johnston in infancy; and her in-laws Tom and Barbara Gaffney, Mary Gaffney, Veronica and Anthony Gooding, Donald and Joan Gaffney, Betty and Gerry Holland, Gerald and Mona Gaffney, Charlie and Agnes Gaffney, Agnes and John Gregus, and Grace and Joseph Young.

Mum was born and raised in Durham, Ontario. It was there that she met Oliver at a Rotary meeting while he was working on a local construction project. She dated him on a dare, and that dare led to a beautiful and enduring union. While Dad built his construction company and served the community, Mum kept the home fires burning. Together, they shared a remarkable loving partnership with a shared purpose and an abiding respect for one another.

Mum supported her children in their many pursuits—from hockey to figure skating, and from rock bands to record collections. She ran a tight ship, valuing accountability and discipline. She understood that spending time with loved ones was the greatest gift of all, and she gave that gift generously to her children and grandchildren. Becoming a Nana softened Mum, and she lavished her grandchildren with love and affection.

She volunteered with the Stratford Skating Club, the Catholic Women’s League, and supported the Rotary Club of Stratford through Dad’s involvement.

Mum reminded us that kindness is free and should be given generously. Quiet and reserved by nature, she preferred to remain out of the spotlight. An exceptional listener, she offered empathy, encouragement, and good humour. She lived by a strong moral compass, demonstrating courage in the face of adversity and resilience through life’s many twists and turns.

We are deeply grateful to the Greenwood Court community, where Mum lived for nearly 20 years. There, she was surrounded by friendship and, in her later years, by patience, compassion, and exceptional care.

The funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on April 14, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. 96 Huron St., Stratford, ON. All are welcome to attend.

As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth (www.rotaryhospice.ca) or St. Joseph’s Church Building Fund (www.avonthamescatholic.dol.ca), directly, or through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services. (www.jarfh.com) 804 Ontario St., Stratford, ON. N5A 3K1. 519-271-5062.

04/09/2026

JOHN WILLIAM HENRY D'SENA
August 1943 - April 2026

John William Henry D'Sena was born in Chennai, India, (Madras) on August 28, 1943 at Vellore Hospital. He went to be with his Lord and Savior on Resurrection Sunday, April 5th in his 83rd year. He is now at peace after struggling with several health issues.

John will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by his wife Joan (nee Forgie), with whom he shared almost 57 years of marriage. His two devoted daughters Lisa Marie (Jerry Klippenstein) and Heather (Paul Silva) will also cherish their memories of him. He was the proud Grandfather of grandsons Johnathan (Jak) and Jonah Klippenstein who always made him smile. His extended family of Deb, Mike, Emily (Avery Woodruff) and Thomas Van Galen were proud to call him Dad and Papa.

John was predeceased by his Parents, Olive Marie (Fowler) & George William D'Sena and his sister, Elizabeth Ann D'Sena.

John went to California with his parents in 1956. He Graduated from BIOLA College and spent 2 years at Talbot Seminary. He then moved to Canada and attended Central Baptist Seminary (Heritage). He served as a Pastor in Thunder Bay, Stratford & the Port Rowan area. Later, he worked in Aircraft Quality Control at Chicopee Mfg. in Kitchener and Fischer Bearing in Stratford, where he retired in 2006. John finished his M.Th.S. in 2008 at Heritage College and Seminary. He and Joan went to Saipan on a short-term Mission Project in 2009 where he taught Theology at a Christian College. We still keep in touch with some of our students. Job calls us Papa & Nana and named his baby daughter after Joan. He and another student have sent beautiful tributes to John.

John and Joan travelled to England and Scotland, Hawaii and the Bahamas. John also visited the Holy Land many years ago with Pastor Dean MacDonald.

He recently attended The Rock Bible Church until it was closed due to Covid. He wasn't able to return due to health issues when the church reopened.

John loved preaching and teaching the Word of God and especially enjoyed the challenging questions that the students had for him. He knew his Bible well and continued studying until his health wouldn't allow it. Until recently, John remembered where to find particular Scriptures and the words of the old hymns. He had a fantastic memory but was very humble about his abilities and accomplishments. He loved the Lord and it still showed in his final days.

A Celebration of Life for John will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 11 a.m. at the Rock Bible Church, 1140 Nellis St., Woodstock, ON.

Donations in John’s memory may be made to Heritage College and Seminary/Scholarships Bursary Fund (www.discoverheritage.ca), directly, or through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services (www.jarfh.com) 804 Ontario St., Stratford, ON. N5A 3K1. 519-271-5062.

