Personal Planning
Guide Workshop
Offered every month
Counsellors Logan & Patrick
Location: South Windsor
Preplanning Presentation
August 23
Counsellor: Ryan Champagne
Seminar
September 3
Why Planning Ahead
Makes A Difference
Personal Planning Guide
Our Personal Planning Guide allows you to record your final wishes and the details of your family heritage, estate information and more in a single document to share with your family. Sign up and meet with a funeral planning advisor to get the guide and access exclusive content to help you with your planning journey.
Provide Peace of Mind to Your Loved Ones
Pre-planning your final arrangements ensures your wishes are honored while reducing the emotional and financial stress on your loved ones. By taking these thoughtful steps today, you create a lasting legacy of care and consideration for those who matter most.
Convenient Planning Options to Fit Your Needs
We prioritize your well-being by offering flexible consultation options—on location, in your home, or remotely. No matter the setting, we are here to answer your questions and guide you through the process in a way that best suits your needs.
Let’s Start the Conversation
Our Personal Planning Guide will help you start planning. Simply fill out the form to download your guide now.
Allow us to connect you with one of our
licensed advisors and learn about the
Families First difference.
Meet Our Family Service Counsellors
Our team at Families First can guide you through the many options and considerations to help you determine the arrangements that best suit your needs. Pre-Planning will help to reduce stress for your family and friends at an emotional time.
Logan Young
Family Service Counsellor | Funeral Director
My name is Logan Young. I was born and raised in Windsor. My mom, Tina, has always been the most important person in my growth and successes throughout my life. I have a one-eyed cat named Matey. My grandparents Carolyn and Stuart Masse worked at Chrysler, where my grandpa was also an executive there. My aunt Kim and uncle Phil also grew up in the Windsor-Essex area before moving to London and later Vancouver where my uncle is a Minister with the United Church. My great-grandpa was a WWII veteran and always made it a point to support veterans after the war. In my personal time, I enjoy being with my family and friends. Hobbies of mine are golf in the summer and hockey in the winter. I played hockey for Windsor Minor Hockey as well as captaining the Massey High school team. I volunteer with the Windsor Goodfellows and assist with their annual paper drive.
I began working for Families First in 2013, following a semester of co-op in high school. It only took a short time to realize my passion for helping families through their most difficult time. In 2015, I went to Humber College to become a Licensed Funeral Director. Presently, I’ve been licensed for over five years. I spent four years in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, as a funeral director prior to moving home to Windsor in 2020.
Patrick Forbes
Family Service Counsellor | Licensed Funeral Preplanner
Hello everyone, my name is Patrick Forbes. My grandfather on my mom’s side was Pat and my grandmother on my dad’s side is Pat. So please, I beg you, please call me Patrick. Ever since I was little, I’ve had a passion for making people happy which I typically succeeded in by singing or telling them the most ridiculous story. Naturally, my parents tried me in every sport imaginable since I was always the tallest kid in the class; let me tell you first hand… being tall does not make you a good basketball player. At some point, we discovered theatre and finally we had something that we could all agree that I was meant for and we needed to keep me in. Eventually, I went to college for music theatre and even was able to work professionally in Toronto and Niagara. The thing I loved most about being on stage was the effect I would have on people; making them laugh during a comedy or cry during a tragedy. The end result was always everybody left being impacted by what I had done.
My sister, Haley Calcara, has worked with Families First for the past decade and I’ve always admired the impact that she has been able to have on families through her work in the graphic department. I wanted to become a Licensed Funeral Pre-planner and become a member of the Families First family because I wanted to feel like I was making a difference in people’s lives and know that I am helping them make their hardest days even a tiny bit more bearable.
Pre-planning and singing aren’t my only passion in life though! I’m one of those crazy people that love reality TV. Survivor, Housewives, The Traitors, it really doesn’t matter, bring up reality TV and I’m putty in your hands; except for American Idol… I’ve worked with enough people that think they can sing… I don’t need to watch it on TV too! Maybe I should have mentioned that I like my family and my partner, Carl, before talking about how much I love Reality TV…. Eh, oh well, did you see when Teresa flipped that table!?
Ryan Champagne
Family Service Counsellor
I am a proud Franco-Ontarian from Windsor, and I have always believed that honesty, integrity, and respect are the foundation of every trusting relationship. My background in customer service and the insurance industry taught me that there is never a bad question. I believe in taking the time to explain every detail clearly so that each person can make informed decisions with confidence.
