PIERSON'S FUNERAL SERVICE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director
Bridget began working in Funeral Services in 2016 in Calgary, joining Pierson's Funeral Service in 2020. Prior to enrolling in the Mount Royal Funeral Director Certificate Program in Calgary, Bridget graduated with a BA in English Literature and Religious Studies, and then earned her Master of Divinity. Bridget is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry Program at St. Stephen's College at the University of Alberta.
An in-depth knowledge of multiple faith-based ceremonies has enhanced Bridget's ability to connect her funeral directing towards many people of various faith groups and cultures. She is also a Certified Funeral Celebrant who believes in the healing power and purpose of a funeral.
Everyone who knows Bridget is aware that her favourite topic outside of funeral service is hockey. She learned great lessons from playing and coaching ice hockey at an elite level.
Aside from hockey, Bridget has a passion for grammar and punctuation and loves to write obituaries that assist families with honouring the legacy of their loved one. She also claims that her best education has been her own journey through personal grief and loss. Bridget's personal experience drives her to serve our families with honesty, integrity and genuine compassion.
Claire Drummond was born and raised in Winnipeg where she graduated from Grant Park High School. After attending Red River Community College, she worked for CKY Television for 7 years as a Promotions Coordinator. She then worked as an Office Administrator in Financial Planning before entering the funeral profession in 2004 at Pierson's Funeral Service. She currently manages our busy office looking after all aspects of our business operations. She has a love of helping people and enjoys using her creative flare designing beautiful stationery for the families we serve. Claire's dedication to serving our clients is unmatched. She is married to Geoff, and loves spending time with her four children and two grandsons.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director
David was raised on a farm in the surrounding area of Legal, Alberta. He is married to Valerie (nee Dudra). Together they have two children, Lisa and Christopher, and one grandson Chase.
In 1982 David commenced funeral service with Howard & McBride Funeral Home in Edmonton under the direction of Luke LaFrance. Since then, he was given the opportunity to travel across the prairie provinces serving families compassionately. David received his diplomas for being a funeral director and embalmer through the Alberta School of Mortuary Science, Saskatchewan Funeral Service Association, and the Manitoba Funeral Service Association.
David believed in continuing education, and through the years he attained three management designations through the University of Alberta and the Canadian Institute of Management.
David moved to Calgary in 2002 and joined the team of professionals at Pierson's Funeral Service Limited. After a few years, he stepped away from Pierson's only to return to join the Pierson family in serving the citizens of Calgary.
David attends St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church and has served as president of the parish council. His faith has carried him through numerous other volunteer positions with the Ukrainian community.
David's other passion is working with the Knights of Columbus. He is a member and actively involved with the St. Nicholas Byzantine Ukrainian Knights of Columbus Council #7659 and the St. Stephen's Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Assembly #2522. He has held various positions at the council level, and at the State level.
David has been passionately serving the Catholic community, and other communities abroad for over 40 years.
Job Titles:
- General Manager, Pierson 's Funeral Service
David is a grandson to the founders of Pierson's Funeral Service, Ches & Joan Pierson. He was exposed to the family business from an early age and is proud to continue the family business into another generation. David graduated from Lester B. Pearson High School and then served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Southern California. Upon returning from his mission he attended Mount Royal University. In 2005 he married his wife Marysol and they now have four children. Although his first intentions in school were in another direction, he joined the family business and quickly recognized his love for funeral service and changed programs, graduating with a General Arts & Sciences Certificate as well as a Funeral Director and Embalmer Extension Certificate. David is still actively involved with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has also volunteered with the Calgary Stampede Parade Committee since he was a teenager and has been an official volunteer since 2009. David's official work with Pierson's started in 2005 and he currently serves as our General Manager as well as a licensed funeral director and embalmer. David's love for the profession has led him to return to Mount Royal University as an instructor for the Funeral Services Program. He has also been an active member of the Alberta Funeral Service Association and is currently serving as a Director on the Board.
In 1983, Chesley and Joan Pierson and their family fulfilled a dream of opening their own funeral business. They began by leasing a modest commercial space in the Forest Lawn area of Calgary. The family philosophy of meeting every family's needs in a caring a compassionate manner continues today.
During the first few years of business, the Pierson's were fortunate to be able to purchase the building they were leasing. They were also given an opportunity to purchase the "Art Bealing Flower Gallery", a florist they shared the building with. Art Bealing began his flower shop in 1957 and built a solid business with a reputation of beautiful flower arrangements and top quality flowers, a tradition that also continues today.
