Islands funeral society’s kindness is one-of-a-kind

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Toby Sanmiya says his family greatly appreciated Matt Pierce of the Haida Gwaii Funeral Society and Taan Forest for everything they did to help after his mother’s recent passing. Above, her casket was made by family and friends. (Toby Sanmiya photo)

Haida Gwaii has many unique programs and organizations to help locals navigate life in such a remote place.

The Haida Gwaii Funeral Services Society is one group that was formed by necessity and has thrived with the help of its dedicated volunteers.

George Westwood has been a community undertaker for over 25 years. For the majority of those years, he was unlicensed by the province and worked as a volunteer. 

In 2018, Westwood advocated for an amendment to the BC Cremation, Interment, and Funeral Service Act that allowed licence-exempt funeral directors to operate in rural areas, starting in Haida Gwaii. Around the same time, Matt Pierce joined Westwood as a licence-exempt funeral director.

“We are one of a kind,” Shanti Thurber, a society board member, told Haida Gwaii News.

Thurber said the society’s membership has changed over the years. Volunteers today continue to thank past members Leslie Johnson and Nathalie Macfarlane.

The Haida Gwaii Funeral Services Society helps a few dozen islanders yearly during the bereavement process. They strongly believe in not receiving financial gain from the loss of a person.

“Funeral care here is different than on the mainland. There is no room for greed,” said Matt Pierce.

The volunteers’ roles and responsibilities have changed slightly since the early days of Westwood’s career in funeral services.

“Volunteers for the Society perform a number of duties such as dressing and washing loved ones who have passed on, working with family members to make funeral arrangements, and supporting funeral services,” said Thurber.

Pierce acquired the only funeral hearse on Haida Gwaii to provide that service to the growing list of services the society offers the islands’ bereaved.

The vehicle is still available for a small charge, which covers the cost of gas and the driver’s time for funeral services across Haida Gwaii.

The society knows it takes a community to help with transporting, providing funeral services, and supporting Haida Gwaii’s grieving.

The Daajing Giids Thrift Shop Society has also supported the society financially, helping it offer these essential services to Haida Gwaiians.

Taan Forest has also gifted the society with cedar logs to make caskets.

Taan could sell the cedar logs for thousands of dollars on the lumber market, but the company sees the benefit of donating the wood to the islands’ communities. Taan Forest will source the cedar for the program and bring it to a local sawmill.

“Anyone going through a loss shouldn’t have to worry about any extra cost,” said Jeff Mosher, chief forester at Taan Forest.

The cost of a casket off island ranges from a little over a thousand dollars to several thousand, depending on style and size.

Thurber said that anyone who needs cedar to make a casket is welcome to arrange it with the Haida Gwaii Funeral Services Society for a small donation.

“We are so grateful for the gracious donation,” Pierce said.