04/08/2026

KEITH KENNETH WOLFE
December 1939 - April 2026

Keith Kenneth Wolfe passed away peacefully with family at his side, on April 6, 2026 at Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth.

Beloved husband of Mary (Campbell), with whom he was married for 53 years. Brother of Roy and Karon. He is Predeceased by brothers-in-law Albert and Melvin and remembered by in-laws Jim (Pat) Campbell, Bob (Liz) Campbell, and Annie (Mike) Nuttall. Keith will also be missed by many nieces and nephews.

Keith enjoyed sunsets over Lake Huron, fishing, photography, and going to air shows. Always willing to meet friends for coffee and go for a drive. His ‘68 Firebird was always his pride and joy.

Keith's family wish to sincerely thank the nurses and volunteers at the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth for their wonderful care, especially Katelyn, Josh and Angel.

Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 105 Morgan St. Stratford, on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 2pm. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth (www.rotaryhospice.ca), directly, or through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services. 804 Ontario St., Stratford, ON. N5A 3K1. 519-271-5062.

03/31/2026

THE HIGHLY PERSONAL FINAL SERVICE AND DISPOSITION WISH
The points below are not meant to sway public opinion one way or another. As a funeral director, it is essential that we carry out people’s wishes. That is all. Those wishes are their final living request. If there was no firm indication of a decision, however, you may consider this information:

Both cremation and aquamation allow more flexibility. Once either has taken place, you have the luxury of time – carrying out what you want, when you want, where you want.
Both cremation and aquamation are more environmentally friendly than burying a body in the ground, unless greener options are selected.
Both cremation and aquamation provide the option of scattering remains in a place of your choosing (restrictions apply). But yes – scattering is legal.

03/30/2026

IF I EVER GET AROUND TO LIVING

Waking light,
familiar and new.
I’ve been here before,
the shapeless room.
I know those I’ve loved,
but forgotten their names.
I sense them instead,
at the end of days.

Last night, those short and unconsidered phrases came to me at a time when I was reflecting upon dying which I am wont to do. They flowed out of the pen as simply and quickly as you are reading this sentence now. And when they were complete, I realized I was staring at something tangible that sprung from an abstract idea, as all considerations regarding any living “space” after death, is in the abstract. The words came with no effort at all and they asked me: Will I remember those I’ve loved so dear? Will I experience this world again? Know that I’ve completed a turn?

In the morning, in my own “waking light” the room takes shape and for whatever reason I start to ponder life, living. The human inventory begins – who is left? I run down the list. I have a small family. I’m lying still on the bed. It is my own free will that makes it so. But just how still can I be? I hold my breath. I realize I am “playing” at dying – as a child perhaps, might do – but with closer, more experienced involvement – age, wisdom, gratitude. I tell myself there are whole days ahead for me. A lifetime. Beyond the one day in which so many other’s days have ended.

I’m uplifted – suddenly and without warning, and that expansiveness I’m feeling has happened before. It’s immediate but melancholic, for there’s nothing that need be done and everything that can be – choose. How is life to go? I can list the names of those who rebooted my life and made me see anew through their leaving – or perhaps it was merely a sense of urgency, of panic. Why is it, despite how melancholy one feels, death can also make the sky bluer, the coffee richer, the interaction more significant? I sip that coffee of which I speak and a favourite line from a Bruce Cockburn song comes to mind: “Can it be so hard / To love yourself without thinking / Someone else holds a lower card?” – and I realize there are such disparate degrees of “lower card,” the lowest of which perhaps, being the fact that you’re dead. Or perhaps that’s the highest, depending upon one’s inclinations towards the answer to the abstract question.

Life fluctuates. It breathes. Expands. Shrinks. It exists between the margins that show themselves at every moment of every day: the good / the bad / the happy / the sad / positive / negative / helpful / harmful – choose. It urges participation. Even non-participation is participation when you’re alive. If you take up space, you participate. And playing dead is exactly that – playing. But what of it when one is truly so? Has participation ended or are the thoughts of others, about you, enough to warrant inclusion in the game? What do I leave of myself when I am gone?

I have friends who have “bucket lists.” They want to check off their wishes, their dreams, their tasks. Is the completion of the list the completion of a life? Once the desires are satiated and they are done... does the worth of their experience live on into the lives of those they know? Of course it does. Those experiences blend into what they give. They reshape thoughts, construct beliefs, mold how they act and react, and are ready to leak themselves into the world and spread into the imagination of any who would allow it while they live. They will become tinctures in conversation, colouring how things are recounted. The lives of others – enter us – through stories.

