John “Jack” Jerrett
Section 8, Lot 476
Prospect Cemetery
Born in April, 1914, the founder of Jerrett Funeral Chapels Limited died on the Friday of the Victoria Day weekend in May, 1967. Returning from a trip to Welland, he was coming in for a landing at Toronto International Airport, when his twin engine plane got caught in the wind vortex of a commercial airplane. Jack Jerrett grew up in the Lisgar Street area, went to the West End “Y”, and was involved with the West Toronto Salvation Army. After an apprenticeship with Speers Funeral Home in the Junction, he took over the Nash Funeral Home site on St. Clair Avenue West and opened the family business in the fall of 1937. For many years, his parents lived on the premises of the funeral home, while he and his family always lived next door, or very close to the business. His father and son were also named John. His wife, who was a qualified nurse, became a licensed funeral director at the age of 42. Family and friends were shattered by his untimely death at the age of 53. He was always affectionately known as “Jack”, to distinguish him from his dad and son. At his wife’s suggestion, the head of a boxer, representing the family pet, “Chief,” is repeated as a decorative border on his monument. The plane is a replica of the aircraft in which he died. Today, Jerrett’s is part of the Dignity Memorial family.