Hulse, Playfair & McGarry
Hulse, Playfair & McGarry (formerly Hulse & Playfair) is a chain of funeral homes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with several locations. Brian McGarry is the company's chief executive officer. McGarry has been involved in municipal politics and ran for the House of Commons in the Ottawa Centre constituency in the Canadian 2008 federal election.
In 2004, the current owners purchased the minority share held by Arbor Memorial Services, a publicly-traded company based in Toronto.
In 2004, McGarry stated that high property taxes adversely affected funeral homes and other firms located in downtown Ottawa.
References
Charles and Percy Hulse formed the partnership of Hulse Brothers in 1925, buying a small troubled funeral home called "Woodburn's". Soon afterward the brothers realized there was not enough business to support two families. They literally flipped a coin to see who would leave Ottawa; Percy left and eventually started his own business in St. Catherines, Ontario. 'Charlie' stayed in Ottawa and became well known through Kiwanis, the Ottawa Board of Education, the co-founding of the Cancer Society (his first wife died of cancer).
In 1933, Charlie Hulse invited Keith Playfair to join him as a partner, Mr. Playfair having been the manager of a leading funeral home in Ottawa at that time: the Bernie Funeral Home. The two quite opposite personalities complimented one another and within a few years the firm's name changed from Hulse Brothers to Hulse & Playfair.
In 1938-39, The New partnership made a bold move by building Ottawa's first funeral chapel, adding a 200 seat sanctuary to the already expanded sandstone building. The firm grew rapidly to become Ottawa's largest funeral establishment, known as the Central Chapel (315 McLeod Street).
In 1959, Hulse & Playfair opened their second location: the West Chapel (150 Woodroffe Avenue); it too became known for excellent service and quality facilities. It also has a 200 seat chapel, having been built onto the original St. Martin's church.
In the early 1960's, Charles Hulse and Keith Playfair began a tradition now unequalled in Canada: inviting employees to become shareholders in the company. Maurice Hulse (Charlie's younger brother), Keith Campbell (a long-time dedicated employee) and George Schaef (another long serving employee who became perhaps the most significant Secretary-Treasurer and fiscal manager of the firm) were the first group of colleagues to become shareholders and eventually full equal partners.
This was just the beginning of a long list of employees and leading funeral directors to become shareholders: Cliff Lloyd; Keith Shaver; Laird Barclay; Alex Caldwell; Doug Kennedy; André Robert; Guy Gagné; Richard Cline; Brian McGarry; Sharon McGarry; Patrick McGarry; Robin McGarry; Tom Flood; Don Renaud. No other funeral firm in Canada, and perhaps throughout North America, has involved as many employees… some with a few shares, others with many. Trillium Funeral Service in Toronto was a minority shareholder in 3 of the McGarry Family's 8 locations: 5 developed and 3 sites yet to be developed. In March 2004, Brian McGarry and Sharon McGarry purchased the remaining minority shares of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry from Trillium Funeral Service, returning the firm to 100% local Ottawa ownership.
The Hulse Family and the McGarry Family are the two families who, at separate times, attained majority ownership. Following the substantial growth and high service standard of the company established in the early years, the McGarrys' involvement of more than four decades has been able to sustain and build upon the Central Chapel and West Chapel benchmarks. Brian McGarry began his carer in 1962 and was invited to become a minority partner in 1973. Under his leadership a chronicle of events took place in rapid succession.
1981 Capital Mortuary Services was developed serving the coroners, police and colleague funeral directors in Ottawa.1983 The Memorial Funeral Home/Simplicity Plan® was formed, providing alternative funeral options to the public.
1983 The St. Laurent Funeral Home in East Ottawa was built, first in conjunction with the McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home and later purchased in its entirety under the Hulse, Playfair & McGarry umbrella.
1987 Trillium Funeral Service (Toronto) purchased a minority position in 3 Hulse, Playfair & McGarry locations and in the same year the McGarrys attained majority ownership of all locations.
1989 Major renovations to the original Central Chapel location, 315 McLeod Street.
1991 Major renovations and addition to the West Chapel property, 150 Woodroffe Ave.
1992 Opening of the first dedicated after-funeral Reception and Resource Centre in Ottawa, 328 McLeod Street.
1998 Opening of the McGarry Memorial Chapel & Crematorium in Wakefield.
1999 A major addition to the Central Chapel, including a second after-funeral Reception Centre.
2001 Establishment of the McGarry Memorial Tree program. In cooperation with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, a tree is planted for every service in the care of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry.
2002 Formation of McGarry Family Chapels Inc. and the acquiring of 3 properties to serve a growing Ottawa: South (Barrhaven); East (Cumberland); West (Kanata).
In March 2004, Brian McGarry and Sharon McGarry purchased the remaining minority shares of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry from Trillium Funeral Service, returning the firm to 100% local Ottawa ownership.
The management team includes Tom Flood, Don Renaud, David Craig.
Family member involvement includes: Sharon McGarry (President), Patrick McGarry, Robin McGarry, Brett McGarry, Erin McGarry, Barry Schwerdfeger, Tyler McGarry Schwerdfeger, Carolyn McGarry Coté, Joan Sun McGarry, Brian McGarry (CEO).
Ken Bagnell, a noted Toronto author/writer reported in his history of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry that the firm serves the total spectrum of society, from paupers to prime ministers.
The ability to serve a cross-section of Canada's population and to treat each bereaved family as special, is captured in the title of Mr. Bagnell's booklet: "Decades and Dedication". The Hulse, Playfair & McGarry history is evident in their motto: "Serving your community since 1925". The founding creed remains true today: