Our History

Our History

The historical facility of the Carruthers & Davidson Funeral Home - Stayner Chapel, has been providing funeral services to the area since 1864 when it was established as the Mathers Furniture Store and Undertaking. The Mathers family, longtime Stayner residents, owned and operated the business for over 100 years. Paula (née Carruthers) and Shawn Davidson purchased the funeral home in October 2001 from Pauline and Bill Tofflemire who had been operating as the Tofflemire Funeral Home since 1987.

Paula was born and raised in the area. She was introduced to funeral service as a secondary school co-op student in 1993 and continued to work with the Tofflemires until she entered the college program. Paula secured an apprenticeship with Turner & Porter Funeral Directors in Toronto. That is where she met Shawn who had been with company since 1992 and they married in 1999. Prior to acquiring the Stayner Chapel, Paula worked with the Ward and Neweduk families at their funeral home locations in the western GTA. Shawn continued to work with Turner & Porter until the move to Stayner.

For many years, Wasaga Beach families have been well served by the Stayner Chapel. In fact the first funeral home in Wasaga Beach in 1984 was a branch location of the Stayner Chapel. Shortly after establishing themselves as the new owners of the Carruthers & Davidson Funeral Home, Shawn and Paula understood the strong sense of community within Wasaga Beach. They also understood the value of having a local establishment where families could be comfortable, be provided with the professional and compassionate service they had come to expect and that was large enough and easily accessible for their families and friends. The plans began for what is now the Wasaga Beach Chapel.

Throughout this time, Shawn and Paula continued to build upon the service excellence that had been instilled in them during their tenures with some of the best in funeral service. The Stayner Chapel was remodelled and updated to meet the higher expectations and it has been recently updated once again. The use of advanced audio visual presentations, the encouragement for increased personalization, the expansion of services offered and an increased variety of choice were important advancements they embraced.

The property at 509 River Road West was acquired in late 2006. Following an extensive renovation, the Wasaga Beach Chapel opened for service to the local community in the fall of 2007. The facility is over 7,000 square feet and is designed to provide flexibility with modern and spacious layouts that will make all feel welcome. Whether it is a service for over 200 guests or an intimate gathering of 20, the facility will make everyone feel at home. Complete audio visual facilities exist, mirroring the Stayner Chapel, for presentations, special music and even digital video recording of events direct to DVD. There are on-site reception facilities and an in-house caterer to provide all desired services for your ceremonial and celebration needs.

In 2018, Paula’s expertise in funeral services was acknowledged by the industry’s regulator when she was hired as an inspector for the Bereavement Authority of Ontario. Her attention to detail and commitment to service excellence provide the foundation for this position as she works with funeral homes and cemeteries across the province. In order to avoid any conflict of interest, Paula has stepped away from daily operations at Carruthers & Davidson.

The personal touch continues, however, through the management of Shawn and the
dedicated team he leads whose focus is centred on the families they are privileged to serve at perhaps the most difficult time of their lives. Every detail, every request is fully considered and implemented. They are dedicated to providing families and their guests with the utmost in professionalism, compassion and value. A recent partnership established with another family-owned funeral services provider, Robert J. Carson Funeral Directors with chapels in Orillia and Midland, has expanded the capacity and resources of Carruthers & Davidson ensuring long-term viability.

Our team is committed to our communities as well. They support and are involved with the well being of Wasaga Beach and Clearview through memberships in service clubs, recreation, business associations and local causes.

We are honoured by the trust families invest in us when they choose Carruthers & Davidson Funeral Homes and it is our intention to continue to exceed your expectations.

What Makes Us Unique

We are proud to embrace traditional values, diversity and innovation in honouring the spirit and life of each person we serve. We offer a full selection of:
  1. Funeral and memorial services, ranging from traditional to uniquely innovative and personal
  2. Burial services and cremation options
  3. Celebrant Services
Letting go of a loved one is usually a very difficult process. In order to provide your family peace-of-mind, our funeral home offers complete care, so you can focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye to someone dear to you.

Although there are many decisions you may have to make, we assure you that we will guide you through the entire process every step of the way. We promise to help you:
  • Design the most fitting memorial or funeral service to honour their memory and pay tribute to their life achievements and experiences.
  • Select the most appropriate products, including a casket, burial vault, cremation urn, cemetery or mausoleum, to fit your budget and suit your needs and desires.
  • Write a fitting obituary to honour your loved one’s life experiences and social connections.
  • Assist in the publication of the obituary in the newspapers of your choice.
  • Create a Book of Memories™, a beautiful, permanent online memorial, where you and your friends can build a legacy of memories by archiving treasured photos and memories.
  • Welcome your family and friends to our funeral home for your planned services, including a viewing, visitation, funeral or memorial service.
  • Make all arrangements with regard to the services whether they are held at your place of worship, our funeral home, cemetery, or alternate gathering place.
  • Provide you with beautiful funeral print materials, including memorial folders, prayer cards and book marks. We also offer personalized note cards for you to acknowledge the emotional support you received from friends, co-workers and community members.
  • Provide an elegant hearse and funeral cars, as well as arrange for escorts.
  • Help in the selection and on-site arrangement of floral tributes.
  • Provide access to grief education and support materials, and referrals to counselling services.
  • Prepare all paperwork, including vital record statistics, permits, filing and obtaining death certificates, and assistance with life insurance, veteran’s benefits and Social Security claims.
We hope you will turn to us for compassionate care and impeccable service. Our pledge is to honour your loved one and family with dignity, respect and personal attention to every detail.
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