Our Team

David A. McCall

(Chairman)

David was born and raised in Victoria and is a third generation funeral director. He started in the funeral profession in 1977 after graduating from the University of British Columbia with his Bachelor of Commerce Degree. David has been heavily involved with the Funeral Service Association Of BC and was instrumental in the passing of the BC provincial government’s Funeral Services Act. In his spare time David enjoys spending time with his family, including five grandchildren, salmon fishing and golfing.

Trevor McCall

(President)

Trevor was born in Victoria, BC and graduated from Glenlyon Norfolk High School in 1998. He played Junior Hockey for the Victoria Salsa before receiving a hockey scholarship to Iona College in New York. Trevor graduated with honours from Iona College in 2005 with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Finance. He worked for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City for five years before coming home to join the family business in 2009. Trevor graduated with the highest overall academic performance in his class from the B.C. Funeral Apprenticeship Program.  He is extremely proud to represent the fourth generation of the McCall family to be involved in the family business. Trevor is married to Erin Rivelli of New York and together have three sons,  Callan, Grady and Owen.

Dean Freer

(General Manager)

Dean was born in Trail, British Columbia and raised in Victoria where he completed his high school education at Lambrick Park Secondary School. Starting his career with McCall’s in the fall of 1988, Dean received his professional training at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, where he graduated from the Mortuary Science program. In 1998, McCall’s built it’s second location, Sequoia Gardens, where Dean was promoted to Location Manager. Following in the footsteps of his retired mentor, Stuart Carrol, Dean now looks after the overall operations of the company as General Manager.

For many years Dean was an active member of the Saanich Police Reserve Program, Uplands Golf Club, Victoria Harbourside Rotary Club, Royal Canadian Legion and the Shawnigan Lake Fire Department where he attained the rank of Lieutenant. He now serves as Vice-Chair of the Shawnigan Improvement District. Some of his hobbies include hunting, fly fishing, golf and hockey. Dean is married and has two beautiful daughters.

Robin Heppell

(Advanced Planner & Licensed Funeral Director)

Rob was born and raised in Victoria and is a fourth-generation funeral director. He received early training at his grandfather’s and uncle’s funeral home (Egan Funeral Home) in Bolton, Ontario. Rob has been associated with McCall Gardens since 1986, when he started as an apprentice and then became a funeral director and embalmer and later the manager of advance planning.

After launching the first McCall’s website in 1998, Rob eventually left full-time employment at McCall Gardens to start his own company which assisted funeral homes throughout North America in the areas of technology, strategy and pre-planning. During this time he remained associated with McCall’s as a consultant.  After selling his business, Rob rejoined McCall Gardens and once again is focusing on advanced funeral, cremation and memorial planning.

Rob has obtained the designation of CFSP (Certified Funeral Service Practitioner) and is a Certified Celebrant.   Rob and his wife, Cindy, are proud parents of Haleigh and Noah and have a dog, Charlie and cat, Jasper.  He has coached both children in hockey and lacrosse.

Rob can be reached by email at robin.heppell@mccallgardens.com.

Chris Dorrington, CFSP

(Director of Operations/Funeral Director)

Chris was born in Peterborough, Ontario and raised in Victoria, British Columbia as the second of four children of a clergyman. (Rt. Rev. Dr. C.W. Dorrington, Reformed Episcopal Bishop of Western Canada, Alaska & Cuba) Chris had the privilege of being educated at St. Michael’s University Preparatory School in Victoria.

Chris began his career at McCall Bros. Funeral Services in 1983, at their original location in Victoria. His formal education as a Funeral Director was conducted through the British Columbia Funeral Association at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, BC. He is a fully licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer.

Chris has also trained and worked as a Crematorium Operator and has served six years as both an Industry Member and as a Consumer Member of the “Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Advisory Group” to Consumer Protection BC.

Chris spent time as the Funeral Service Association of British Columbia’s Embalming Evaluator for the B.C. Embalmers & Funeral Directors Apprenticeship Program and was one of three trial Funeral Directors appointed as a District Registrar for the Province of British Columbia, pursuant to the Vital Statistics Act. He is the longest serving Funeral Director/Registrar in the Province.

Chris served 18 years as a cadet and an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. In 1992 he was appointed Air Force Representative to the CIL Branch National Advisory Counsel to Ottawa. In 1994, Major Dorrington was appointed to command the roadside contingent and Honour Guard for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her attendance at the 15th Commonwealth Games in Victoria, BC. This was the second time that he had the privilege to directly serve Her Majesty, having been selected as a cadet in 1983 to be a member of her Honour Guard.

