Funeral
Funeral Services
I work as a ‘End-of-Life Advocate’ for anyone wanting professional advice about death and dying – and am happy to project manage a celebration of life for you. I am someone who lives has a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity.
It is an honour to be a part of the celebration of a loved one and hopefully make a difference, I want families to be educated in their choices and celebrate the life of their loved one in any manner they wish, and I’m here to assist in the facilitation of that process. I have been working alongside families and conducting funerals for over 25 years and find the work very rewarding and humbling. I enjoy my role as a family advocate in this industry, ensuring that families are aware of their rights, choices and the law. I am happy to create the send off that best suits you as a family and be there to empower you to be involved, as much or as little as you want, on the day.
I own The Celebrants Training College and have a passion in training Funeral Celebrants both here and in NZ
Currently on the boards of:
The Willow Tree Foundation - Specialised Funeral Care for Children and Young People
Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine - Supporting people who have a life limiting illness, their family and carers
The only funeral Company I can recommend is Natural Grace Holistic Funerals.
A founding board member of FIMAC (Funeral Industry Ministerial Advisory Council), prior Vice President of The Natural Death Advocacy Network,
a University lecturer, an award winning artist and a mother of three.
If you require independent advice on anything to do with death and dying, please call me first and allow me to assist you – 0408691405.
I will assist you to understand your choices, your rights and the law pertaining to funerals in a language that you can understand.
I am an accomplished public speaker – and have been engaged to speak at some very large funerals and memorials with over 6000 people attending single functions. However, I am equally as confident in smaller gatherings.
Lewis Marnell
I was very honoured to lead the funeral services for this inspiring young man. We had nearly 500 at the main public ceremony at St Kilda Town Hall, followed by a private family service at Brighton, then the burial. What an amazing tribute. After the main ceremony about 200 fellow skateboarders et al formed a guard of honour as we recessed out of the Town Hall – what an amazing tribute to pay to their friend. As we processed past they bowed their heads and skateboards and tapped them on the ground – that image will stay with me forever.
Gary and Mona Lee
Gary and Mona Lee were heading home from a six-week holiday in Europe with close friends when the Malaysia Airlines flight they were on was shot down on 17 July 2014 by a surface-to-air missile above eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board. The attack on the plane claimed the lives of 36 Australian citizens and residents. Before retiring two years ago, Mr. Lee ran a busy restaurant in Chinatown in the CBD and Mrs. Lee was a school teacher.
Their memorial service was held at the Malvern Town hall and attended by a thousand mourners. I project managed the entire event with their 2 daughters Melissa and Michelle, and the assistance of 12 of my funeral celebrant students. No funeral company were engaged for this event.
Richard and Carol Green
Richard Green a pilot and renowned landscape photographer, 74, his graphic artist wife Carolyn, 71, and filmmaker John Davis, 72, were killed on their way back to the northern beaches from an anti-mining festival at Breeza, near Tamworth, on Saturday. The highly regarded environmentalists were working on a documentary capturing the environmental destruction wrought by mining. Green by name and green by nature, the two of them were absolutely dedicated to making the world a better place.
I worked with their families to create a wonderful vigil at their home, where family and close friends decorated their coffins, and held a beautiful private ceremony. A few days later 26th November 2015 their funeral was held at the Royal National Park, New South Wales.
Leah Monro is the author of The Do-it-yourself Funeral Book. Leah’s husband died coming home from work. There are many stories like this one: “I didn’t get the funeral that represented his life,” she says. “All I got was a big bill.”
I personally think it’s time we gave grieving people time to think about their decision for a funeral – and ensure they are given time to consider options to ensure the funeral does represent the life of their loved one without costing them a fortune. Public education is so important in this industry. It is not acceptable to condition people to think they have to do things in a particular way – and for it to cost a certain amount of money. Funerals are for honouring a loved one in an authentic manner appropriate for each person. If you are looking at ways to celebrate in an environmentally friendly way please go to Green Funerals.
What a difficult time this can be for everyone involved. I can help you work through this process with the least amount of stress and worry. In short, writing a funeral service is too important to leave to just anyone, especially in a time of stress and grief. A professional celebrant can ensure your loved one’s life is celebrated with dignity and compassion. A funeral service should be very personal and should give meaning to their life. People are becoming much more conscious of having the funeral service that you want, not what someone may think you should have. Working with the relatives of a deceased is so important to ensure the ceremony is indicative of the life of the person. It should always be authentic. As people start to witness ceremonies of real substance they are beginning to understand and become aware of what is possible in a ceremony. With the help of family and friends I can create a service that is appropriate for this person. If prepared professionally a funeral service can help in some way to alleviate pain and suffering. I am available to you immediately and will work with you as soon as it is convenient to you. A read back will be done with you prior to the service to ensure I have captured the elements you wish covered.
So that prompts the BIG question: Why use a FUNERAL DIRECTOR?
There is no legal requirement to use a funeral director. So why not think about how you could handle this yourself. There are many options available to you and your family – with a little planning and the assistance of others (a good celebrant or friend) you could handle most of it yourself.
You do not need to make the booking through a funeral home, you can call me directly and I can assist you to find a appropriate Funeral Director. I can assist you as your personal advocate ensuring that you are informed of your rights, choices and the law.
I am able to help and support you in a time that can be very daunting, sad and a time that is filled with many memories.
In many situations I have been asked by people to help them create their own eulogy and tell their story. I can assist you in creating a history of your life events and thoughts about certain aspects of your life. Call me on 0408691405 if I can assist you in documenting your life.
My second book titled Conversations About Death – is available now.
Conversations About Death’ amongst other things will talk about how to sit with someone who’s dying and feel comfortable listening to them talk to you about how they feel. It also covers elements like; Rights, Choices and the Law pertaining to death and dying, Relationships and Connections, Living Wakes, Death of a Loved One, Difficult Deaths, Understanding Grief, Coping with the immediate needs, Celebrating or Honouring, Changing landscapes of the Funeral, DIY Funeral, Writing “Their” story, Creating a Ritual, Speaking at the funeral, What Next – Managing and Adjusting, and Living the Legacy.