Tips:
- There is site parking…read more
- It's a large cemetery. Senlac Road cuts it in half.
- This place offers visitation, prayer, and burial services, which is nice not having to drive a long distance after the prayer service to visit the final resting place.
My best friend from grade 10 Cantonese class let me know last Friday that his mom had passed away earlier in the week. I immediately felt so sad. She was a remarkable woman who brought six kids and husband from Vietnam over to Canada to start a new life.
My friend was her caretaker for several years. He is the youngest out of the six siblings.
He let me know that visitation was being held last Saturday. Visitation, prayers, and funeral services were on Monday at York Cemetery and Funeral Centre. It was too short notice for me to visit on Saturday. Instead, I booked a day off to pay my respects this past Monday.
My friend, like me, is a planner. I feel that if you don't plan, you're not my friend... haha!
A good decade ago, he financed a plot of land for his mom's final resting place at this cemetery. He also financed a spot next to her, so they would always be together. He did monthly payments. It makes sense to not stress about it when the day comes.
I used to hang out in this part of North York when I was an undergraduate. When you're young, you don't think of a cemetery in the area. Yep, it's tucked away from the craziness that is Yonge Street.
I had no problem finding the cemetery. I got there on a snowy morning at 9 am. It was peaceful and picturesque as the signs clearly directed me to the funeral centre.
I parked in a spot fairly close to the entrance. I didn't realize that I had accidentally parked in an accessibility spot. The snow had covered it and I didn't see the blue until the snow had melted a bit. Oops!
I made oops moments as I went. I walked in. There was a man holding the door. I said hi. I didn't hear what he had said to me. He had a quiet voice. I then turned around, sensing that he was displeased.
He asked me if I had heard him. It felt rhetorical. First, I had a winter hat on that covered my ears. Second, I saw a digital sign with three faces on it. I needed to figure out which one was my friend's mom and which room to go in.
If I looked like a complete tourist, I was. I apologized. He should understand that folks mourn differently and get distracted. He seemed okay afterwards. I said that I was here for the middle photo. He let me know that the visitation and prayer services were in the room to the right on the photo.
I did things sort of backwards. Again, I don't hang out at funeral homes often. I went into the room, lit an incense stick, and prayed while visiting my friend's mom. She looked at peace. This place did a tasteful job celebrating her life with lots of flowers, fruit, and more.
I needed a washroom, so I left the room to figure it out. I asked two folks seated next to the photo. I would later get an introduction from my friend that they were his niece and partner. Cool!
They helped me with the washroom directions. I was nearly at the women's when my friend came out of the men's. No matter how much time passes when we haven't seen each other, we pick up from where we left off. It happened and we chatted for a bit.
I attended to my bladder. The washroom was clean and nice.
There are coat rooms everywhere. This place has thought of everything.
I signed the guestbook. The room where we were had coffee, water, and danish butter cookies. I appreciated the water and cookies.
My friend seemed to relieved that I had come. He hung out with me as much as he could, which was sweet.
Photos of his mom with family scrolled on the screen. A Buddhist monk led prayer services. Staff and the director let us know when prayers were done and we'd be heading out to the resting place.
Staff were great directing the pallbearers on what to do. I liked the care that they exhibited.
We all followed the hearse in our vehicles to her final resting place. It seemed like a long ride because we were going slow with hazard lights on. We crossed Senlac Road to get to section 37.
This place is special. It accepts all religious denominations. You see how harmonious it is cutting through the cemetery. Greek. Catholic. Buddist. Jewish. A lot more. It was so nice.
I liked seeing these huge elephant statues in one section. My friend said that there's a famous movie director buried here. Wow!
The burial was efficient and tasteful. We lit incense, prayed, and put a rose on top of her closed coffin.
It was a windy day (-2°C with a windchill of -12°C). When you're standing there, it feels colder.
The director said that we could go into our cars and he'd let us know when to come back to pay our final respects. I stayed out with my friend.
Leaving was interesting. Some paths were blocked, so I winged it with my friend next to me in my car.
It's a nice cemetery. I will return to visit his mom and discover more of it.
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