With many families calling on the Pierson family in their time of need, it was clear that the Pierson's had solidly established themselves in East Calgary.
As Calgary continued to grow, it was clear that the business also needed to adapt and grow. In 1994, the Pierson Family completed extensive renovations to their 17 Avenue SE location. The chapel was enlarged, a kitchen was added for reception purposes, a garage was added and the office and meeting areas were also expanded. Additional changes were also made to accommodate the variety of cultures that need our services. Pierson's Funeral Service serves new Canadians from around the globe. They serve every Christian religion as well as Buddhist, Sikh, Muslim and Hindus. The Pierson Family has a reputation of being accommodating and flexible and being especially sensitive to the specific needs of each religion and ethnic community.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director / Embalmer
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral DIrector
Job Titles:
- President, Pierson 's Funeral Service
Michael Pierson was born and raised in Calgary. He was one of the seven Pierson children to attend Viscount Bennett Jr. & Sr. High Schools. He then attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he studied Music and Business. In 1986 he transferred to the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated with a Bachelors of Mortuary Science (cum laud) in 1987. He had training and experience in funeral homes in Utah and Ohio while attending University prior to returning to Calgary in 1988 to join the family firm. Michael has always shown leadership characteristics as well as being community and service minded. In High School he served as Class President and more recently served as the President of the International Avenue Business Revitalization Zone, an organization which has done significant work to improve the business district in the Forest Lawn area of Calgary. Michael also served on the Executive Council of the Alberta Funeral Service Association for eight years including a term as President. Michael is past Chairman of the International Avenue Arts and Culture Centre. Michael has an active Church life and loves to spend time with his wife Kathleen and their sons Eric and Connor. Michael has a passion for his work at the funeral home. He loves helping families who need our services and is proud of the good reputation and business the family has built.
Job Titles:
- President of Pierson 's Funeral Service
Michael Pierson is dedicated to carrying on the family tradition of quality, professional service and inexpensive pricing. More importantly, he understands the needs of the families they serve and has an organization that works to anticipate all your needs and works to look after each request, no matter how small. It is an honour and privilege to serve families when they call in their time of grief. A great deal of trust is placed in our hands and our goal is to work to meet every expectation, and then exceed them.
Job Titles:
- General Manager, Pierson 's Flower Gallery
Rose Lynn (Pierson) Root was born and raised in Calgary, graduating from Viscount Bennett High School and is the second of the seven Pierson children. Rose Lynn was raised in the shadow of her parents Ches & Joan Pierson and has learned the importance of serving families when a loved one has died. She has contributed her talents and hard work from the incorporation of the business in 1983, initially with the building and furnishing of our funeral home as well as sewing the drapes with her mother Joan. Rose Lynn has also had many other roles in the company, clerical support, organist, general helper and for the past many years as a floral designer and manager of our floral shop. Rosie continues to have ownership in Pierson's and serves as Secretary Treasurer of our Pierson Family Board, where she is an important contributor to the success of Pierson's. Rose Lynn is married to Mayne Root and is proud that two of their four children are involved in the family business, David as General Manager in the funeral home and Rebecca "Becky" Walker, who works in the flower shop. Rose Lynn also loves being a grandmother to 7 grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director
Job Titles:
- Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Teresa joined Pierson's Funeral Service in 2016 as a funeral attendant while attending the Funeral Director/Embalmer program at Mount Royal University. She graduated from the program in 2017 and obtained both her embalmer and funeral director licenses the following year. Teresa is one of our very caring and competent Funeral Directors.
Prior to entering funeral service, Teresa earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alberta as well as an Information Technology Diploma. She worked in Social Services in Edmonton and briefly in IT. Teresa was a stay at hoe mom for 10 years before finding funeral service.
Teresa has been married for over 20 years, is a mother to four children and pet parent to 2 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, 2 snakes and a leopard gecko. As an involved mother she spends much time with her family and driving kids to their activities. She loves reading, watching documentaries and in her younger years participated in a lot of indoor and outdoor rock climbing.
Teresa lives by the mantra of everything in moderation. She is motivated by giving families what they want and something they didn't know they needed. We appreciate her calm, dedicated, professional demeanor.
Today Michael Pierson is the President of Pierson's Funeral Service. Rose Lynn Root, the eldest daughter in the Pierson family is the Secretary Treasurer of the business and operates the Flower Shop. There are currently other members of the 3rd and 4th generation employed in the business including David Root who is the Funeral Home's general manager and Rebecca Walker who assists in the Flower Shop.