Sargent & Son: A Century of Care
It was in 1922 that Lewis Sargent, then of Fergus, Ontario founded a funeral home at the Lakehead known as Thompson and Sargent Funeral Directors. He officially settled in Thunder Bay in 1924 in order to become more involved in the day to day operation of the establishment.
The funeral home was originally located in the Nelson Block on Cumberland Street, but by 1925 the business had grown and was moved to a home built on Court Street circa 1880 by Richard Vigars. In 1940, a complete new facility was built and opened, which is the present day operational site.
Lewis Sargent's son Frank became a member of the staff and between his father's acquisition of the business in 1923 and 1925, broadened his knowledge of the business and apprenticed with the Winnipeg firm of Clarke-Leatherdale. In 1926, he wrote the examinations of the Canadian School of Embalming, passing with honours.
Lewis Sargent bought out his partner, renaming the firm Sargent and Son, in partnership with his son, who at age 22 took over management of the firm. Lewis continued as the head of the firm until his death in 1946.
In 1960, Frank, who was deeply involved in community affairs, especially in the sporting world of curling and hockey, welcomed his son James into the business, making him the third generation of Sargents to become involved in the funeral profession. Prior to his death in 1988, Frank served in various capacities including president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. He was a past president of the Port Arthur Golf and Country Club, member of the Gyro Club of Port Arthur and Port Arthur Lodge IOOF and Scottish Rite Thunder Bay Lodge A.F. and A.M. Like his father before him, Frank also took an active part in the Port Arthur Curling Club, of which he was a past president.
Jim Sargent is fast following in his father Frank's footsteps through his community involvement and has served as chairman of the Northern Cancer Research Foundation, The United Way and was vice-president of the Protocol for the Canada Summer Games in 1981. He was also been involved in business associations and is past chair of both the Ontario Funeral Service Association and the Ontario Board of Funeral Services. Jim also sat on The Funeral Service Education Advisory Board at Humber College. Jim passed away in 2016.
Thunder Bay's ONLY long-established funeral home still owned by its founding family, now in its fourth generation, both of Jim's sons are involved with the firm; Michael completing his schooling in 1994 and Greg in 1999.
As well, the Sargent & Son “family” is extended to include Samantha Coull who has been with the firm since 2015; two other long-standing funeral directors: Wayne T. Smith, who has been with the firm since 1969 has semi - retired, and Alex Bobie , since 1971 retired in 2015; Employed as well are several support staff.
With its national recognition for quality service, Sargent & Son is Thunder Bay north's only member, by invitation, of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. And so, while independently owned, Sargent & Son is affiliated with the Ontario Funeral Service Association; AfterLoss, our bereavement recovery program; and Guaranteed Funeral Deposits, our funeral pre-arrangement program. This allows us to provide superior service at competitive prices, with access, on your behalf, on all facets of the funeral industry, all while maintaining the intimacy of our family serving yours when you need it most.