But what of tomorrow, when one wakes, works and wonders, about how the routine day will go – after number three on the bucket list is complete – when one is deep in the heart of the repetitive ticking metronome of existence and the crossed paths of acquaintances. What about the bucket list of the everyday, where there is only one point on the paper of any worth – stating how you interact with the day and the people therein. What word is printed there?

I bring my thoughts back into the room. It’s time to rise. Time to start. Move out into the world again. I have work to do. I’m acutely aware now that I have no bucket list at all, never did, and I ask myself if there is something lacking. I scan my life for that lack, and so, for the emptiness within – and I realize that I am it. I am the vessel that fills and empties out, and what I give is what fills others who are hollow and waiting, like me. We do for each other. A daunting privilege to say the least. For I know that no matter what sits listed upon the pages of my life for me to do, If I ever get around to doing them, they will be done with mercy.

UNTIL SOON. LIVE WELL.

03/27/2026

THOMAS (TOM) EDWARD SAINSBURY
December 1944 - March 2026

Thomas (Tom) Edward Sainsbury was born on December 29, 1944, in the Town of Weston (Toronto), to Isabelle and Lloyd Sainsbury — the beginning of a life defined by hard work, quiet pride, and an enormous capacity for caring and love. Tom lived in Toronto, Mitchell, Sault Ste. Marie and Stratford and travelled the province for his work.

Tom built a notable career as a technician with Nortel and Bell Telephone. He took particular pride in mentoring young colleagues, sharing his knowledge generously. Even amidst challenges with dementia and Alzheimer’s, Tom continued to talk about his work and often directed the staff at People Care Tavistock – commending them on a job well done. He carried his sense of humor to the end.

That same hands-on spirit extended into everything he did. Tom loved the outdoors, whether he had a fishing line in the water or was happily tinkering in the yard. He was an avid curler and golfer-spending much of his free time in retirement enjoying these activities with friends. He was an avid collector of tools and could fix almost anything he put his hands to.

He was a devoted father, but it was as a grandfather where Tom truly came to life. With grandchildren Jacob, Jett, and Zachary, he was tireless and joyful — flying kites, pushing swings, giving rides in the snow scoop, and pulling them into the simple pleasure of raking leaves together. Whether in Stratford, at Goulais Bay, or in Grand Rapids, the moment one of his grandchildren walked through the door, his face transformed with a pure and unmistakable joy. It was, perhaps, his happiest state.

In his later years, Carolyne Nanghke and her children Chantel and Elijah came into Tom's life and found a warm and ready place in his heart — a reminder that his capacity for family knew no boundaries.

Tom was predeceased by his parents Isabelle and Lloyd Sainsbury; his eldest sister Margaret (Sainsbury) Crawford and her husband Ray Crawford; nieces Robin and Elan Crawford; and sister-in-law Betty Sainsbury.

He is lovingly survived by his wife Kimberley (Kim) Sainsbury; daughters Stephanie and Kristin Sainsbury; son-in-law John Wolfe; and three cherished grandchildren, Jacob and Jett Wolfe and Zachary Vandermaas. He is also survived by his older brothers Jim Sainsbury and wife Shirley; nephew Michael Sainsbury; brother Bill Sainsbury and niece Tracy Sainsbury and Bryant Adlam; younger brother Lloyd Sainsbury Jr. (Butch) and Elaine Sainsbury; and nephews Mark and Matthew Sainsbury and sister Catherine (Kae) and husband Ken Gardhouse. He is also survived by his nephew Keith Crawford and his wife Dawn.

Tom leaves behind a family who loved him deeply, a career he was rightly proud of, and the memory of a man who found his greatest joy in the laughter of his grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Sunday, April 19, 2026 at Stratford Country Club from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted to the Alzheimer Society Huron Perth (www.alzheimer.ca) and the Perth-Huron VON Adult Day Program (www.von.ca), directly or through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services, 804 Ontario St., Stratford. N5A 3K1. 519-271-5062

The family thanks the team at People Care Tavistock (Hope Street) for the unwavering kindness and compassion they showed to both Tom and his family. We are eternally grateful for your dedication to delivering quality care to the residents and support to their families.

03/25/2026

The most philanthropic disposition option is BODY BEQUEATHAL - donating yourself to science. When someone does that, they are not out of sight / out of mind. They're an angel of mercy. When your body is donated, you are contributing to advancements in education and new treatments for those who are living. After a period of time (often a year) the person is cremated and the expense is assumed entirely by the health institute. It is for this reason that Body Bequeathal is often the least costly option on a funeral homes price list - and the family always has the option to obtain the remains afterward. These hospitals and institutes of learning often hold beautiful services for the families of decedents who were donated, in recognition and thanks for their generous contribution. But that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate your loved one again, when the remains are returned to you.