Chris believes in being involved in his community. He was the Founding President of the 848 RCACS Support Association in Colwood and was the Executive Director of the Campbell River Hospice Society. He has also served on the Boards of the Nanaimo Oceanside Rotary Club and the Newcastle Neighbourhood Association. Chris has been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, the Campbell River Rotary Club and the North Island Cruisers car club. Chris is currently a member of the Cadillac Club of British Columbia and also serves as the Master of Ceremonies for the Victoria Remembrance Day Ceremony held at the Legislature Cenotaph.

Chris’ partner, Elizabeth, is also a member of the McCall Gardens team. Chris is a proud father to his daughter, Kelty and son, Karl.

Nikki Seewald

(Funeral Director)

Nikki was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She has close to 20 years of service in corporate government where she developed business knowledge and strong customer service skills. She joined the McCall Gardens team in 2022.

In 2016, Nikki and her husband moved to Salt Spring Island, BC where she developed and operated a successful bed and breakfast for five years. During the five years she was also employed at a local funeral home. Working at the funeral home fueled her long-held desire of working in the funeral profession. Her dream of becoming a licenced funeral director and embalmer came true when she graduated from the Canadian College of Funeral Service in 2022.

Nikki is sensitive and empathic, which is evident when taking care of families and their loved ones. She has a keen sense to detail and understands the importance of relationship building. Nikki’s passion for helping is reflected in how well she cares for families during their difficult time of loss.

Nikki has an insatiable desire for education and learning. Her current educational accomplishments range from law enforcement studies, first responder, Aboriginal Studies, business, human resources, and death care. Having married into a Metis family, Nikki has developed a love of learning about diverse cultures and their funeral rituals, which she believes has enriched her professional and personal life immensely.

In her spare time, Nikki and her husband, Joe, enjoy spending time with family and friends and being outside in nature whenever possible.

Ron Davies, MBIE

(Care Centre Manager/ Funeral Director)

Originally from Steveston, BC, Ron entered funeral service in 1979.  He spent most of his adult life in Langley on the lower mainland. Ron holds BC Funeral Director and Embalmer licenses and is certified in Britain as a member of the British Institute of Embalmers.  He joined McCall Gardens in 2008 after providing decades of devoted funeral service to families in other cities on Vancouver Island and in the Greater Vancouver Area. Ron also holds a crematorium operator certificate and is certified through UBC in radionuclide safety and methodology. He has published articles on radiation safety in the workplace concerning radionuclide therapy and the deceased. He has served as a reservist with the Royal Westminster Regiment and as a piper with the Irish Pipes and Drums British Columbia Regiment, Duke of Connaught’s Own. Ron also serves with the 78th Fraser Highlanders on both Fort Fraser and Fort Victoria garrisons as Captain and Officer of the Honourable Guard; fulfilling ceremonial duties and firing salutes in support of veterans and escorting and honouring dignitaries, including Royal and Vice Regal guests at formal events from the Highland Games to Government House. He is also a proud member of the Victoria Fish and Game Protective Association. Ron has been awarded the Golden Jubilee Medal, BCR Centennial Service Medal and the Lovat Cross.

Ron is a caring, proficient and highly experienced Funeral Director.  He uses his expertise to gently guide families during their time of grief and to insightfully help plan any kind of service from individualized celebrations of life to formal events honouring dignitaries and public figures.

In his spare time, Ron rides a Harley as does his musician wife Jeannie. He is a musician, actor and entertainer, plays upright bass, guitar and bagpipes and has a love of good food and all things Scottish.

Cathy Dunfield

(Funeral Director)

Cathy was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick and moved to Victoria in 2002 due to a military posting. She has been in the funeral industry since May 2002 gaining a wide range of experience in all areas. She obtained her Funeral Director and Embalmer licenses in 2015 from the Canadian College of Funeral Service. She enjoys playing any sport and riding bicycles. She has participated in the Hospice Cycle of Life Tour four years in a row, raising funds for Hospice on Vancouver Island. She is also a big hockey fan. She is married to Peter and they have two children, Caitlin and Alexander.

April Switzer

(Funeral Director)

April was born in Edmonton, Alberta and was raised all over Alberta as well as the Northwest Territories. She has three amazing sons who keep her on her toes.

