Mattatall - Varner Funeral Home

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Mattatall - Varner Funeral Home Mattatall Varner provides a full range of funeral products and services to residents of Truro and su

10/28/2026

D. Wayne Elliott – 80, Truro, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 26, 2026, at Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro. Born in Truro, he was a son ...

10/28/2026

Carol Mary Rushton – 85, Belmont, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 23, 2026, at Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro. Born in Wentworth, she was a daughter ...

10/28/2026

If a farmer dies without a will, knowing the nuances of provincial estate law regulations can save survivors money.

What Do β€œPennies on a Grave” Mean?Have you ever noticed a coin sitting on a headstone when visiting a cemetery? While fl...
10/26/2026

What Do β€œPennies on a Grave” Mean?

Have you ever noticed a coin sitting on a headstone when visiting a cemetery?

While flowers are the most common symbol of love found at gravesites, the long-held tradition of leaving a coin on a grave dates back to the time of the Roman Empire. Once considered a bribe to ensure safe passage to the afterlife, today’s coins serve as a message to the family that their loved one is not forgotten.

Coins have long been associated with tradition at military graves, with the denomination of coin indicating the relationship to the deceased:
β€’ A penny signifies no relationship, but a wish to honour the individual for their service and sacrifice.
β€’ A nickel indicates the visitor trained with the deceased during boot camp.
β€’ A dime means military service was performed together.
β€’ A quarter represents the visitor was with the deceased at the time of death.

Although the tradition of leaving a coin gained popularity in the U.S. during the Vietnam War, these tokens of remembrance are also seen today in countries around the world, including Canada. Coins spotted on non-military headstones signify a similar breakdown:
β€’ A penny means someone visited the grave.
β€’ A nickel indicates a schoolmate.
β€’ Dimes are for those who worked together.
β€’ A quarter signifies proximity to the deceased when they died.

Whether it’s flowers, a small memento or a coin, leaving an item on a headstone continues to be a popular tradition, serving as an enduring symbol of respect while letting the family know their loved one is remembered.

Β© Mattatall-Varner Funeral Home/CFHC Online

10/26/2026

Beverly Anne McNutt – 78, of Truro, passed away on Friday, October 23, 2026 at Colchester East Hants Health Centre. Born in New Glasgow, she was a daughter ...

Begin Your Day on The Right FootInitiate a Gratitude Challenge!Grieving the loss of a loved one is challenging. Sometime...
10/23/2026

Begin Your Day on The Right Foot
Initiate a Gratitude Challenge!

Grieving the loss of a loved one is challenging. Sometimes those who grieve become trapped in a cycle of negative thought patterns. Sadness and depression dominate feelings and little joy is experienced. The start of the day is so important in setting the right tone for the remainder of it.

Gratitude is intentionally recognizing aspects of life that we are thankful for. Why not begin your day acknowledging those things in your life that you appreciate.

Some tools that can help with this are a gratitude list, a gratitude journal or a gratitude rock.
β€’ Begin each day by writing down three things you are grateful for. They can be simple things, the way your pet greets you at the start of each day or the special people you are fortunate to share life with. Over time this list will grow.
β€’ Record events and thoughts into a journal. Remind yourself of these when you are experiencing personal challenges. They will hopefully provide balance when facing difficult periods.
β€’ Find a special rock or marble and carry it in your pocket at all times. If something nice happens, touch the rock with intention to remember the occasion. If experiencing difficulty hold onto the rock and remember some of these past positive events.

There are many more mays to include gratitude into your day. Making a consistent effort to recognize this is sure to help in your journey with grief. The challenge is to begin each day by writing 3 things you are grateful for. Try this for one month and see if personal thought patterns becoming more positive. It’s simple and shouldn’t take too much time.

Are you up for the challenge?

Β© Mattatall-Varner Funeral Home/CFHC Online

10/23/2026

It is with heavy hearts that the family announces the passing of Anthony

10/23/2026

Robin MacIntosh Phillips - 84, Salmon River, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Monday, October 19, 2026, at Halifax Infirmary, QEII, Halifax. Born in Montreal, ...

10/23/2026

We are aware that our website is not working at full capacity. There have been security issues which our tech team is working on correcting. There are fixes that need to be put in place. Over the next couple of days, there will be periods of time when the website will not be available. We apologize for this inconvenience. If you are unable to find the information that you are looking for in our website or page, please call our office at 902-893-3177 and we will be pleased to provide that information to you.

10/21/2026

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PO Box 751, 55 Young Street
Truro, NS
B2N5E8

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