Whelan Funeral Home Ltd.

10/12/2026

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving, that special day of the year when we are grateful and count the blessings in our lives. As we enjoy the day’s festivities, let us welcome feelings of appreciation and gratitude into the special moments we share. From all of us at Whelan Funeral Home, have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life." - Melody Beattie

10/11/2026

Anita Louise Belanger

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Anita Louise Belanger (née Carroll) at the Wi******er Memorial Hospital in South Dundas in the early hours of Friday, October 9, 2026.

Anita died peacefully at the age of 69, with her loving husband of nearly 51 years, Guy, by her side. Anita was a devoted and loving mother to David (Zara), Patricia (Andrew), Matthew, Daniel (Ivona), and Meara (Devin). She was the proud grandmother of Matthew, Brooke, Audrée, Callista, Isla, Jonah, Ella, Maeve, Rhys, Benedikt, Elaine, Ethan, Eric, and Lonán. Her maternal compassion was boundless and she acted as a surrogate mother and grandmother to many.

Anita was born in 1957 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to parents Patricia and William Carroll. She spent much of her childhood moving from state to state with her parents and siblings before emigrating with her family to Canada. She carried a sense of adventure into her adulthood and loved to travel, whether it was a camping trip or a flight across the world.

A devout Catholic, Anita was an active and respected member of St. Clement parish in Ottawa, Ontario. Passionate and strong-willed, Anita was known for her kind heart, steadfast moral conviction, and dedication to her faith. She committed much of her time to feeding the priests and visiting and praying with the sick and dying as an active member of the Legion of Mary.

Anita will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and countless other loved ones, in whose memories she will live on forever. We pray that she will be guided to the light of heaven to live in eternal peace.

Friends may pay respects to the family at The Whelan Funeral Home 515 Cooper St (between Bay & Lyon) on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. Rosary to commence at 7 p.m.
A Requiem Mass at St Clement Parish (at St Anne Church (528 Old St Patrick St.) on Friday, October 16, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.

Interment to follow at Notre Dame Cemetery, 455 Montreal Rd.
A time of refreshment and fellowship will follow back at St Clement Parish Hall {17 Myrand Ave).

Prayer to St. Monica,
Patron Saint of Mothers:

Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son not with wild threats but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray. Amen.

10/07/2026

Supporting Those who Grieve, at Their Place of Work

Losing a loved one is never easy, and it can be especially tough when the person grieving is also trying to balance the duties and responsibilities of their job with the emotions they are experiencing.

Firstly, it’s important for managers and leaders in the workplace, to recognize when someone on their team is grieving. Some signs of grief in the workplace include a drop-in productivity or motivation, difficulty concentrating, changes in behaviour i.e., withdrawal or acting out, or physical signs such as fatigue or exhaustion. If someone attends work regularly and starts taking more days off than usual, it could be a sign that they are struggling personally.

Providing compassion and support, demonstrates that a safe environment is available to those who are grieving. When supervisors show empathy toward a person who is experiencing loss, this helps them understand that they are not alone in the workplace. Discussing with them what they may need will create an environment of trust, with long term benefits for all parties.

Depending on how difficult the grieving process is for the bereft, additional time off to help process their grief may be necessary. Providing flexible working hours if needed, to attend necessary appointments may also be helpful.

If those who grieve are comfortable talking with colleagues this may help them better process their loss. Just knowing that they have people around them who care can help lessen the burden of grief. Everyone grieves differently, so some will be more open to this idea than others.

Long term, it’s important for those grieving to feel that they still belong as part of the team, even if they may be struggling with their own emotions at times. Supervisors need to be patient if someone grieving appears overwhelmed by tasks. Remind them that they have additional support if needed and let them know their contributions are valuable. Equally important is recognizing other team members who may be picking up additional work in support of their colleague.

Grieving is never easy but with some empathy and understanding from supervisors and colleagues, grievers can and will want to remain part of the team. When we create environments where grieving employees feel supported, our workplaces are stronger and everybody feels valued regardless of personal situations outside their work life!

Anne DeButte
Grief Coach and Podcaster
“Let’s Talk About Grief with Anne”

© Whelan Funeral Home/CFHC Online

10/02/2026

HARRIS, Maureen E.

Early on the morning of the 29th of September, the world lost a superhero. It is with utmost sadness that we say goodbye to the incredible force that was Maureen Elizabeth Harris.

As with everything in Maureen’s life, she faced this last year with dignity, courage and strength.

Maureen is survived by her partner of 35 years, Randy Clermont. Years ago, Randy traded in his motorcycle for cycling the world with Maureen. Together, they amassed thousands of kilometres travelling Europe and Canada. Maureen was a devoted Cat Mom, and her fur babies Trouble and Truffle will miss her comfy lap for many months to come. Maureen’s older sister, Mary and her husband Claude will remember the many gourmet meals the foursome prepared together. Maureen and Randy were ‘foodies’ before that term became popular. Watching food programs, buying food, preparing food, and consuming food were high on their priority lists.

Maureen inherited talents from both sides of her family. Her dad was a horticulturalist, and Maureen's skill at gardening and plant care was evident inside and outside her home. Her mom discovered painting late in life, and while Maureen's painting was on walls and ceilings, her creativity came to life with amazing Halloween costumes, the curling team’s costume party themes and her baking. Anyone who’s sampled her chocolate chip cookies will certainly agree.

