In a city that has changed dramatically over the past century, few businesses can say they have been through it all. For more than 100 years, Hulse, Playfair & McGarry has stood beside Ottawa families in their most difficult moments, helping generations honour lives, celebrate memories and find comfort through loss.
As the locally owned funeral home marks its centennial, the milestone reflects a century of service, continuity and community rooted in a simple principle that still defines the organization today: families come first.
Founded in 1925 as Hulse Brothers, the company later became Hulse & Playfair before evolving into Hulse, Playfair & McGarry. It has grown alongside Ottawa while remaining locally owned and family operated, serving families across the National Capital Region with personalized care.
‘One of the most significant moments of their lives’
At the heart of today’s organization is President Sharon McGarry, who has guided the company through decades of change.
“Funeral service is ultimately about relationships,” McGarry says. “Families place their trust in us during one of the most significant moments of their lives. That trust is earned through compassion, consistency and genuine care.”
While the sector has changed with technology in an era shaped by automation and artificial intelligence, McGarry says the core business has not. She says the company’s focus remains on what cannot be replaced: personal connection. There is no substitute for a caring professional who takes the time to listen and support a family when they need it most.
Over the last century, Hulse, Playfair & McGarry has seen a significant evolution. The company has weathered the Great Depression, the Second World War, economic recessions, regulatory change, technological transformation and a global pandemic, adapting to how families communicate, gather and remember loved ones.
From horse-drawn carriages on Ottawa streets to livestreamed services and digital memorials, the organization has continually adapted while preserving its personal approach to care.
That presence extends across six locations: Central Chapel (McLeod Street), West Chapel (Woodroffe Avenue) and St. Laurent Chapel (Ogilvie Road) in Ottawa, along with facilities in Kemptville, Winchester and the McGarry Memorial Chapel and Crematorium in Wakefield, Que.
That continuity is also reflected in the McGarry family. Erin McGarry and Brett McGarry maintain their own careers but remain closely connected to the business, supporting its long-term direction and ensuring its values endure.
‘Joining a legacy built on trust and service’: Welcoming a new general manager
It is within that foundation that Hulse, Playfair & McGarry welcomes new General Manager Bruno Carchidi.
Carchidi brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience in the death care profession, including previous experience as a funeral home president. His career has focused on operational leadership and supporting families with dignity and care.
Beyond his professional background, he is active in the community, serving as founding co-chair of The Unforgettables Fund, National Capital Region Chapter with the CHEO Foundation, former chair of Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services, and is the vice-chair of hospice care Ottawa.
“Bruno brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for service that aligns perfectly with our values,” says McGarry. “His leadership will help guide our organization into its next century while continuing to deliver the exceptional care our families have come to expect from us.”
For Carchidi, the appointment represents joining a legacy built on trust and service. “What impressed me the most about Hulse, Playfair & McGarry is the team and the commitment to the people we serve,” he explains. “It’s about helping families through some of the most challenging moments of their lives with empathy, respect and care.”
As Ottawa continues to grow and evolve, Hulse, Playfair & McGarry enters its second century with the same purpose that has guided it from the beginning: to stand beside families in their most difficult moments, offering guidance, compassion, dignity and unwavering care.
At its core, the firm remains what it has always been: there for families when it matters most, to be listened to, supported and gently guided through loss.
