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Egan Funeral Home’s Candlelight Memorial Service helps community navigate Holiday Grief

December 18, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Since 1994, locally and family-owned Egan Funeral Home in Bolton has been offering a Community Candlelight Memorial Service around the Holidays on the first Sunday of December.

This annual non-denominational memorial service is designed specifically to help those experiencing the loss of a loved one cope with the Holiday season.

The service features special music and carols, and a message of hope and guidance on coping through the season from their officiant, who is a retired grief counsellor, Dr. Bill Webster.

Those in attendance receive inspirational messages, and the service concludes with an invitation to light a candle in memory of their loved one. 

Elaine Egan joined Egan Funeral Home in 1990 and spearheaded the idea behind the memorial service when it began four years later.

“My dad and I just felt that the community needed something during the Christmas season to try and make it through. We knew of another funeral home that did this out in Welland, so dad and I traveled out there to see how they did it, and we brought it here to the Caledon community,” shares Egan.

The service was held for 25 straight years until 2019, when, unfortunately, it had to stop during COVID.

2025 marks the first year Egan Funeral Home has begun running the service again following COVID, and the passing of Paul Egan.

“Our team was thrilled to bring it back, we know the community needs it,” she says, noting that for many, this is how they start their Holiday season.

This year, they brought the service back to Holy Family Church, where it was originally held in 1994.

She notes that those at Holy Family were very accepting of them, holding their non-denominational service at their church, as Egan Funeral Home invites everyone to the service.

“It brings everyone together within the grieving process,” says Egan. “It feels like you’re not so alone, that there are other people struggling with the season.”

She shares that those who are able to come and light a candle in memory of their loved one, as well as take a candle home to light during the Holiday season.

Egan says this year’s service, held on December 7, was very well attended and that families were very appreciative of the service.

This year’s service was also marked with special music from soloist Angela Hay and pianist Anatoly Ivchenko.  

To view more information about the Egan Funeral Home and their services, visit www.eganfuneralhome.com.

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