A pillar of the community celebrates 100 years of service (2025)

One hundred years after John E. Cole founded Pinecrest Cemetery, the Cole family was presented with a plaque by the City of Ottawa, recognizing the cemetery as a pillar of the community that preserves the history and heritage of Ottawa and remains a haven of tranquility, offering solace and serenity amid the growing, bustling city.

Presented as part of a two-day anniversary celebration held at Pinecrest Cemetery and Highland Park Cemetery, respectively, the recognition means everything to the family that has established an unparalleled reputation in the city, spanning five generations.

Article content

“At the time, Beechwood was the only large, non-denominational cemetery in Ottawa, and they felt that they needed a cemetery in the West End of the city,” explains John Cole, the grandson of the founder of the cemetery who, along with four other Westboro businessmen, purchased the first 30 acres of land near Baseline Road.

“In 1954, my father purchased 30 acres next to it, bringing Pinecrest Cemetery up to 60 acres total.”

As the years went by and the neighbourhood changed, so did Pinecrest Remembrance. By 1962, the cemetery became the site of the city’s first crematorium and made the Cole family leaders in the field.

In 1968, a second chapel was built and, in 1970, a second crematorium and indoor columbarium room were built. Indoor and outdoor crypts were also added, including Eastern Ontario’s first garden crypt mausoleum.

Then, in ’70s, the family established a second cemetery in Ontario: Highland Park Cemetery.

Located between Stittsville and Carp and named in memory of Cole’s grandfather, who also developed Highland Park in the Westboro area back in the 1900s, the cemetery is on 120 acres of beautiful parkland.

Article content

In 1993, Cole Funeral Services was founded. Ontario’s first full-service facility with on-site visitation and reception areas continued to expand in the 2000s with the addition of visitation rooms and the construction of the Mausoleum of Peace and Tranquility.

“What we wanted was light,” Cole says. “It’s more uplifting for a family to be in a nice, bright location when they pay their respects and begin their grieving than in an environment that’s dark and dreary.”

To celebrate the past 100 years and usher in the next 100, Pinecrest Remembrance held a ceremony for dignitaries that included the deputy mayor, suppliers and staff, June 7, and a party with local talent June 8.

“The Ottawa Fire Services band performed and marched us to where the Cole family is resting,” said Laurie Cole, daughter of John M. Cole, and president and funeral director of Cole Funeral Services and secretary-treasurer of Pinecrest. “We had a champagne toast there.”

Today, as per its beginnings, Pinecrest Remembrance offers a full range of services to all faiths.

For more information about any of the services, visit pinecrest-remembrance.com.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Pinecrest Remembrance Services.

Article content