Our Story: Four Generations of Care

Our story begins in the late 1930s, when Carl T. Addison moved his family—his wife, Myrtle; daughter, Betty (Larry’s mother); and son, Bob—to Huntsville to begin working at Ould’s Funeral Home. Shortly after his arrival, Mr. John Ould passed away, and Carl assisted Mrs. Ould in continuing the operation of the business. During this time, the family welcomed another daughter, Barbara.

After several years, Carl assumed ownership, and Addison Funeral Home was established—marking the beginning of a family legacy in caring for the Huntsville community.

Originally located on West Street behind the old Eaton’s store, the funeral home was relocated by Carl in the late 1940s to its current location. As Huntsville grew, so did the funeral home’s role in supporting families through life’s most difficult moments.

In 1969, Carl sold the business to his son, Bob Addison, representing the second generation of family ownership. He continued in his father’s footsteps, guiding the funeral home through years of growth and modernization. Under his leadership, the facility was updated to better serve families, including improved accessibility and the addition of a permanent chapel—enhancements that reflected a continued commitment to compassionate, community-focused care.

The next generation would soon follow. Larry Mitchell, Carl’s grandson, grew up around the funeral home and developed a deep respect for the profession and the families it serves. After leaving Huntsville in 1977 to attend Humber College in Toronto, he obtained his Funeral Director’s Licence in 1979 and gained valuable experience working with Trull Funeral Home in Toronto. In 1984, he returned to Huntsville to work alongside his uncle and continue the family tradition.

When the funeral home was sold in 1990, Larry remained as Managing Funeral Director, ensuring continuity of care and service for the community. Then, on May 16, 2001, Larry and his wife Colleen proudly brought the funeral home back into family ownership—beginning a new chapter under the Mitchell name.

While the name changed, the values did not. For 25 years as Mitchell Funeral Home, the same principles established by Carl T. Addison—compassion, integrity, and personal service—remain at the heart of everything we do.

Today, the legacy continues with the next generation. Bill Mitchell, son of Larry Mitchell, began working full-time at the funeral home in 2011, becoming his father’s right-hand man and an integral part of the team. strengthening the family’s commitment to excellence in service.

As the Addison and Mitchell families approach 100 years of service in Huntsville, we are reminded that this is more than a business—it is a legacy of caring for our community.

Generations of families have walked through our doors during some of life’s most difficult moments, placing their trust in us. That trust has been passed down from one generation to the next within our own family, and it continues to guide everything we do.

It is both a privilege and a responsibility to carry that legacy forward—honouring the past while continuing to serve families with compassion, dignity, and care.