Jardine Funeral Home, Cremation & Tribute Centre
In 1870, the local undertaking business was also the local furniture store. It was located in the parking lot of the current Bert's Appliances and was known as Louis Deyman Furniture and Undertaking. He was the largest furniture making operation in the village of Fenelon Falls providing furniture for every room in the home along with office furniture, picture framing and specialty mouldings. One must understand the history of the funeral profession to know that most funeral homes had their beginnings in furniture stores.
The evolution of what we know today is relatively simple. When a death occurred in a small village, the family of the deceased would come to town to order a casket. He would go to the carpenter and request the order. The carpenter would hire the blacksmith to produce nails and hinges etc. and would also hire the blacksmith to take his team of horses to deliver the casket. Eventually the carpenter would start building a few caskets ahead of time and began delivering them on his own. By right of trade and his ability to provide the product, the carpenter/furniture maker began his pilgrimage into funeral service.
In 1945, Mr. Louis Deyman asked his son Peter "Dodger" Deyman to join the business. Dodger, remembered by many folk for his great hockey skills, ran the business and furniture store until it was sold in 1956 for the sum of twelve thousand dollars to Mr. Mendham Platten. Mr. Platten, formerly of Lindsay, began his search for property to run the funeral home away from the business of furniture making. He found his location, a home owned by Mrs. Max Brandon. Mr. Platten liked the home because of its open stairwell and easy access to the upstairs to place people for funerals. He thought the building wasn't as large as he would have liked, so in 1964 he added a chapel to the building. Mr. Platten ran the business successfully until 1974 when he decided to sell to Mr. Harold Wagg. The business name was changed from Platten Funeral Home to Platten and Wagg Funeral Home briefly. Mr. Wagg in turn sold the business to Mr. Paul Illman in 1977. Paul Illman kept the name Platten and Wagg for a few years and changed it in 1982 to the Illman-Platten Funeral Home. With many changes and accomplishments during his career in the fall of 1985, Paul Illman expanded his business into Bobcaygeon.
