
Our
Story -
The
History
Of Gilchrist
Chapel
Established in 1932 by Elmer F. McIntyre at 100 Woolwich
Street, opposite St. George's Anglican Church, our firm
moved to its present location at the corner of Delhi
Street and Eramosa Road in the early 1940s. As an
ambulance service was also part of the business – common
for funeral homes at that time – the new location near
the Guelph General Hospital was particularly convenient.

Built in the early 1890's by
C.W. Kelly, a well-known Guelph music store owner, our
distinctive building was originally a private home. Over
the years the growth of the business has necessitated
the expansion and renovation of the property. Harry W.
Wilkie was responsible for many of the early changes.

Joining the firm following his
wartime service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Mr.
Wilkie, renowned for his attention to detail, became a
partner in the business and then sole owner. The
original Kelly home had already seen the addition of
garages and a selection room but in 1958 a need for more
space brought about a large addition, planned and
coordinated by Harry Wilkie. It was also during his era
that the two homes were built on the property.

In 1974 Donald W. Campbell
succeeded Mr. Wilkie. A respected professional
remembered for his caring manner, he moved his family to
the Royal City upon purchasing the business.
Unfortunately his tenure would be cut short by illness.

A few months before Mr. Campbell
fell ill in 1981, Douglas P.A. Gilchrist joined the firm
as a funeral director. Named Managing Director in 1981,
Doug Gilchrist along with Karen Gilchrist would purchase
the business in 1985. Under their guidance the firm
would continue to grow and expand its facilities. A
large chapel with a private family room was one of the
first changes. Additional visitation and lounge space
would follow along with an elevator to make the building
more accessible. A convenient on-site reception facility
and expanded parking are the most recent enhancements.
In 2011 with the owners considering retirement a senior
member of the staff once again stepped up to ownership.
Cameron (Cam) Skipper, a Guelph native, who had joined
the company in 1985, took over the reins. Having grown
up in a funeral service family - his parents Nancy and
Jack Skipper owned the Skipper O’Drowsky Funeral Home on
Waterloo Avenue in Guelph – and with more than 25 years
experience as a senior funeral director with the firm,
Cam Skipper was a natural fit for the role. Proud to be
the latest in a long line of local owner-managers, Cam
is looking forward to carrying on the tradition of
service that has been handed down from each of his
predecessors from Elmer McIntyre on.