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About

Comstock Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, a Peterborough landmark for more than164 years, has come to epitomize excellence in funeral service and respect for family values. In 2016, Kaye Funeral Home & Memorial Chapel joined us, and the business became Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre. Our goal is to celebrate each life like no other.

Let’s celebrate life

Reception Room at Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration CentreComstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre is located at 356 Rubidge St., Peterborough, Ontario. The well-appointed facility features a comfortable and spacious chapel, large visitation rooms, a passenger elevator for accessibility and a beautiful reception area. The Dignity Room was developed to showcase the options available to all families—including floral arrangements, catering menus, personalized cremation urns and caskets—and assist in creating a unique and memorable funeral services.

Personalized funerals

Our mission at Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre is to help families create personalized funerals and memorials. This approach keeps us open to traditional religious rites as well as contemporary gatherings that deeply reflect a person's life. That means that whether you want a basic cremation with cremated remains scattered in a personally meaningful place, a funeral in our cozy chapel with cemetery burial nearby, or a modern celebration of life with live music, favourite foods and a send-off that expresses the passions of yourself or your loved one, we are happy to deliver.

Want an afternoon ice cream social? Or maybe an evening wine and cheese gathering is a better fit. Were you thinking about a garden-themed funeral complete with a afternoon tea party, attendees all in sun hats and personalized seed packets as takeaways? If you can imagine it, we can make it happen.

Cremation services

Not everyone knows that there are many cremation options. If you are interested in cremation, the funeral home team can explain the process and different options. From a direct cremation without a memorial service or a witness cremation to a full funeral service before or after the cremation and more, we help you understand this increasingly common choice—and handle all of the cremation arrangements.

Planning ahead

At Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre, we also recognize that funeral arrangements and associated expenses can be overwhelming. In addition to assisting during your immediate time of need, our funeral directors specialize in working with families to plan ahead. By preparing in advance, you provide a sense of relief, peace of mind and comfort for your loved ones while ensuring your wishes are met and your budget is kept. We offer a complimentary planning guide with no obligation.

Please contact us for a tour of the funeral home or to plan a funeral. We are here for you.

History

In 2016, Comstock Funeral Home merged with Kaye Funeral Home & Memorial Chapel to form Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre. Among the oldest businesses in Peterborough, Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre has been a member of the community for more than 160 years.

Early days of Comstock Funeral Home

In the 1800s, the funeral home was known as Comstock Funeral Home. It was operated by the Poole brothers, Edwin and Thomas, as a furniture and cabinetry business. Aaron Comstock moved to Peterborough from Colborne and began working as a cabinetmaker for the Pooles. Aaron eventually became a partner and bought the business in 1853. Although it was originally located at the corner of Brock and Chamber streets, their furniture store was moved to 300 George St. and a funeral parlour was added.

Aaron’s sons, William, John and Manson, joined the family business. By 1926, the store and funeral parlour had moved to 305 Water St.

The middle of the 20th century and beyond

The businesses moved again to Rubidge Street in 1949. This building, the current location of Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre, was built as a home in 1882. The Comstocks added a chapel and front façade to the building in 1949. They sold their furniture store in 1955 to Yolles Furniture Co. Ltd. of Toronto. However, the Comstock family continued the funeral home, and expansion of the business led to renovations and an addition to the building in 1960. The renovations continued in 2006 with the addition of an elevator.

Kaye Funeral Home gets its start

The Kaye Funeral Home was founded by George Maxwell “Max” Kaye on June 13, 1946. In the early years of the business, Max ran an ambulance and taxi business to supplement his income. In 1963, a chapel was added. In 1966 and 1967, Max’s sons, Ken and Ron, joined the family business. In 1993, the Kaye family sold the business. Max died in 1997. Ron remained to serve families at Kaye Funeral Home & Memorial Chapel until August of 2016.

Two funeral businesses become one

Kaye and Comstock merged to form Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre in 2016. Ron Kaye continues to serve families at Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre.

Community involvement

At Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre, we firmly believe that taking care of each other is what community is all about. Our community involvement includes decorating the rooftop garden in the Palliative Garden Unit of Peterborough Regional Health Centre during winter, planting trees with Kawartha Land Trust (Kawartha Heritage Conservancy), driving legion members to the Remembrance Day Parade and our annual Hope and Renewal Service.

Amenities

Location

Cremation

Service

Religious & Cultural

Other Languages Spoken

100% SERVICE GUARANTEE

At Dignity Memorial, we take our promises seriously. That’s why we offer a 100% service guarantee. We strive to get every detail right the first time, every time. If for some reason we don’t and you’re dissatisfied with any aspect of your service, we will remedy it quickly and fully. Learn about our Dignity Difference benefits.

Learn about our Dignity Difference benefits.

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Free personal planning guide

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Ratings & Reviews

Verified Customer Reviews

Since 2005, many of our customers have taken the time to tell us how we did each year via our Voice of the Customer program. Our star ratings and comments from families come directly from these surveys.

"Death and Funerals during Covid 19 of loved ones have been extremely heartbreaking and difficult for families. Comstock-Kaye staff were professional and compassionate with their care of our mom. We have been unable to gather to celebrate her life and deliver her to the cemetery but know that our needs will be met at that time.I would like to thank Dean and his entire team for their empathy and expertise."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

September 2020

"Ron Kaye provided excellent support, guidance and understanding."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

September 2020

"We have had only great experiences with the staff . They are super helpful and always ready to explain and change whatever we request. For many years we have contracted them for our Funerals and have never been disappointed."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

September 2020

"Always very professional, caring and helps you navigate through a very difficult time. The support and paying attention to details is exemptional."

jd-power-verified-checkmark Verified Burial & Memorial Service Customer

August 2020

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Upcoming Events

We cherish the community we serve and invite you to join us for our upcoming events.

31 October

Save the tax on your Pre Arranged Funeral (Duplicate)

Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre 356 Rubidge Street Peterborough, ON K9H 4C7 GET DIRECTIONS

Meet Our Team

Here for you when you need us.

  • 1002136

    Carl Brown

    General Manager
  • Peterborough Funeral Home Manager - COMSTOCK-KAYE Life Celebration Centre

    Dean Gemmiti

    Manager
  • Peterborough Funeral Home Funeral Director - COMSTOCK-KAYE Life Celebration Centre

    Terry Donoghue

    Funeral Director
  • 1049936

    Kate Louisa Dunford

    Funeral Director
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