Our team

Stéphanie Côté

President and Funeral Director

I’m Stéphanie Côté, a licensed funeral director and embalmer. A graduate of the Funeral and Mortuary Science Program at Collège Rosemont, I have also studied business administration at HEC and project management at McGill University. I have provided funeral services in the West Island of Montreal and the surrounding area for over 20 years, serving hundreds of families and their loved ones.

I founded Voluntas in 2007 in order to have the freedom to serve customers the way they want to be served. Our dedication to be open and transparent in everything we do is greatly appreciated.

I have always believed that my mission is to provide humanitarian support to help grieving individuals gently through the transition period after losing someone they love. With my many years of experience, organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail and network of associates, I can help you to create meaningful and personal celebrations of life. Planning and coordinating a gathering can be difficult at such an emotional time. Rely on me to provide the support you need so that you can concentrate on being with those you love.

I often tell those I serve: “I’ll be your best friend and ally in the days ahead.”

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Annie-Rose Marcoux

Family Counselor

Annie-Rose, the youngest member of the Marcoux family, has taken a meaningful journey with the family business. She began as a part-time student working weekends, handling odd jobs including cleaning. She soon moved to supporting families by serving at Celebration of Life and funeral services. As she became more knowledgeable, she started to work as office support which led her to her current position as a Family Counselor.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Annie-Rose brings a sense of calm and quiet confidence to every family she serves. With her gentle manner, soft-spoken nature, and meticulous attention to detail, she ensures each family receives the compassionate care and thoughtful support they require during life’s difficult moments.

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Gabrielle Marcoux

Family Counselor

Having both my parents work in the funeral industry, it seemed natural to start working at Voluntas. I had seen both my parents, but especially my mother, Stéphanie pour her blood, sweat and tears into founding Voluntas and bringing it to where it is now. Seeing her work countless hours was really inspiring and I aspire to become as invested in my career as she is.

I am currently studying Nursing at the University of Montreal, and still help out as much as I can, because I have grown fond of the relationships I build while working at Voluntas.

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Suzanne Pelletier

Funeral Director

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Annabelle Nolin

Funeral Director

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Michael "Mike" Olinik

Funeral Service Assistant

Hi, I’m Mike and I have been working at Voluntas since 2019. This was a big step for me because my Dad died when I was only 11 years old. Death in general was something you didn’t talk about in my family. Donna, my wife, works also at Voluntas. During a staff party, the sharing of sad and funny stories related to funeral service, done with such respect, had me interested in trying it out and I joined the team.

At Voluntas, my responsibilities vary as needed… washing the vehicles transporting your loved ones from place of death, to the crematorium or cemetery. I also assist the funeral director during funerals and I’m also a pallbearer. My nickname is “The Transporter”.

I met the love of my life in February 1977 and married in May 1979. We have two children and two grandchildren. I worked in accounting for forty years for the same company in Montreal East before retiring.

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Maddox Gagné

Property Maintenance & Funeral Assistant

I’m Maddox Gagné. I have been working at Voluntas since 2022. My principle duties are to oversee the smooth running of all things pertinent to building and grounds. I take great pride in my work always making sure that everything is in top shape both structurally and aesthetically. I am someone who pays particular attention to detail; therefore, I derive great pride in working for Voluntas.

Since am one of 11 kids, I have learned how to focus on my tasks at hand even when distractions and noise can surround me. A helpful trait since I am currently attending University and plan to graduate with a law degree.

I love sports and have been playing hockey all my life. Working out at the gym doing CrossFit is part of my regular routine. Of course, I am competitive and am thinking that it might be time to start learning how to play golf so I can challenge my Dad. That could be a lot of fun!

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Brigitte Taillefer

Customer Service Assistant & Hostess

Having dedicated 35 years to an exceptional career in the airlines, Brigitte now brings her wealth of experience including her professionalism, empathy, and grace to her role as a Customer Service Assistant and Hostess at Voluntas. Her calm presence, attention to detail, and deep compassion allow her to support families with dignity and warmth during life’s most difficult moments. Brigitte is dedicated to creating respectful, heartfelt, and meaningful Celebrations of Life ensuring every family feels cared for and comforted.

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Lynn Brown-Poole

Communication & Customer Service Specialist

Lynn is a Communication & Customer Service Specialist at Voluntas. Her strong interpersonal and communication skills come from her years employed as a Senior Executive in sales and marketing for a large international corporation. She is a respected team leader who nurtures, motivates, and empowers high performing, productive teams. She also possesses solid entrepreneurial skills having built a successful business start-up.

As an avid reader, it was the love of reading that led her to start writing. And, once she started, she was hooked! She writes both non-fiction and fiction, but it is the thrill of creating a story simply from one’s imagination that really excites Lynn.

“It only takes a one-word prompt and my brain is off to the races thinking of all sorts of possible storylines. My best imagining is when I’m driving home after my creative writing workshop. It is not unusual to see me laughing alone in my car as I come up with all sorts of amusing and sometimes twisted ideas. Wink.”

A strong believer in community, Lynn is also an active volunteer with Literacy Unlimited, a community organization dedicated to changing lives through improved adult literacy.

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Philomena Cabral

Funeral Assistant

Following a distinguished career spanning three decades as a flight attendant, Philomena now brings her warmth, grace, and attentiveness to a different kind of journey—supporting families during Celebration of Life services. With a deep sense of compassion and calm, she helps create meaningful and comforting experiences that honor the memories of loved ones. Her lifelong dedication to service and care is evident at every service that she partakes in.

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Alain Desjardins

Event Director

After 29 years in the transportation industry, Alain made the decision to semi-retire and follow in his grandfather’s footsteps working for a funeral service. With the help of close friends, he was introduced to Stéphanie at Voluntas, and it was clear from the start that it was the right fit.

Alain was drawn to the compassionate team at Voluntas, who pay close attention to every detail in order to support families during their time of grief. Their shared commitment to service and empathy made the transition feel natural.

Married for 38 years, Alain is a proud father of three and grandfather of six. He openly admits to being the most emotional member of the team—something he embraces, because it reflects just how deeply he cares about the people he serves.

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Elise Di Palma

Funeral Assistant

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Philippe Leduc

Funeral Assistant

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Johanne Brunet & Serge Aumais

Janitorial Team

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Jacques Côté

Property Maintenance

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Giovanni Vaccaro

Property Maintenance

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Denis J. Marcoux

Retired Funeral Director

For 40 years, the past 20 on the West Island, I’ve had the privilege of serving grieving families. Over the years, I’ve seen many changes in what families need and want. Families today don’t want a generic funeral – they want a memorial that really reflects the person and is truly meaningful.

I’m a licensed embalmer and a member of the Quebec Funeral Standards Committee. I have been involved in the community for many years, notably as outgoing president of the West Island Palliative Care Residence and leader of a bereavement support group. I believe that the Voluntas concept is an innovative and positive solution, and I’m proud to be part of the Voluntas team.

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Filou

Pet Therapist

Hello! I’m Filou, the pet therapist. Read my blog! Read my blog!

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