Kim Nobert and Geoffrey Tompkins are who make Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services the best.
"We're not cookie-cutter," says Kim of herself and fellow funeral director, Geoffrey.
"We're independently owned, so we won't bog a grieving family down in paperwork and we work with the family to give them whatever they want and need."
For instance, a mom lost her son and wanted to view his body before cremation.
However, all he had on was a hospital gown, so Geoffrey hustled home and picked out some of his own clothes to dress the son in so mom could have the viewing.
It was much the same story when a priest was coming over to bless a woman before cremation. She also was only in a hospital gown, so Kim popped home and grabbed one of her own dress shirts.
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"These are the kind of things that people might not see, but make a difference to the grieving family," says Kim.
"The best funeral directors blend into the background, work behind the scenes and give the family what they want and need to ease their grief and take care of their loved one."
Plus, Alternatives doesn't nickel and dime families for extra services and doesn't upsell in an effort to make more money.
Such an example would be Alternatives will handle the cancellation of the deceased's Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Pension, fill out the CPP Death Benefit and Survivor Benefit forms, and certify the death certificate, all at no extra cost.
On yet another occasion, a family from Kelowna lost a loved one in Kamloops and had to bring their new puppy with them, while having to deal with everything else.
Kim and Geoffrey looked after the puppy for three days while the family dealt with their loved one’s affairs.
"We were the funnest funeral home those three days we dogsat Ferdinand," says Kim with a laugh.
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Both Kim and Geoffrey have found their calling in the funeral business -- a sector that generally never calls out to people.
"After printing lottery tickets for 20 years with Pollard Banknote, it was time for a career change and my husband said I should do something with death because I'm the first one people come to for comfort or a eulogy or help with a memorial when they lose a loved one," says Kim.
As for Geoffrey he was working in retail when he came into the funeral home and said he wanted a job “...and we are forever grateful that he did because our families that he serves love him!”
