Kat Downey is founder and owner of a company called “Legacy Matters”. She leverages her skills as a licensed Funeral Director to help families with their pre-planning funeral needs.
We are honoured that Kat has joined our project to share some of her years of experience and wisdom in order to give our audience a better understanding of some of the basic questions we all have about funerals.
About Kat Downey
With a lifelong commitment to the enhancement of the life experience, Kat Downey is a comforting and capable presence in her role as a funeral director and insurance advisor. Having earned her degree in Human Biology from the University of Guelph and Bachelor and Master of Education degrees from Queen’s University, she taught for the Durham Board of Education and George Brown College in Toronto before she recognized her true calling was in providing services related to pre-need funeral planning and estate preservation. Kat had an epiphany that embraced her natural instincts to help people. When the opportunity arose for her to attend Humber College’s Funeral Services Education Program, she welcomed it, completing her licensing requirements in 1998. Though death is an essential component of the total human experience, funeral and estate planning might seem, to some, a topic to be avoided. But Kat’s clients have found her service quite the antithesis of this, delivering to them a hugely relieving cognitive release once those inevitable decisions are actually behind them. And, along with her expertise in the funeral industry – Kat has enhanced her knowledge base to include a variety of insurance and living benefits needs of all kinds − completing her Insurance Licenses in 2004, publishing the Executor’s Companion Workbook in 2010 and attaining her Certified Estate Advisor designation in 2014.
Kat’s also completed the Core concepts in Palliative Care Parts I and II and the Bereavement Facilitators program through Hospice King-Aurora. Kat is a founding member of the York Central Hospital, Perinatal Bereavement Committee. Kat is also a Professional Advisor for Bereaved Families of Ontario and Faculty Member for the Certified Professional Consultants on Aging.
An active volunteer and networker with a number of organizations, Kat is widely recognized as an upbeat, honest and capable professional who leaves her clients feeling cared for, validated and secure. When Kat’s not working, she enjoys attending auctions and rummage sales, antique restoration, and stained glass creation.
Legacy Matters
Kat Downey is a Licensed Funeral Director in Ontario, Canada and can assist you and your family with every aspect of funeral pre-planning, from memorial services, monuments, and cemetery needs, to insurance claims, obituaries, and catering services.
905-717-9197 Visit Website
Podcast Transcript – Kat Downey
