Obituary of Dennis Earl Haverstock

Dennis Haverstock was the proud owner of the Dennis Haverstock Funeral Homes Ltd. and a proud father, grandfather, and long-time resident of Port Hawkesbury. He was the son of Earl and Weilder (Romans) Haverstock and grew up in Hammonds Plains but established a strong love and sense of connection with his chosen home in Cape Breton. Dennis passed away suddenly in St. Martha’s Hospital in Antigonish, NS on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the age of 86. 

Dennis was a big man with a big personality who had a strong sense of community and how his business should be run. Underneath a sometimes boisterous exterior, his heart was the biggest part of him. He was a no-nonsense person when it came to the funeral profession; he believed everyone deserved to receive respectful and professional service.

Outside of the funeral service, he loved to torment others and loved nothing more than to be one-upped with a clever comeback. He was a colorful storyteller and loved to see the humor in everyday life. He had a full mental catalog of great jokes and often marveled that he could remember anything funny but couldn’t remember anything of importance from school!

He rooted for the underdog and prided himself in helping those that needed help and didn’t want any recognition or acknowledgment for it. Dennis was also known for his ability to sing (loudly) and was often asked to sing in the choir for many funeral services.

He took his first job in the funeral profession at Halifax Funeral Home in 1957 at the age of 18. While working in Halifax in 1958, he met Carol. Carol and Dennis were married a year later in September 1959. In 1966 they moved to Amherst, NS to work at Campbell’s Funeral Home. In 1967, Carol and Dennis purchased a funeral business and ambulance service in Port Hawkesbury. This would be a pivotal moment in their lives; Port Hawkesbury is where they started a family and solidified their commitment to the funeral profession and the community.

There were challenging times in the early days but with perseverance, hard work, and a lot of personal integrity, the business grew. John Langley was the very first employee and was instrumental in this. Through the years, the business would grow from having one visitation room in the family house in Port Hawkesbury to 5 different locations: Port Hawkesbury, Whycocomagh, Guysborough, Canso and St Peter’s.  One of Dennis’s proudest accomplishments was designing and opening the funeral home in Port Hawkesbury. This was his way to give back to the families and community that supported his family and his business.

He also owned and operated two ambulance services, one in Port Hawkesbury and one in St. Peter’s. He employed many loyal employees and was not only a boss to them but formed many long-lasting friendships.

Dennis was the first to bring funeral homes to areas where none existed previously, and this was a source of great pride for him.

Another point of pride in his professional life was that Dennis Haverstock Funeral Homes ‘served all faiths.’ In a way, Dennis was breaking down barriers in a time when it was challenging to do so.

Dennis volunteered on many boards and was a member of many community groups through the years. In his early days, Carol and Dennis were involved in the Kinsmen/Kinettes and loved to attend local dances and church suppers. He was a past president of the Funeral Service Association of Nova Scotia and a past member of the Funeral Service Association of Canada. He also was a member of the Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors and of the board of directors of the CJFX radio station.

Dennis and his wife Carol raised three children while balancing a business, maintaining two careers, volunteering in the community, and remaining closely connected to friends and extended family.

Garth, their second child was born with muscular dystrophy. Knowing his life would be shorter than most, Dennis and Carol worked together to fill Garth’s life with many positive experiences. In turn, Garth had a profound and positive impact on their lives and the lives of many others.

Dennis is survived by his wife of almost 65 years, Carol Haverstock (nee Dennis), their two children, Grant (Jessica Klein Herenbrink) and Gina (Sean Myles) of Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He was predeceased by two sons, Garth and Dawson.  He was the very proud Grampy of Nate (13) and Audrey (11), both of Wolfville and many beloved nieces, nephews and dear friends. He has two loving sisters Ida Boutilier of Halifax, NS and Viola Mason of Ottawa, ON. He was predeceased by his parents Earl and Weilder (Romans) Haverstock, by his dear brother Garvie Haverstock (Lynn Durling), brothers-in-law Donald Boutilier (Ida), and Gordon Mason (Viola).

Many thanks to Dennis Haverstock Funeral Homes’ past and present employees, and the good people of Port Hawkesbury and surrounding areas for the love and support through the years. A special thanks to John Langley, Glenn and Jeanette Diggdon, Ida Boutilier and Jill Haverstock, Marcie Mason of the Maples Supportive Living Community and the doctors and nurses of the Progressive Care Unit and St Martha’s Hospital in Antigonish.

Visitation will take place at Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home at 724 Granville Street, Port Hawkesbury on Thursday, June 6, 2024, from 2 - 4 pm and 6 - 8 pm.

A funeral to celebrate Dennis’ life will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024, at 11:00am at St Joseph Catholic Church, 138 Granville St, Port Hawkesbury, NS with Rev. Susan Slater officiating. Reception to follow. Private burial to follow.

Donations in Dennis’ memory may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Cemetery Fund (Port Hawkesbury), Camp Tidnish or a charity of your choice. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com