The Valley Workshop Creates Custom Cremation Urns

St-Anicet native Jesse Roskies launched his business over two years ago, designing and realizing everything from welcome signs to commercial consignments in both wood-based and synthetic options.

In 2015, Roskies, who is the grandson of the founder of the former Huntingdon Mills, won the Quebec Entrepreneurship Contest, which played a significant role in the launching of his business. Come 2017, Howick resident Roskies has something new to offers locals—custom-made, wooden cremation urns.

“Custom wooden urns have always been part of the plan for The Valley Workshop. Years ago, I was approached by a friend whose father who had passed away, and he asked me if I would make his. I was honoured to do it, never realizing the impact it would have on the family and friends who saw it. It had scroll-work and an engraved message from the family on the front, and a meaningful, detailed image engraved on the top along with his name and the years of his life. I made it out of red oak, I believe. While it probably wasn’t as refined as what I’m doing now, the reaction that it got was really moving. At an otherwise sad event, I saw how this one-of-a-kind urn made people smile. They touched it to feel the detail. They remarked how special it was and how it was ‘so him’. That was the moment that I realized that this was something I wanted to do,” explains Roskies.

Currently, the shop sells directly to funeral pre-planners and families. The process begins with an open discussion about the person whose life the urn is to represent. Roskies then takes the time to discuss the look and feel that would best reflect the essence and character of the person for whom the urn is intended. It could be a religious symbol, a special poem, a set of golf clubs, perhaps a motorcycle or a laser engraved photo etched right into the wood. “Wood-type, stain colour, font selection and text… these are just some of the ways we can create an urn that is the perfect reflection of a person’s life,” says Roskies. 

 Soon, the cremation urns will be sold through a network of local funeral homes. These options will be less customizable than those that are sold directly, but will be retailed at a reasonable price, while still holding a higher value than imported mass-produced urns.

For more information, call Jesse Roskies at 514-618-6185 or email jesse@thevalleyworkshop.com.