When I’m not at work, you’ll often find me tending to my garden, caring for my plants, making handcrafted soap, or experimenting with homemade fermentation. I enjoy creating, learning, and paying attention to the little details. Those same passions are reflected in the way I work: with patience, care, and a genuine commitment to doing things well.
I am also actively involved in my community and enjoy taking part in events that bring people together. I believe every family deserves to be welcomed with compassion, understanding, and without judgment.
My goal is simple: to be there for you, answer every question with honesty and transparency, and guide you at your own pace so you can make confident decisions for yourself and your family.
____
Je suis un fier Franco-Ontarien de Windsor et j’ai toujours cru que l’honnêteté, l’intégrité et le respect sont à la base d’une véritable relation de confiance. Mon parcours dans le service à la clientèle et le domaine des assurances m’a appris qu’il n’y a jamais de mauvaise question. J’aime prendre le temps d’expliquer les choses clairement afin que chaque personne puisse prendre des décisions éclairées, en toute confiance.
Lorsque je ne suis pas au travail, vous me trouverez souvent dans mon jardin, en train de prendre soin de mes plantes, de fabriquer des savons artisanaux ou d’expérimenter de nouvelles recettes de fermentation maison. J’aime créer, apprendre et porter attention aux petits détails. Ce sont des passions qui reflètent aussi ma façon de travailler : avec patience, rigueur et beaucoup de cœur.
Je suis également très engagé dans ma communauté et j’aime participer à des événements qui rassemblent les gens. Pour moi, chaque famille est unique et mérite d’être accueillie avec empathie, bienveillance et sans jugement.
Mon objectif est simple : être présent pour vous, répondre à toutes vos questions avec transparence et vous accompagner à votre rythme afin que vous puissiez prendre des décisions en toute confiance pour vous et votre famille.
Pre-planning:
A Peace of Mind
There is no better way to spend time together than talking about the future. Our futures give us the opportunity to have meaningful conversations, sharing what’s important to us and our families.
Families First “Celebrating Life Pre-Plan Program” is designed to guide you through these conversations to plan for a celebration of your life.
Design your own Celebration of Life
Let Families First work with you to design a celebration of life that speaks of who you are,how you live, and who you love.
Wouldn't you rather celebrate your way?
Taking the time to celebrate a loved one is a part of life and an important part of grieving.
Preplanning...
A gift to your family.
The information below summarizes why many people find prearranging their funeral or memorial service is the best decision they can make for themselves and their family.
A sensible way to make informed decisions before
your time of need.
Handling the death of someone you care for, together with wanting to make the right decisions, leaves many families feeling overwhelmed. This is especially true when you are emotionally impacted and have a limited amount of time to attend to all the details. This leaves our loved ones asking, “Did I do the right thing? Is this what they would have wanted?” When plans are not in place ahead of time, difficult financial and emotional choices need to be made when a family is least prepared. Many people have done everything they can to protect their family’s future: invested wisely, opened savings accounts and acquired insurance on their life and home. However, they haven’t taken care of their own funeral arrangements - leaving one of the most difficult tasks to their loved ones to figure out at a time of sadness and loss. That’s why it’s so important to give serious thought to your personal wishes and to plan your services in advance.
Be informed about
the choices available.
How would you like to be remembered? Your funeral or cremation service should be personalized to reflect your wishes and should bring comfort to your family and friends. Today, no two services are alike. Videos, photographs, music, special readings and the involvement of family and friends are all encouraged.
Prearranging gives you the opportunity to become informed about your options in a no-pressure environment, while you have the time to think things through. You’re in full control and you can select and specify the services that truly have meaning to you and your family.
Our Family Service Counsellors and Pre-Planning Advisors can explain all of the options available to you and can accommodate wishes to make your celebration a truly unique and personal experience.
Record your wishes.
Many people think they have taken care of everything by writing a Will, establishing a Power Of Attorney or even purchasing their cemetery plot. But that’s not all.
A Will’s simple purpose is to leave instructions for the handling of an individual’s financial affairs after a death occurs. Power Of Attorney documents are instructions for the living when once can no longer chose for themselves. The funeral or cremation service still remains to be planned and paid for.
