Our Staff

Our Staff

Shawn Davidson

Managing Licensed Funeral Director

Raised in Dunnville, Ontario, Shawn graduated from Humber College and was licensed as a funeral director in 1993. He apprenticed and remained with Turner & Porter Funeral Directors in Toronto and Mississauga until he and his wife acquired the Tofflemire Funeral Home in 2001. Shawn is married to Paula and they have a daughter Olivia. Shawn relocated to Stayner with Paula in the fall of 2001 and has become committed to the community. Shawn has served as President of the Stayner Chamber of Commerce and of the Stayner Lions Club and he has been a board member and a committee chair at their church. Shawn was elected to municipal council in 2003, filling the seat vacated by Paula's mother, June and completed four terms before stepping down in 2018. During his tenure on Clearview Council, Shawn chaired the Planning Committee, was a member of the Library and Creemore Medical Centre Boards among others. In April of 2007, Shawn was honoured to be appointed by the Province as a Commissioner for the Niagara Escarpment Commission where he recently completed over 10 years of service to the Commission and Province of Ontario. Shawn enjoys spending time with his girls, Paula and their daughter Olivia. He also takes advantage of the lifestyle this region affords his family: skiing, kayaking, boating, hiking and snowmobiling. Shawn is committed to the communities of Clearview and Wasaga Beach and to those who call it home.

Brian Ayotte

Licensed Funeral Director
Email: info@carruthersdavidson.com

Brian was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, eventually settling and spending the majority of his childhood and teen years in Mattawa, Ontario. Upon completion of high school in 1981 Brian entered the Funeral Services Education Program at Humber College, in Rexdale, Ontario. After completing an apprenticeship with Turner & Porter Funeral Directors in Mississauga, Ontario, and graduating from the program in 1983, Brian remained with Turner & Porter for nearly fifteen years. During this time Brian began painting as a hobby and selling his work, adding self-taught professional artist to his resumé. After leaving Turner & Porter Brian accepted positions with Arbor Memorial Services in both Toronto and eventually Barrie, Ontario. While in Barrie, Brian was contacted by Shawn Davidson of Carruthers & Davidson Funeral Home, with whom he worked and trained during his time with Turner & Porter, asking if he would consider casual, part-time employment in Stayner. An old undertaker once said to Brian, “Son, don’t retire, you’ll die soon after. Just slow down, you’ll last a lot longer”. The opportunity with Carruthers & Davidson seemed to be just what Brian needed. That was in 2005. In 2015 Brian and his family relocated from Barrie to Collingwood, Ontario, where, to this day he still assists families in the area plan and create meaningful tributes and services. In case anyone was wondering, Brian is still painting as well.   

Kathleen 'Kathee' Vanderwood

 Licensed Funeral Director
Email: info@carruthersdavidson.com

Originally from Nova Scotia, Kathee grew up with familial ties to the clergy and discovered at a young age, her calling to serve others in times of need. Following high school, Kathee took a part-time job as an Office Administrator for a funeral home in Parry Sound, Ontario before attending the Funeral Service Education program at Humber College. Graduating with Honours and obtaining her Funeral Director License in 2013, Kathee served communities in Thunder Bay, Haliburton, Coboconk, Uxbridge, and Port Perry before relocating with her husband Daniel to the Collingwood area. Kathee also served on the Board of Directors for Kawartha Haliburton Victim Services, an organization that provides emotional and practical support and resources for victims of crime and tragic circumstances. Family has always been very important to Kathee, something that is exemplified in the care and compassion she shows to the families she serves. When she is not working, Kathee enjoys spending time with friends, reading a good book, watching her nieces and nephews and finds solace being near the water.

Danny Belcourt

Funeral Director's Assistant

Danny was born and raised on a farm in Springwater. He and his wife RuthAnn ran a dairy farm for 30 years. After leaving the farming industry, he moved to Elmvale where his interest in Funeral Service led him to obtain a correspondence diploma in Funeral Service Education. He has assisted in funeral home environments for over 21 years and has been with the Carruthers and Davidson Funeral Home for over 15 years. Danny and RuthAnn have been married for over 50 years. They have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Danny enjoys golf, curling and watching hockey.

RuthAnn Belcourt

Receptionist and Hostess

RuthAnn is a long-time resident of Springwater. She was raised on a farm and attended school in Elmvale where she met her husband Danny. They married and ran a dairy farm for 30 years, raising 3 children and have 7 grandchildren. RuthAnn joined the funeral home in 2009 as a part-time receptionist and hostess. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren. In her spare time, she also enjoys baking, sewing, quilting, gardening and curled for many years.

Tracey Measures

Office Administrator and Receptionist


Jamie Parker

Funeral Director's Assistant

After retiring from the insurance business, Jamie turned his focus to funeral pre-planning at Robert J. Carson Funeral Directors. He then cut back to part-time as a funeral director's assistant, a job he continues to perform at Carruthers & Davidson.

Alicia Savage

Our Funeral Celebrant

As a Certified Life Celebrant, Alicia helps families tell their story through personalized funeral, memorial and celebration of life services. A Celebrant is a valuable option for families looking outside traditional, formal ceremonies. Alicia is a Collingwood native who returned to Simcoe County in 1993 to manage her family's independent newspaper company. She served two terms on the Councils of Clearview and Simcoe County and now provides funeral support at Carruthers & Davidson. Alicia is an avid tennis and pickleball player, downhill skier, gardener and harnesses her love of cooking while entertaining friends. She and her husband Rick love to travel and have had the fortune to visit all seven of the world's continents.
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