Humble beginnings: Cape Breton funeral home marks 150 years in business

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A carpenter who also took on the role as undertaker for the town of North Sydney 150 years ago started a family business that’s carried on for five generations.

W.J. Dooley Funeral Home marked the milestone anniversary back in the fall. John J. Dooley, the son of an Irish immigrant, was the first in the family line to offer funeral services in October of 1874.

It’s a business that’s grown with the town and even predates it. North Sydney wasn’t incorporated until 1885.

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“John J. Dooley was a carpenter in town. He became somebody that built caskets,” said Peter Walsh, funeral director and president. “They became the people that they called on when there was a death so they got involved and would prepare the body somehow for a funeral and burial – whatever they did back in those days, which probably wasn’t a whole lot. It kind of started from there.”

COMPANY NAMESAKE

John’s eldest son, William J. Dooley, took over the business from his father around the turn of the century and in 1902, became a licensed embalmer after training in Saint John, N.B., under a Prof. Renouard of New York City.

William was a member of the Maritime Funeral Directors Association as the modern industry started to take shape. He served as president of the Nova Scotia Association of Licensed Embalmers and Funeral Directors and even assisted during the Halifax Explosion in 1917.

William worked for 77 years as a licensed embalmer and funeral director and made daily visits to the funeral home into his 90s.

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“Their main business back in those days wasn’t the funeral home so much, they were picture framers,” said Walsh. “The funeral part of it was just kind of a sideline, but after … things changed in the whole way they did things, embalming became more of a part of what the funeral process was.

“You could have visitations in the home and a lot of the wakes or visitations in those days were in the family home, the funeral home wasn’t even really established in these communities. They were a storefront more than anything.”

W.J. Dooley Funeral Home was an early adopter of many innovations over its decades in the business, like the horse-drawn hearse, the electric embalming machine and an automatic device for lowering caskets. In 1932, they started using one of the first motorized funeral coaches.

FIRE DESTROYS ORIGINAL LOCATION

A fire at the funeral home’s former location on Commercial Street in the 1950s resulted in a move of the business to William’s home at its current spot at 107 Pleasant St. The building has been modified and changed over the years to what it is today.

William’s son-in-law and Peter’s father, Joseph Walsh, moved back to Cape Breton with his family in 1958 to get involved in the business after a 13-year career in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He took over operations in 1969.

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Peter began working with his father in the family business in 1973 and was handed the reins in 1984.

“Compassion for people would be one for sure, kindness to them,” Peter said when asked what makes an effective funeral director. “When a death occurs, they’re in a very bad time, so if you’re there and can give them some comfort is the thing. I think they’re all important traits that you need and just be a good listener sometimes, too.”

FIFTH GENERATION

Peter’s son, Michael Walsh, is a funeral director and embalmer with W.J. Dooley Funeral Home. He’s the fifth generation to be involved in the family business.

“Definitely a lot of pride in that for sure, being able to kind of carry on something that my forefathers started and created and worked really hard at and have cemented in the community here,” said the 40-year-old Walsh, who praised the work of his father and grandfather for keeping the business going. “I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with my dad here and my grandfather here before he passed away. It’s a point of pride for sure. I’m happy to be doing it.”

Michael grew up helping with the family business but moved away, including 10 years in Italy where he worked as a teacher. He made the decision to move back home and be closer to his family and said he wanted to give back to both them and the community.

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“It was very normal for us. We didn’t really think much of it,” he said of growing up around the funeral business. “I remember (snow days) and dad and the boys would be out shoveling, we’d be throwing snowballs at them and getting into hijinks.”

‘VERY DEVOTED’

Eileen Walsh, office administrator and Peter’s wife, is usually the first person the public interacts with when they enter the funeral home. She said some days are harder than others but showing kindness and compassion for grieving family members is important.

Eileen has worked in the office since 2002 and implemented an aftercare program for those dealing with their grief in the first year after loss.

She said she’s seen firsthand the impact the business has had on the community over the decades.

“I could see for myself that Peter, his father and the other employees that were here were very devoted,” she said. “It was all about service, professionalism and being there for the families in their time of need.”

PART OF HISTORY

Some interesting facts from the year W.J. Dooley Funeral Home in North Sydney was founded in 1874:

• The game of lawn tennis is patented.

• The Philadelphia Zoo opens, the first public zoo in the United States.

• The first incandescent lamp, with an electric light bulb, is patented.

• Notable births include magician Harry Houdini, Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi, 31st U.S. president Herbert Hoover and U.K. prime minister Winston Churchill.

*Source: Wikipedia

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