Maureen was a member of the Navy Curling Club for over 40 years. ‘Member’ doesn’t aptly describe the positive impact she made during her tenure; all the roles she filled and the great friendships she developed. Please click on this link to the Navy Club announcement that outlines her many contributions and provides details for a Celebration of Life to be held on November 22. It is with no doubt that her absence will be felt by many in the curling community.

Anyone who was fortunate enough to meet Maureen could sense she had an unparalleled zest for life, and always enjoyed a great party. Maureen was the first one on the dance floor and the last to leave. This powerhouse of a person took no prisoners, did not suffer fools gladly and had the biggest heart in the Ottawa Valley. She would not want us to be sad, but to continue to play hard, play fair and push our limits. Maureen always led by example.

Farewell beautiful soul, and “let’s raise one!”
https://curlnavy.com/index.php

Arrangements entrusted to the Whelan Funeral Home
tel. (613) 233-1488
https://www.whelanfuneralhome.ca/services.html

10/02/2026

CWO Lynn Herbert Kent, CD, MMM
12 September 1935 – 29 September 2026

Born in Hanley, Saskatchewan to a farm family. Having no desire to be a farmer, he left the farm at an early age. At 18 years of age he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Lynn’s military career from 1953 to 1991 included postings to Alert, Saskatoon, Zweibrücken, Grostenquin, Comox, Cold Lake, Winnipeg, Halifax, Goose Bay, Lahr, Baden-Soellingen and Ottawa.

The majority of his career was spent as an Air Traffic Controller completing over 20,000 radar approaches. His career also included being Base Chief Warrant Officer in Baden-Soellingen and a Career Manager. When he retired from the military he was employed at Transport Canada which later transferred to NAV Canada.

After retirement Lynn and Lil continued traveling and became true Snowbirds. Lynn loved nothing more than to pass on new knowledge as well as “fix” absolutely everything. When he discovered how, in his words, “easy”; it was to fix laptops he went to town. Lynn acquired broken laptops, fixed them and donated them to anyone in need. He gave many to Ukrainian families new to Ottawa.

Lynn was a long time parishioner and Sacristan at St Maurice Parish. He also held the 3rd Order of the Knights of Columbus.

It is impossible to describe how much he will be missed by his family. His wife of 71 years Lil, sister Lynda (Wally), son Colin (Darlene), daughter Jan (John), grandsons Matt (Lisa) and Mike, granddaughters Samantha (Ryan) and Jenelle (Ryan), great-grandson Logan, great-granddaughters Josephine and Charlotte, and step-great-grandchildren Jacob and Clare.
Son of the late Edwin Kent and Edith (nèe Vawter). Survived by his sister Lynda Mastaller. Predeceased by his sister Jean Sarich. Fondly remembered by many nieces and nephews. We are all truly heartbroken.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent Hospital, Palliative Care. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Maurice Church, (4 Perry St. at Meadowland Drive) on Friday, 9 October at 9:00 a.m. with internment to follow at Beechwood National Military Cemetery.

Arrangements entrusted to the Whelan Funeral Home
tel. (613) 233-1488
https://www.whelanfuneralhome.ca/services.html

10/02/2026

09/28/2026

Online Death Cafes

Death Cafes are offered through what is termed a social franchise. This organization is composed of a volunteer network of individuals who for various reasons have a special interest in dying and death. Since inception in 2011, Death Cafes have been held in more than 85 countries, with in excess of 16,000 events having being scheduled to date.

Death Cafes offer a place to gather and share conversation about a broad range of topics which usually center on mortality and death. In a respectful and open-minded setting views are shared and topics are discussed. The goal is not to come to a conclusion about any specific subject, but is more about each participant contributing to a conversation. We can all learn from one another.

Both in-person and online meetings are held. Participants talk with one another, enjoy a cup of Joe, or a tea and perhaps a pastry.

An underlying goal of the society is to make us all aware of the finiteness of our lifespans and in doing so, help us appreciate the importance of living our lives to the fullest.

For information on Death Cafes or to see either upcoming online or local events please visit these links.
https://deathcafe.com/
https://deathcafe.com/deathcafes/
https://deathcafe.com/map/

© Whelan Funeral Home/CFHC Online

09/23/2026

Sometimes a Condolence Message on our Website doesn’t Appear Right Away. Why?

As you know, obituary notices on our website have a place where well-wishers have the ability to express condolences or share kind words. It’s simply a matter of entering your message where indicated.

Sometimes we receive calls that a message is not there. The most likely cause of this is that all messages are reviewed prior to being made public. One of our staff will check to make sure that messages do not contain vulgar language and that the message is respectful to the deceased and their family.

As condolences are received, they are kept in an archive which is frequently reviewed and then they are published. We appreciate your patience as strive to ensure that the messages a family receives are respectful.

© Whelan Funeral Home/CFHC Online

09/17/2026

Funerals are increasingly becoming celebrations of life rather than solely somber occasions. Many families are now seeking creative ways to make these serv

09/13/2026

Happy Grandparent’s Day!

Grandparent’s day falls on the second Sunday in September each year and we have been celebrating these members of our families for more than 25 years.

The life of a child is so much fuller with loving grandparents to spend time with. Sometimes they bake their favourite treats, sometimes they read bedtime stories and they give the best hugs. Today we celebrate these special people. Thank you for all you do!

To grandparents who are no longer with us, you caring ways will never be forgotten.