Aside the interesting gravestones and the gothic architecture, the cemeteries’ famous residents have made them an unofficial tourist stop in any country or city.  Toronto cemeteries are no different.  Each year, a great number of tourists visit grave sites of notable people in the fields of science and entertainment.  These tourists may not be able to get autographs from these cemeteries’ famous residents, but it will give them great honour to have a chance to pay their respects to the people they look up to.

Here are some of the celebrities and prominent figures in history.  Take note that some of them were not born and raised in Toronto, but have grown to love the city enough to make it their resting place.

• Anderson Rubin Abbot (1837-1913).  This medical pioneer was the first Canadian-born African American surgeon and was one of the only eight doctors of African American descent to be involved with the Union Army from 1863 to 1866.  His work in the soldier’s hospital has earned him the admiration of then president Abraham Lincoln and first lady Mary Todd Lincoln and he was awarded with a Shepard plaid shawl which the president wore on his way to his first inauguration in 1861.  He passed away after suffering from a stroke in December 29, 1913. He was buried in the Toronto Necropolis and Crematorium.

• Sir Frederick Banting (1891-1941).  Despite struggled in school before enrolling in medicine, Sir Frederick Banting has made a significant contribution to the medical world by being having successfully distilled insulin with his assistant, Charles Best.  This discovery has benefited millions of diabetics all over the world.  Sadly, he passed away in February 21, 1941 at the age of 49 after his England-bound plane crashed.  He was buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

• John Rutsey (1952-2002).  He is best known as the co-founder and former drummer of the Canadian rock band and newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rush, which popularized the songs “Tom Sawyer” and “Time stand still”.  Rutsey passed away on May 11, 2008 after dying in his sleep of an apparent heart attack.  He was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.