Mattatall - Varner Funeral Home

Mattatall - Varner Funeral Home Mattatall Varner provides a full range of funeral products and services to residents of Truro and su

08/04/2025

Nancy Lorraine Blair – 71, Salmon River, passed away peacefully, after a courageous batle with cancer, surrounded by the love of her family, on Wednesday morning, ...

08/04/2025

Paul James Tingley, Sr. – 78, Brookside, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro. Born in Greenhill, he was ...

For The Consecration of a Cemetery This verdant field that smiles to Heaven In Nature's bright array, From comm...
08/01/2025

For The Consecration of a Cemetery

This verdant field that smiles to Heaven
In Nature's bright array,
From common uses set apart,
We consecrate to-day.

"God's Acre" be it fitly called,
For when, beneath the sod,
We lay the dead with reverent hands,
We yield them back to God.

And His great love, so freely given,
Shall speak in clearer tones,
When, pacing through these hallowed walks,
We read memorial stones.

Here let the sunshine softly fall,
And gently drop the rain,
And Nature's countless harmonies
Blend one accordant strain;

That they who seek this sacred place,
In mourning solitude,
In all this gracious company
May have their faith renewed.

So, lifted to serener heights,
And purified from dross,
Their trustful hearts shall rest on God,
And profit by their loss.

- Horatio Alger, Jr.
January 13, 1832 - July 18, 1899

07/28/2025

Kendall White – 62, Debert, beloved father, grandfather, outdoorsman. Kendall passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Thursday, July 24, 2025, leaving a legacy of love, laughter and ...

The Order of ServiceA Blueprint to Support an Important CeremonyWhen working with a family to arrive at a service to pay...
07/28/2025

The Order of Service
A Blueprint to Support an Important Ceremony

When working with a family to arrive at a service to pay tribute to a loved one, decisions are made and details are noted. These form the basis for a timeline that represents the unfolding of the service. A hard copy ‘Order of Service’ is created which provides service details, and as such, this becomes a guide for all in attendance.

If we go back in time, a traditional order of service would have included details for visitations, the funeral service, the burial committal service and the reception. Options for today’s services are much more varied and as such, the corresponding Order of Service varies in the type of service provided and the details contained within.

Orders of Service will include some of the below, depending on the service:
• Name, Dates and Photograph of the Departed Loved One
• Obituary Details, Surviving Family Members, Next of Kin, and their Relationships to the Deceased.
• Service Details: Locations, Dates, Times and Durations
• Details of the Service: Naming of Music to be Played, Scripture to be Read, Poems and Readings
• Naming of those who will assist at the service, clergy, musicians, the eulogist, those who share readings, pall bearers and others supporting the service.
• Sometimes a copy of the obituary is placed on the order of service. Sometimes a special poem or scripture is shared, (an example being the 23rd Psalm).

It needs mentioning, that presently, there are many options families have to choose from, when making decisions regarding the service; the order of service itself will correspond to the type of service decided on. There are many ‘templates’ depending on what is chosen.

It is important to remember that the key purposes of the Order of Service are: it is a tangible record of the proceedings at the service, it assists attendees who are following the service and lastly it serves as a keepsake of the day, one which honours and remembers someone loved.

© Mattatall-Varner Funeral Home/CFHC Online

07/26/2025

Kathryn

07/25/2025

Patricia Rose

07/25/2025

Provider of Headstones, Grave Markers, Cremation Urns, Gravestones, Caskets, Urn, Cremation Jewelry and more.

Remembering William Lyon Mackenzie KingSeventy-five years ago today, Canadians mourned the loss of former prime minister...
07/22/2025

Remembering William Lyon Mackenzie King

Seventy-five years ago today, Canadians mourned the loss of former prime minister William Lyon Mackenize King. Having served as the country’s 10th prime minister over three non-consecutive terms, King left a huge imprint on the Canada we know today.

King was a dominant national politician for three decades, covering a span from the early 1920s to the late ’40s. Lauded for his leadership throughout the Great Depression and the Second World War, his accomplishments included but weren’t limited to:

• The introduction of Canadian citizenship.
• The negotiation of Newfoundland’s entry into Confederation.
• Establishment of a post-war agenda that helped lower wartime taxes and tariffs.
• Expansion of the Department of External Affairs, making Canada’s foreign policy more autonomous.
• Introduction of old-age pensions based on need.
• Introduction of unemployment insurance and family allowances, spearheading Canada’s first universal welfare program.
• Helped bring about the establishment Trans-Canada Air Lines (later renamed Air Canada).
• Pivotal role in the formation of the National Film Board of Canada.

A lifelong bachelor, King had few close relationships aside from his beloved dogs, but possessed a fascination with the occult and spiritual world. He believed his family was watching over him, something he confirmed through the use of mediums and seances. He would regularly see signs of their presence and would interpret his dreams as messages from the beyond.

After leading our country for 21 years and 154 days (the longest of any prime minister), King retired from politics in 1948 and later died of pneumonia on July 22, 1950. Historically, King is one of our most distinguished Prime Ministers and the $50 Canadian banknote bears his resemblance. The Mackenzie King Estate, his private country retreat, was bequeathed to the Government of Canada and continues to draw tourists from across the country to this day.

© Mattatall-Varner Funeral Home/CFHC Online

07/21/2025

Helen Bertha (McNutt) Lynds — 90, Onslow Mountain, NS, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 20, 2025 at the Colchester East Hants Health Centre. From Onslow Mountain, Helen ...

There’s Always Another WaySo, you’ve come up against a roadblock. No matter what you do you are stuck. The journey you a...
07/18/2025

There’s Always Another Way

So, you’ve come up against a roadblock. No matter what you do you are stuck. The journey you are experiencing is more complicated than you expected. Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences most people will ever have to endure. Yes, sometimes those who grieve become unable to cope with their new reality.

Perhaps you’ve used a number of strategies and none of them have worked. Maybe you’ve spoken with a professional. Maybe you’ve been in the same rut for quite sometime. It may seem that there aren’t any good options to choose from.

The journey following loss is different for everyone. It’s important to always remain hopeful. Discovering the right approach may just be a conversation away. We don’t have all the answers, complex feelings need to be unpacked, so that the loss being experienced can be processed.

The key is to look for new and fresh ways to address the grief you face. Finding and talking with the right individual, someone who understands you, someone who is nonjudgemental and someone who can provide just the right insights you need to come to terms with effects of the loss you have experienced.

If you are stuck, you need to reach out.

© Mattatall-Varner Funeral Home/CFHC Online

07/14/2025

Wayne Terrance Burley – 81, Truro, passed away peacefully, with his loving family at his side, on Saturday afternoon, July 12, 2025, following a period of ill health ...

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PO Box 751, 55 Young Street
Truro, NS
B2N5E8

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About Us

Mattatall-Varner is a full-service funeral home offering facilities for visitation and chapel services to Truro and surrounding communities.

We cater to the needs of families and individuals requiring either traditional funeral services or cremation. We offer many alternatives to those we assist, at their time of need.

Our facilities are within a “heritage style” home which was constructed in the 19th century. At this historic and centrally located site, we provide funeral services which are well received by our community, families, and their guests, who visit to pay respects and celebrate the lives of loved ones.