Your loved ones benefit the most when you pre-plan your funeral arrangements. When a funeral or cremation service is not prearranged, someone who may not be aware of your wishes may have to make all of the decisions. Prearranging ensures that your wishes are known.
You should make sure that your wishes are recorded in writing and shared with family members. You should also keep a copy with your important papers in a place that is easily accessible to your family members. We offer a valuable Personal Planning Guide that can help you record your wishes.
Share with your family and incorporate their wishes.
A funeral or memorial service is an important part of the grieving process. For family members and loved ones alike, the service provides an opportunity to
express their grief, to share memories and to celebrate a life well lived.
When planning your funeral or memorial service, the opinions and wishes of your family can be considered. Prearranging is an excellent time for families to discuss
and make objective decisions calmly and rationally together, away from the pressures and stress that often occur at a time of sadness and loss.
Involving those closest to you who will be most affected by your death can bring peace of mind and relief to those who will have to carry out your wishes. More
importantly, knowing your wishes and carrying them out can bring great comfort to surviving family members and friends.
Don’t be afraid to ask
about prices.
The cost to arrange a funeral or cremation service can vary from place to place. Be careful to choose a funeral home that presents its prices clearly and simply.
Unfortunately, funeral and cremation costs are subject to inflation. When you prearrange, you benefit from selecting at today’s prices, free from future inflationary pressures.
Pre-arranging also gives you the opportunity to become informed about your options and their various costs in an unpressured environment. You’re in full control, and you can make objective decisions regarding affordability. You may decide to spend less or more, but the decision remains yours.
Prearranging enables you to choose a comfortable financial commitment with payment plans while eliminating the future financial burden placed on your surviving family members.
Consider Planning
and Prepaying for
your arrangements.
The cost to arrange a funeral or cremation service can vary from place to place. Be careful to choose a funeral home that presents its prices clearly and simply.
Unfortunately, funeral and cremation costs are subject to inflation. When you prearrange, you benefit from selecting at today’s prices, free from future inflationary pressures.
Pre-arranging also gives you the opportunity to become informed about your options and their various costs in an unpressured environment. You’re in full control, and you can make objective decisions regarding affordability. You may decide to spend less or more, but the decision remains yours.
Prearranging enables you to choose a comfortable financial commitment with payment plans while eliminating the future financial burden placed
on your surviving family members.
Insurance may not be enough.
Usually life insurance provides a one-time, lump-sum benefit after a death has occurred. However, there is no guarantee that the funds will not be consumed by the expenses that result from a long illness or serious accident.
Insurance cannot make the many decisions that are required at the time of need. Even with insurance in place, the actual funeral or cremation service still needs to be planned and paid for, and this can be a complicated task at a time of grief and loss.
In addition, insurance policies are not protected against inflation. Prices of products and services will continue to rise, while the amount of your policy coverage remains the same. Your survivors may not have enough left from the insurance proceeds to cover the higher cost of your funeral expenses. Insurance is not paid out the day someone passes away. Sometimes it can take weeks to months sometimes for your family to see those funds. Would they be prepared to pay the funeral in full right away and carry that burden until they see those insurance funds?
Prearrangements purchased through Families First Funeral Home combine the benefits of insurance with a guaranteed service and price , leaving the life insurance untouched for the living.
It’s the details that make a difference.
A funeral service is unlike any other event. It is the culmination of a lifetime distilled into a singular tribute. From a simple tribute to a more elaborate affair, the most memorable ones are planned with attention to detail and include many personal touches that reflect the individual. So when you put a plan together, start by reflecting on what’s most important in life. Do you
love to travel? What about sports, dancing or family traditions? Your final send-off should truly be a celebration of what makes you, unique. There are many opportunities for expression and personalization such as music, readings, mementos, food and flowers. Our Team have earned a reputation for celebrating each life like no other. Let us do the same for you.
Complete the personal
planning guide.
The Personal Planning Guide will be of value to you and your family. Once completed, it is a confidential record of your personal information and your wishes. It has been designed to provide you with a simple method of making information available to those who will need it in the event of your death or debilitating illness. Since the number of decisions to be made and the amount of information to be gathered at such a time can be overwhelming, we encourage you to complete this guide today.
Our Team at Families First can guide you through the many options and considerations to help you determine the arrangements that best suit your needs. Pre-Planning will help to reduce stress for your family and friends at an emotional time.