History of Connelly-McKinley

In 1904 Joseph William Connelly immigrated to Canada, from Minnesota to the Riviere Qui Bare area and homesteaded with his wife Isabelle Connelly, who taught grades one through twelve in a one room school house.

In 1908 Joseph Connelly established Connelly-McKinley Funeral Home with the vision of offering his community the comforts of family. Four generations later and close to century later, Connelly-McKinley Funeral Homes and Crematoriums continues that tradition.

William J. Connelly his eldest son worked for his father followed by his younger brother Thomas A. Connelly. Today William J. Connelly at 86 years of age is still actively working in the funeral profession with two of his sons, Bill Connelly Jr., and Gerry Connelly. Gerry's twin brother Terry also worked in the business until the time of his passing in 2002. Cameron Connelly, son of Gerry Connelly has recently entered Mortuary studies in the United States and plans to serve within the family business upon completion of his studies, beginning the fourth family generation for the Connelly family in Funeral Service.

The family owns and operates three funeral homes in the Edmonton area, the Downtown Chapel; the present location opened in 1980, St. Albert Chapel which opened in 1982, and the new location of Sherwood Park-Millwoods Chapel opened in 2001. All of the funeral homes were designed by J. Stuart Todd an internationally well know architect specializing in funeral homes, and the interior design work was done by Tom Freeman of Freeman and Associates also specializing in funeral homes.

Our family helping your family since 1908