December 2013 Archives

We are mortal.  There is no escaping that fact.  There will come a day when we will have to handle funeral arrangements for someone we love or even pre-arrange our own.  Do we know all the options out there?  Is there something new that would tie in with new sensibilities?  Can someone help navigate the waters in this complex situation occurring at such a difficult time?

John Tittel, General Director of the Coopérative Funéraire des Laurentides situated in St. Jerome, certainly can.  At the age of 46, John has 13 years of experience in the funeral industry and was one of the co-founders and co-owners of the first ecologically friendly cemetery in Quebec:  Les Sentiers Commemoratifs de la Rivière in Prévost, Quebec.

A Profile of John Tittel and the Co-op Funeral Industry

We are mortal.  There is no escaping that fact.  There will come a day when we will have to handle funeral arrangements for someone we love or even pre-arrange our own.  Do we all know what our family members want?  Do we know what we want?  Do we know all the options out there?  Is there something new that would tie in with new sensibilities?  How much will it cost?  Can someone help navigate the waters in this complex situation occurring at such a difficult time? 

Mr. John Tittel is General Director of the Cooperative Funéraire des Laurentides situated in St. Jerome.  On the surface, he's just a neighbour like any other.  He and his wife and two daughters live in an average bungalow on a quiet side street in Dorval North near the Pine Beach commuter train station.  A tall man, he is often seen walking with his family to the nearby community centre, tennis rackets or beach towels in hand, or walking the dog, waving to neighbours as they pass.  An involved parent, he actively participates in his children's schools' governing boards - an important task not many are able to take on.  Like many in the Dorval area, he's concerned with the environment and recycles and composts regularly.  How do these characteristics connect with his livelihood?  Well, John is part of a funeral cooperative, a movement with a 60 year history in Quebec.  With a network of 178,000 members, it continues to grow, not only in the province, but also throughout Canada.