While no one wants to consider the inevitable, pre-planning the details of your cremation or burial is one of the most thoughtful things you can do for your loved ones. The responsibility of making many difficult decisions during an already stressful time is alleviated with careful consideration and advance planning. It also offers the assurance and peace of mind that your wishes are known and will be carried out.
During our lives we plan for many situations; education, having a family, vacations, weddings and especially our retirement. However, many neglect to plan their end of life arrangements as it is a realization of our own mortality. We purchase insurance to help us in situations that may happen, such as accidents, earthquakes, fire, floods and theft. We should also consider planning of our end of life services as it not only lets our survivors know what our wishes are, but it can also avoid financial hardship. For helpful advice, download our Funeral and Cremation Planning Guide.
Make the first step today – click this link.
Meet MarLisa Hollands – our Preplanning Representative
MarLisa joined McCall Gardens as our Preplanning Representative, bringing a background in financial planning, life insurance, and professional coaching to the pre-arrangement process.
As a past Licensed Life Insurance Advisor and Mutual Fund Licensed professional, MarLisa has worked with individuals and families to plan confidently for the future. Her experience as a Life and High-Performance Coach gives her a natural ability to listen carefully, build trust, and guide people through important planning decisions with clarity and compassion.
MarLisa is passionate about helping families feel prepared, informed, and supported as they consider their funeral planning wishes. She has a professional soccer-playing teenager who hopes to play internationally, and a spirited pomeranian at home.
She can be reached at marlisa.hollands@mccallgardens.com or 250-888-5748.
My husband and I met with Rob Heppell from McCall Gardens about advance planning. Rob is such a professional, easy to communicate with and provided many options to fit our needs and wants. He is extremely knowledgeable and provided a breakdown of the services and options available. We met with Rob a few times and his patience and understanding were appreciated as we finalized our plans. We know we are in good hands with Rob and McCall Gardens and it was comforting to have the advance planning done for our loved ones. We highly recommend Rob if you are looking to speak with someone about the advance planning portion of your future funeral services. Thank you. Liz and Graham
- More reasons to pre-plan?
To relieve surviving family members from the burden of making decisions under times of grief and stress.
Seize the opportunity to make a rational decision while you are well.
For peace of mind… knowing that your wishes are known and will be carried out as specified.
Having an opportunity to discuss options with our staff and with your family, church, friends, etc.
Eliminate financial stress on your family in the future. You can select the services and merchandise according to your wishes, spiritual beliefs and budget.
Pre-planning is simply the right thing to do for your surviving family members.
- What is involved in making pre-arrangements?
Pre-planning can be as detailed or as simple as you choose. We will create a record of personal information that is required for Vital Statistics. This consists of your full name, address, spouse’s name, occupation, birth date, birthplace, social insurance number, care card number, parent’s names and their birthplaces and your executor’s name and contact information.
We will discuss and document whether you would like to be buried, cremated, entombed, or forwarded to another city or country. We will also provide choices around how you wish to be honoured such as a Traditional Funeral, Celebration of Life, Memorial Service, Graveside Service, or a Cremation without Ceremony.
You may also select a burial or cremation casket, urn, casket or urn vault, music, catering menus, flowers, venue, monument or memorial marker.
You may wish to pre-pay for your services. If the plan is paid in full or via monthly payments, our services and products will be guaranteed at today’s cost. For example, if the death occurs twenty years later, additional money will not be owed at the time of death. You may also make all arrangements in advance and wait to pay when the death occurs.
- Why pre-arrange with McCall’s?
A century of expertise: The McCall family and staff have been serving Greater Victoria since 1921, providing compassionate care and unparalleled service to more than 90,000 families.
Family owned and operated: Unlike other funeral homes in Greater Victoria, we proudly remain independent and locally owned. We are accountable to you, not to stockholders.
Superior standards: Our reputation is why we have been Victoria’s leader for almost 100 years. We are committed to excellence.
State-of-the-art facilities: Our beautiful facilities were designed to provide a sense of warmth, peace, serenity and closure.
We will come to you: If you prefer to make arrangements in your own home we will come to your residence at a time convenient for you.
Personalized services: Our caring professionals will listen, suggest, organize and carry out ceremonies that are comforting and full of meaning.
Modern & inviting facilities: The Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens has been the setting for countless gatherings where friends and family have laughed, cried, reminisced and started the healing process together.
Customized catering and bar service: We offer customized catering services for any size group, from simple deli delights to hot hors d’oeuvres. If you wish to have bar service or a special toast, our catering company is licensed to accommodate all requests.
Exceptional staff: We have carefully chosen each member of our staff to ensure that our families receive the most professional, compassionate care.
Serving all faiths and cultures: We care for families of all faiths, traditions and beliefs.
