WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. – Ted Moses and Kristy Palmantier chuckle over winning an award that recognizes their initiative for building a small business with a future.
The couple builds traditional pine box caskets on their ranch near Williams Lake, B.C.
“It’ s a hard thing to market tastefully,” Palmantier said.
Yet the personable couple have found that as funeral prices rise, more people are interested in a product that honors their western heritage.
“Everybody has got a bit of the pioneer or the cowboy in them,” Moses said.
Read Also
Calf hormone implants can give environmental, financial wins
Hormone implants can lead to bigger calves — reducing greenhouse gas intensity, land use intensity and giving the beef farmer more profit, Manitoba-based model suggests.
“When we first started, people said what a morbid idea. But it’ s like anything, somebody’ s got to do it.”
Every casket is custom made, and comes with horseshoe or antler handles. Linings range from colorful Indian blankets and buckskin-stitched pillows to satin and lace.
Moses builds the caskets and Palmantier adds artwork requested by clients.
They can build an ordinary pine box or the prairie sleeper-style coffin with sloped sides.
“A lot of people are saying this is what they want,” Moses said.
“They don’ t want to spend a lot of money. I think their kids should abide by their wishes.”
Moses and Palmantier can turn around an order in 24 hours and deliver it personally to the funeral home. Most of their sales have been in British Columbia, but one was recently delivered to Calgary for a client who measured six foot four inches.
They have made and sold 40 to 50 caskets in the last year. Prices range between $1,600 and $1,900, depending on the amount of work required.
They also make cremation urns, special coffins for children, farrier boxes, coat hangers, swings, beds and other western style woodwork.
Although they live in the middle of sawmill country, they import pine from the Kootenay region of B.C. where better grade lumber has been cured and kiln dried. This prevents the wood from warping and twisting and keeps the box strong.
Ted was a truck driver and Kristy an office worker before they started B.C. Custom Wood Caskets. They continue to raise Salers cattle.
“Sometimes I have to come in from cutting hay to make a casket,” Moses said.
Bankers were dubious at the start and other naysayers told them unsettling stories about what it might be like getting involved in the funeral business.
Their experience in woodworking was also limited.
“The only thing I ever built before we got started with this was a couple dog houses.”
The pair took a month-long master woodworking course in Quesnel, B.C., to learn craftsmanship and marketing.
They hope some of their six children will want to join the business. They want to stay small because they don’ t want to hire employees and they worry quality might slip.
