Hannah Boyd Goes Above and Beyond
Mount Pleasant Group employee Hannah Boyd recently returned from maternity leave to her role in the Learning and Development team, where she trains new staff on cemetery and funeral products and services. Before this, she spent several years as a licensed embalmer and funeral director at The Simple Alternative Pickering (TSAP).
It was there that she first met Harry, after helping him arrange the funeral for his wife in January 2020.
“He didn’t have a lot of money, so despite living in High Park, he chose Duffin Meadows, where it was more affordable,” said Hannah. “It was just him and a friend at the service, so the funeral home staff and the staff from Duffin Meadows Cemetery stepped in as pallbearers.”
For years after his wife’s passing, Harry took the bus every week from High Park to TSAP to visit Hannah and her colleagues. With no family of his own, he would stop by to chat, then continue on the bus to visit his wife’s grave. During these visits, Hannah got to know Harry well, learning about his past as a musician who once travelled extensively across Europe.
In December 2024, while on maternity leave, Hannah received a call from Duffin Meadows and TSAP team member Karen Robertson informing her that Harry had passed away. Knowing he had no one else, she made sure to attend his graveside funeral.
“Karen and I wanted to make sure he wasn’t alone. He was such a kind man, always looking for friendship wherever he could,” said Hannah. “It’s heartbreaking when someone has no one left. Funeral directors often say that everyone is worthy of our time, and every life deserves pause and reflection because it’s a life lived.”
Hannah’s story is a touching reminder of the compassion and dedication that funeral professionals bring to their work—going above and beyond to ensure that no one is forgotten and that every life is honoured with care and respect.