03/24/2026

KENNETH EARL MacDONALD
May 1958 - March 2026

It is with heavy hearts that we remember Kenneth Earl MacDonald, born May 14, 1958, who left us at the age of 67 on March 17, 2026 after an unexpected battle with cancer. Born and raised in St. Paul, Alberta, Kenneth later settled in Palmerston, Ontario and raised a family of his own.

Kenneth is lovingly remembered by his mother, Charmaine and is predeceased by his father, Grant. He will be dearly missed by his and Karen’s three daughters: Kelsey-Rose (partner John; Nikki), Kaitlyn, Breanna, and their son Philip. He is survived by his siblings Daniel, Douglas, Cathryn, Patricia, Robert and their families, as well as beloved by extended family, close friends, and the many lives he touched.

Kenneth worked 28 years at Larry Hudson’s dealership in Listowel as the Parts Assistant Manager, known for his friendliness and unique ability to connect with everyone. He loved cars, Lego, square dancing, and travelling - especially Japan - and will be remembered for his humour, generous spirit, exuberant enthusiasm for life, and deep adoration of his children.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Kenneth’s healthcare team; Bayshore, the Palliative unit at Bluewater Hospital, and St Joseph’s Hospice in Sarnia, with a special thanks to Dr. Kim for his care and support to both Kenneth and the family.

A memorial service will be held Friday, March 27 at 2 PM at James St. United Church in Palmerston, ON. A Celebration of Life will follow on Sunday, May 24 at 1 PM at Parkview Gardens in Listowel, ON. Guests are invited to wear colour at both events to reflect
Kenneth’s vibrant spirit.

If you would like to donate, we encourage you to support St. Joseph’s Hospice in Sarnia, ON. (www.stjosephshospice.ca / 519-337-0537), directly, or through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services, Stratford. (www.jarfh.com / 519-271-5062)

03/23/2026

PATRICIA ANN JOYCE RACHO
April 1957 - March 2026

Patricia Ann Joyce Racho (Bradbury) passed peacefully at London University Hospital on Friday, March 20, 2026 in her 68th year.

Survived by her sons Michael (Bev) and Brian (Karrielyn) and her grandchildren Brandon, Cassandra, April, Brittany and Adrian. She will be missed by her sisters Diane Hawkins (Bob), Donna Bradbury and her brother Reginald Bradbury (Janice) and her three great grandchildren. Patricia is predeceased by her parents Leslie Harold and Doreen Marion Bradbury, as well as her sister Mary.

Patricia had a passion for reading and loved to spend time with her grandchildren and her family. She could light up a room with her contagious laughter and her smile will be deeply missed by all.

Donations to a charity of choice are gratefully being accepted through Rutherford Cremation & Funeral Services. 804 Ontario St., Stratford, ON. N5A 3K1. 519-271-5062.

03/16/2026

M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T :
It is our belief that a funeral home should proactively carry out their function as a necessary source of information to a community, before their services are required. That should be the funeral homes number one function. They should strive to be a hub of information to the public so that the public may rely upon the home for any and all questions that arise – not only to answer the questions that are asked of them, but to reach out and regularly offer full information on the things that the public is unaware of. To talk about all aspects of the service they provide and to consider three things at all times – the individuals wish, their options and their financial situation.

03/11/2026

After CREMATION or AQUAMATION you may have the remains of your loved one placed into any receptacle from home if you wish. Some meaningful and creative containers we have filled in the past have been: a family cookie jar (the baker in the family), a fire extinguisher (fireman), a crown royal bottle (favourite whiskey), and an empty shell (husband/wife who worked in the navy on a navy vessel). The only criteria would be that it fits into the grave or columbarium wall if the remains are to be buried in a cemetery.

Address

804 Ontario Street Unit C11
Stratford, ON
N5A3K1

Website

http://jarfh.com/

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Our compassionate and experienced staff have been serving the Stratford area for many years. Our commitment to serve you better transcends our facility. We invite you to browse our website, and please feel comfortable enough to stop and submit a question or comment if you wish. We strive to make our families and visitors feel comfortable while paying respects to their lost loved ones, and we make considerable efforts to maintain our focus on the high standards expected of a place of tribute. If you're looking to plan a funeral in the Stratford area, feel free to contact us today.