Our years of service will
serve you well

When you place your trust in W.G. Catto you can expect the highest standards of professionalism, compassionate care and a truly distinct service. Whatever you need, whatever your plans, lean on our experience.

W.G. Catto has been an established Moray based, family run, funeral director for over 100 years. Originally listed as joiner, upholsterer and cabinetmaker, the family manufactured coffins for customers as part of their service. Like many joiners during the the early 20th Century, this provision gradually extended to arranging the whole funeral. In 1980 Willie Catto died and his widow Moira sold the business to Forres based undertaker and joiner, Sandy Smith a year later and it was loosely renamed to Smith & Catto. In 2003, Sandy sought out another family business with ethics and experience to take on the legacy of his own. William Purves, with its five generations and reputation for premier funeral services was a natural fit.

Today our values of compassion, dedication, integrity and respect are at the heart of W.G. Catto.
The four-strong team continue supporting bereaved families in Elgin, Forres and the wider Moray area and earning their trust

William Purves history

 

Putting your family first

As the final ritual of life, a funeral is our way of saying goodbye, honouring a life lived and a life loved. Funerals play an important role in our grieving process and often we can feel a huge responsibility to get it right. Which is why we start with the view that every funeral is unique and every funeral is special. In years to come we want you to look back without regret and take comfort from the way you laid your loved one to rest. We have been guiding and supporting families through bereavement for many generations. Let our family help your family by sharing with you the wealth of understanding and experience we have gathered over the years.

Our team

As independent funeral directors we serve bereaved families in our local community.

News & Blog

Explore our blog and news section for advice, resources and the latest news affecting funerals.

News & Blog

Explore our blog and news section for advice, resources and the latest news affecting funerals.

Latest Posts

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Financial benefits of funeral planning

As we approach the fiscal year end, those looking to retirement are called on to top up ISAs and review their tax position and budgets. Enquiries about our Prepaid funeral plans often rise around this time of year. And here’s why. They are an efficient way of...

Championing International Women’s Day 2024

In a profession that's been traditionally male dominated, we’re shining the spotlight on two of our funeral directors, Sharon Laing in Inverurie in Aberdeenshire and Kim Ramshaw from Monkseaton, North East England.  Neither set out to be a funeral director but their...

Inside the Undertakers – come on in

The BBC’s documentary “Inside the Undertakers” with Stacey Dooley last Autumn was the latest behind-the-scenes programme to explore the funeral sector.  Early on, Dooley confesses her fears surrounding death and sets out to confront the many myths and taboos...