Feature with Krystal Riddell for Essentials
There are some jobs that not everyone is made for. To be a funeral director takes a special, compassionate, patient, genuine person and Krystal Riddell and her team are all those things.
If you’re passing by Division Street in Welland, you might come across Essentials Cremation and Burial Services. But it’s important to note that Essentials is not your cookie cutter funeral home. Before learning more about Essentials and their unique services, let’s talk about the people behind it.
Krystal Riddell is the Owner of Essentials Cremation and Burial Services with locations both in Welland and Niagara Falls. You might ask, how does someone get into this profession? Krystal Riddell lost someone very close to her when she was only a teenager. Her family’s plans were to ship their loved one’s urn back to their homeland, to honour their wishes, and help gain some closure for their family. There ended up being a very upsetting accident that threw these plans off the rails, which left her family upset, and unable to follow through with their original intentions. This stuck with Krystal.
As previously mentioned, Krystal was a teenager, a high schooler while this all happened, which is a time in your life where people always ask that terrifying question, “So what are you going to be when you grow up?”. Krystal’s Father was surprised, to say the least, when she expressed interest in funeral services and how these processes worked. Krystal looked into the profession herself and after learning more, she knew she would be able to help people the same way. After graduation she attended the 2-year funeral services program at Humber College and began working in Niagara shortly after.
Considering Krystal’s drive, passion and admiration for people in this profession, it wasn’t surprising that Krystal opened up her own business. She created Essentials which was incorporated in 2017 and she has been in the business for a total of 16 years!
What sets Essentials apart from other funeral homes? Essentials prides themselves on offering simple, affordable services because they want everyone to have the opportunity to honour their loved ones. Generations today are looking for more simple services, for example – a celebration of life rather than a full traditional memorial. Her website is very transparent, as all prices are listed which is especially helpful to clients with a modest budget. What Krystal sees as important is being able to share stories and stay true to their lost loved ones, and change people’s experiences for the better when having to make these arrangements.
A unique service that Essentials offers and encourages is green burials. A green or natural burial refers to returning a body to the earth as simple and with as little an impact on the environment as possible. For people who are mindful of the cyclical nature of life, a green or natural burial is a spiritually fulfilling alternative to conventional burial or cremation. Additionally, Essentials still does offer traditional burials and cremations of any scale.
People find value in the uniqueness of Essentials all the lengths Krystal and her team are willing to go to make your experience as easy as possible, even if that means offering guidance for the government paperwork and how to handle the estate.
Krystal is thrilled to have opened the second Essentials location in Welland. They were already serving many families in the Welland area, so it just made sense, and now they are equipped to help clients with whatever they need from two locations!
These people have such an important job that not just anybody can do, but as Krystal says, the passion carries them through. If you are looking for a refreshing, innovative and cost-effective option, do not hesitate to reach out to Krystal and her team for your funeral service needs. Thank you Krystal for always putting others before yourself.
https://essentialscbs.com/green-burials/