Riley Acciaroli

(Funeral Director)

Riley was born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta, to a very close knit family as an only child. At 19 years old she began her career in the funeral profession, and once she got in, she knew that she had found her calling. Riley began and completed her apprenticeship in Red Deer, graduating from the Canadian College of Funeral Service in 2019.

In 2021 Riley transferred her Funeral Director License to British Columbia and made the leap to Vancouver Island.  She joined the team at McCall Gardens in 2022.

Riley has a deep passion for helping families through the difficulty of losing a loved one and being able to help them carry the weight of funeral arrangements. She has a keen eye for detail and loves being able to give families the options they need to create a truly personalized and meaningful memorial.

In her spare time, Riley enjoys walking and playing with her dog, Olive, basking in the outdoors, listening to music, painting and photography (especially of Olive and the West Coast).

Dawn Bowden

(Aftercare Concierge)

Dawn was born and raised in Victoria. After over 30 years assisting clients with their insurance needs, Dawn has changed her career to focus on helping families after the loss of a loved one.

Dawn is happily married to her husband, Jim, and enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren. In her spare time she enjoys golf, cheering on her favourite sports team, travelling and wine tasting.

Deanne Bienert

(Executive Assistant)

Deanne was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has lived most of her life on the West Coast of BC.  She attended Kwantlen College for Marketing, worked in Customer Service roles for Tourism BC, IBM and Great-West Life.  She met and married her husband, John, and then moved to Whistler, BC, where they together ran a successful business for many years.   In 2005, they moved to Victoria and soon after Deanne joined the McCall Gardens family where she continues to enjoy a gratifying vocation helping to serve families.

Eren Holman

(Executive Assistant)

Eren was born and raised in Victoria, with her second home being Salt Spring Island. She attended the University of Victoria where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Sociology.  Eren was very happy to join the McCall Gardens team in early 2022 and is honoured to serve our communities’ families.

In her free time, Eren loves exploring all the natural beauty that the West Coast has to offer, spending as much time as she can at the ocean or one of the many beautiful lakes, going for walks with her pug, Milo, and reading.

Veronica Stewart

(Sequoia Catering- Manager)

Veronica was born and raised in Scotland.  She emigrated to Canada in 1979 after graduating from Edinburgh College of Art.  She has lived in Victoria since 1981, raising two sons and working as a full time artist until starting part time at Sequoia Catering in 2015. Veronica took over management duties in the spring of 2018. She still makes jewellery which is sold locally in galleries and loves to spend any free time in her garden.

Carolyn Duncan

(Office Manager – Accountant)

Carolyn was born in a small town near Spokane, Washington and moved to Canada as a child. She is proud of becoming a Canadian citizen in 2014. Her parents were both teachers and taught in several small towns throughout BC before finally settling in Sidney, BC.

Carolyn spent her early teens at St. Margaret’s School where her passion for horseback riding and sewing began.  She finished her high school years at Parkland Secondary School in Sidney where she was fortunate to have met lifetime friends.  After graduating high school she attended the CGA School of B.C. and started working in the accounting field.  Throughout her career she has worked as an accountant for several construction companies and at a local CA firm.  She made McCall Gardens her permanent home in 2012.

While pursuing her career she raised four wonderful children who are all flourishing and starting families of their own.  Her journey has led her to beautiful Brentwood Bay where she lives with her husband William.   They enjoy spending time with their 6 grandchildren, 2 border collies and renovating (constantly!).

Megan Sampson

(Creative Designer)

Megan Sampson was born and raised in Central Saanich, British Columbia. She attended the University of Victoria and received a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction, majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology. She moved to Scotland to study for her Master’s degree and attended the University of St Andrews. She received a Master’s degree in Scottish Historical Research.

Megan moved back to Central Saanich in 2014 to start a family. She is married to a military member, has 3 sons and lives on a small farm. Megan enjoys creative writing, reading, watercolor painting, digital art, acting, camping, hiking, and spending time with her family.

Megan is grateful to be able to help grieving families create memorial cards, tribute videos and register guest books. She also assists families with editing precious family photos that are used in memorial services.  You can contact Megan at designteam@mccallgardens.com.

Hatrick (Hattie)

(Greeter and Comfort Companion)

Meet Hattie, our lively comfort dog who brings boundless energy and comfort to our funeral home. Still in the early stages of training, Hattie embodies a spirit of enthusiasm and compassion, making her a cherished presence for families we serve and a loyal friend to our staff.  Hattie is a two year old, 16 pound, Australian Labradoodle.