Richard Paul

Owner/Manager

Richard Paul is the 66 year-old,  third generation owner, and licensed funeral director since 1982, of Paul Funeral Home in Powassan, Ontario Canada. He was raised over the funeral home, attending Powassan Public School and Almaguin Highlands Secondary School.  He is married to Jo-Ann and they have a son Isaac and a daughter Emily. 

Mr. Paul earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Guelph and his Bachelor of Education at Nipissing University, North Bay.  Richard taught Kindergarten and Special Education in Fort Albany, James Bay, Ontario.  He then chose to leave his Special Education Grade Two teaching position in Ajax, Ontario following his father's death in 1980.  He obtained his Funeral Service Education Diploma at Humber College and earned his Ontario Funeral Director's License in 1982.   

Mr. Paul is a Certified Death Educator through the Association for Death Education and Counselling.  He speaks with many groups and organizations each year on the subject of grief and, among many other venues, has been a presenter on four different occasions at the University of Western Ontario’s King's College Annual International Death Education Conferences in London, Ontario between 1980 and the year 2000. 

Richard has co-authored one chapter titled "The Six C's of Christmas & Grief" in a book titled Personal Care In An Impersonal World and has authored three other chapters titled "Funerals and Funeral Directors: Rituals and Resources For Grief Management" in a book titled Thanatology: Readings For Undergraduates; and "Viewing The Body and Grief Complications:  The Role of Visual Confirmation In Grief Reconciliation" in the text titled Understanding and Treating Grief Complications.  His most recentchapter is titled "Intentional Aftercare" in the textbook When All The Friends Have Gone - A Guide For Aftercare Providers.  All edited by the late Dr. John D. Morgan, Professor of Philosohy at King's College, London, as part of the Death, Value and Meaning series published by Baywood Publishing, Amityville, New York. 

Richard has a special interest in the subject of critical incidents response particularly as it relates to grieving people.  He was a director on the North Bay & Area Palliative Care Association and was also a founding director of the Near North Palliative Care Network.  He has also served as Chair of Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Canada, Northeastern Ontario Funeral Service Association, Bereavement Ontario Network, and is secretary and past-president of the Powassan Lions Club. He is a member of the Guaranteed Funeral Deposits of Canada, Ontario Funeral Service Assocation, the Funeral Service Association of Canada, the Northeastern Ontario Funeral Service Association, the Rorab Shrine Club, the Powassan United Church, Lions Club, Masonic Lodge and Legion. 

For five years Richard Paul Chaired the Board of the “Loss, Grief and Growth Education Project, Inc.” This project’s goal was the production and distribution of a curriculum resource that assists teachers and students in developing knowledge, skills and attitudes about loss and grief to all Ontario schools from Kindergarten to Grade 12. 

Mr. Paul is dedicated both to learning all he can about grief and to sharing this information to assist people in growing through their losses.  He believes that the quote from Richard Bach's book Illusions, "We teach best that which we most need to learn" applies to him. 

Richard has observed that, “Life inevitably presents each individual with losses, and crosses, to bear.  As a caregiver and funeral director it can be exhausting to walk beside others as they plan and implement a funeral while experiencing the pain of their grief.  Facing and embracing all that life offers each of us – the pain, sorrow, love,  growth, humour and joy – is the challenge to appreciating life which I enjoy meeting most as a funeral director.  Standing at the edge of life and death on a daily basis can provide some very powerful insights, inspirations and directions for truly valuing life and loved ones.  I am passionate about my work making a difference in other people’s lives.  I believe fervently that the funeral process serves as a bridge for the bereaved between the physical relationship that ends and the memory relationship that begins following the death of a loved one.  I am also firmly convinced that the “good” funeral is the foundation for building a memory relationship and a new view of the world without the deceased.” 

Telephone: 1-705-493-3430

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Joanne Paul

Joanne Paul was raised in Arnstein, Ontario attending Argyle Public School and Almaguin Highlands Secondary School. She studied Advertising at Georgian College and worked as the Classified Supervisor of the North Bay Nugget before becoming involved full-time in the office and services of the Paul Funeral Home. 

She has been the creator of our unique Memory Products including: the “Memory Card” a keepsake card including photographs and a brief history of the person who died, along with the funeral details; the “Memory Book” which has evolved from being a simple guest register book into a completely customized treasure of the person’s life, and funeral, including photographs, tributes, life history, details of the funeral process, list of donations, pictures of flowers, and more; the “Memory CD” is an audio recording which she edits and prints so that families can return to the comforting words of the funeral ceremony; the “Memory Show” taking photographs of the life and loves of the person who dies, Joanne uses many techniques to enhance each picture and creates a slideshow that eventually is converted to a DVD, complete with appropriate instrumental music that will be a continuing source of comfort for the families we serve; the “Memory Candle” is also uniquely fashioned to provide a flame of tribute for years to come. Joanne’s friendly, helpful manner and genuine love of people puts everyone we serve at ease.