HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-03-01, Page 13M.L.WATTS FUNERAL HOME — The exterior
elevation showing the new addition which houses all
new funeral facilities. The new building covers some
3600 sq. ft.
around the area, These include Kitchener, David who is in
Rev.. Ed. iBaker of Duff's United Toronto and. Trina, Darrin andi
Church, in. Walton, . . Rev, Eric 'Ruth Anne all at home.
Le'Drew of Brussels United .,
Church , Rev. Ken Innes off
Melville Presbyterian Church,
in Brussels, Father Anthony
Sonderup of St. Ambrose Roman
Catholic ChurCh and Rev % Dan
Sargent of St. John's anglican
Church in Brussels and Dr.
J.K.Thomson of Cranbrook
Presbyterian Church;
Mr. Watts got his funeral
training in Belleville at the
Belleveille Burial Company and
worked the'''reler several years.
He also worked two -or three other
days places after that and then
moved to Brantford where he
worked for six years before he-left
to start his own business in
Brusssels.
Mr. Watts said they put on the
new addition to their building
because they realized they
needed' it to properly serve the
people of the area.
Mr. Watts operates the funeral
home with the help of his wife
Barbara, his daiighter Stephanie
(Mrs. Murray Kellington) who
lives in Atwood, Maxine, who
goes to Conestoga College in
"While they're at home they
all help. It's really a family
business", Mr. Watts said,
THE BRUSSELS POST, MARCH 1., 1918 13
toms
ere
(Continued from Page 1-)
from Seaforth, Wingham,
Mitchell, Forest, Parkhill,
Arthur, Plattsville and Point
Edward, The "D" Division is
comprised of teams from Elma-
Logan Township, Ripley,
Mildmay, Zurich, Tara, Rockton,
Thedford and. Brussels.
The final weekend will feature
"A" division play and chanipion-
ship action inthe 13;C and D
Divisions. Teams in the "A"
Division are from Orangeville, St.
Thomas, Stratford, Wallaceburg,
Markham, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg
and Woolich Township.
Local people are invited to
come out to the Brussels, Morris
and Grey Community Centre to
see some exciting hockey over the
next three weekends.
Funeral home here for100years
(By Debbie Ranney):
There has been a funeral home.
in Brussels for over 100 years now
though it's changed owners, and
changed locations. On Sunday..
.March .5, a 'dedication day will be.
held in honor of some new
additions to the present Watts
Funeral Home.
Max Watts is the current owner
of the funeral home which was
first started in Brussels in 1877 by
R. L. Leatherdale- who operated it
as Leatherdale's furniture
Emporium and Undertaking until
1906 when he sold .out" to David
Walker.
David Walker . was -.also an .
undertaker. At that time funerals
were mostly conducted out of the
homes with even the embalming
done at the homes. Mr. Watts
said that the caskets were made
at the furniture store. and cus-
tomers would come down and
pick out the casket and pick out
the lining.
Mr. Watts still has scissors that
the original owner Mr.
Leatherdale used for trimming
the casket lining.
Partner
David Walker, the second
owner of the business, took in a
partner, Malcolm Black, a school
teacher.
They had their ,ftirniture and
funeral business located' on the
Main Street in what is now ,
known as the Stretton bloc .k.
They later mvoed to the former
Export Packer's building.
The next owner , , D.A.Rann,
bought the business from Walker
'and Black in '1931 'carrying on
both the fUrniture and funeral
business ..in the same location
until about 1939 When he
'purchased the Grand Theatre or
what is presently known as the
Royal Bank,
He converted the theatre into a
furniture, store akd,some funerals'
were .held from furniture
store. Mr: 'Watts; said it, wasn't .
until .::about 1945' that peel*
startedtaking funerals out of
their private homes and into the'
funeral hoMes..
Mr. -Watts said that in, the.
rudt'are'as the 'greatest 'tranSitioU
period was—probably the really
.late 1940's.
Mr. Watts purchased the
funeral home in 1969 fromMr.
Ravin and operated a furniture
and a funeral business there until
1977: In August of last year the
Watts started building their
present funeral home. located on
Alfred Street in Brussels. In
September of 1977 they leased
their old building to the Royal
Bank. New Addition
The new addition to the present
funeral home includes a chapel
which can be converted into two
slumber rooms with the use of a
huge- door, a family room for
families who want to be alone, a
lady's and a man's washroom, a
storage room, a smoking room, an
office,. a casket selection room
and a preparation room.
The new addition is to be
officially dedicated at 2:30 in the
afternoon on March 5 by
ministers from several churches
Gtost so-s
oi‘ extends
Congratulations
& Best Wishes
To The
M.L. Watts
Funeral Horne
Pot & George