Testimonials
From the moment I made contact with Scott, at THE most searingly painful time in my life to seeing me off after the memorial for my darling husband of thirty-one years, I could not have asked for a more compassionate and dedicated 'friend' for that is how Scott supported me through the most difficult weeks of my life. Not a single suggestion was ever dismissed as being difficult. And not once did I feel pressurised into doing things that were outside the scope of the memorial my husband had planned. Add to this professionalism, a rare and unique sense of compassion beyond achingly pedestrian platitudes. Thank you Scott for supporting me to honour my husband with the same dignity and grace with which he lived his life.
Kersi
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I cannot speak highly enough of this company, the team and in particular Ben Gibson. Truly flawless from start to finish. Highly recommend. Great communication, highly understanding, beautifully delivered.
Brittany W.
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I cannot speak highly enough of Ben Gibson – a very, very special person indeed who assisted with the recent cremation of my father. From the moment I spoke to Ben for the first time, I knew we were in the best hands. Ben guided us through a very unfamiliar process and made sure that everything was tailored to my parent’s wishes. Ben was so professional, kind, calm, sincere and compassionate – a truly extraordinary human being who is the best person you could ever hope to deal with at such a difficult time. Thank you again, Ben for all your help and support."
Piret G
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"Attention to detail is impeccable, ran smoothly, the whole team were very caring, respectful and supportive to the family. Our Priest was super impressed at how well organised everything was. Anyone thinking of organising a funeral for any loved one, no matter what denomination, even when approaching the inevitable end, get them involved."
George K.
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"Ben Gibson at Sydney Funerals was exceptional in every aspect of the arrangements for my husband. He conducted the service with utmost sensitivity and made a great effort to get to know and understand the nuances of my husband's life and character. Highly recommend this small independent company."
Liz
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The staff here are incredible ! They were fast, clear and upfront about all costs and processes.
Sydney Funerals went above and beyond to help make this important process run smoothly. Coaching me through every step clearly, with compassionate understanding. They happily accommodated our personalised requests, to which we will never forget. Thank you Sydney Funerals. Ben, your kindness and professionalism was exceptional, thank you for making such a challenging process that much easier.
Ben S
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It was stressful and difficult time for us after losing a loving family member but Ben did give us a lot relief by arranging a smooth funeral for my grand mum. Ben thoroughly went through the whole process with us and answered all our questions. The funeral was held just a week after we reached Ben. Ben and his colleagues arrived early on the day and the venue was well ready before we arrived. The funeral service was beautiful and solemn. I strongly recommend Sydney Funerals Co.
Sam
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Sometimes life throws you a ball that you're not ready to catch. Scott was the best coach and support team during a really tough time, being on call whenever we needed him. He guided us through the process with so much empathy, consideration and kindness - I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to anyone else in this position.
Lucy
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Losing somebody isn't easy and there are lots of things that need to be done when such an unfortunate event transpires. We contacted Scott and his team; and from the outset they were nothing short of outstanding in every way. Scott was genuinely empathic and compassionate during the whole process, which is very important in an industry like this. He was also professional and took initiative to act on certain tasks that I didn't even have to ask for. Having somebody show that type of commitment and care is exactly what you need when your mind isn't working to the best of it's ability during such trying times. We were able to have an amazing service and everything went smoothly and well. We honestly could not have coordinated this without Scott and his team. Scott gave great suggestions and was very knowledgable and clearly experienced. He had the right contacts as well as timely information. Working together we were able to craft the experience in a way that met all of my needs and would have been what my brother wanted as well. I am forever grateful for your help with one of the hardest moments of my life. I would highly recommend Scott and his team to anybody going through the same thing, without a single doubt in my mind. Thank you again Scott and to those working in your team.
Kostya
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Sydney Funerals are dedicated, caring and very responsible. Scott and his team are caring, thoughtful and experienced and this is what you want in your Funeral Director. From the very first call everything for my Aunt's funeral went extremely well as funerals can go. Scott was very positive and caring at a time when needed and we cannot thank him and his team enough for the dedication and support in such a distressing time. The flowers were beautiful and the team at Sydney Funerals are very professional in what they do, so thank you.
Leanne & Karren
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It was stressful and difficult time for us after losing a loving family member but Ben did give us a lot relief by arranging a smooth funeral for my grand-mum. Ben thoroughly went through the whole process with us and answered all our questions. The funeral was held just a week after we reached Ben. Ben and his colleagues arrived early on the day and the venue was well ready before we arrived. The funeral service was beautiful and solemn. I strongly recommend Sydney Funerals Co.
Sam Z
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Sydney Funerals Co were supportive and attentive from the very start. Ben answered all questions, however big or small immediately and with sensitivity to our situation. As this was the first time organising a funeral, he made valuable suggestions that allowed the arrangements to come together so smoothly. Everyone who attended the funeral commented on the quality of the service and how well everything was run. They were very honest and clear with the pricing from the start. They are highly recommended and provide top value for the quality of service, attention and communication.
Ei-ling T
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Thanks to Scott and his team for stewarding me through this process with patience, kindness and expert attention to detail. From seamless logistics to Scott's compassionate MCing, the funeral was everything I could have hoped for and more - truly a celebration of my father’s life. I know Dad would have been chuffed with how everything came together, and it's thanks to Sydney Funerals that we were able to give him the send off that he deserved.
Natalie O
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I cannot recommend this enough. During the most painful time in our lives, Ben went out of his way to make sure we didn’t have to worry about anything other than grieving. His compassion, empathy, patience, and wealth of knowledge were all invaluable qualities. He helped my dying husband put together the most unique service before he passed and I will forever be grateful. We would never have known what to do and thanks to Ben we had the most incredible send-off. He took charge of everything, always considered every detail of our wishes and always made himself so available for us. Not once did I feel overwhelmed or confused by the process; it says everything about the level of care and compassion. Thank you so much.
Thomas N
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My family and I want to thank Scott and his team at Sydney Funerals for the wonderful service for my aunt who passed away. From the very first contact, Scott showed a lot of compassion, he was extremely helpful and understanding and showed to be very knowledgeable. Scott has helped me tremendously in navigating through the whole process of arranging my aunt’s funeral. Having the funeral a week before Easter was a challenge, but Scott and his team organized everything in timely and professional manner. Everyone commented on how beautiful the service was and even the livestream was done in high quality. We can not recommend Sydney Funerals highly enough. The professionalism, attention to detail and the kind hearted team made it a lot easier for my family and I to deal with it all. Scott, words cant express how thankful I am for everything you have done for us. We are truly grateful.
Kind regards Jo and family
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When you lose someone dear to you, all you are looking for is a team who is going to take care of everything while you are mourning for your loved one. I reside in California and received the devastating news of my Grandma passing. The nursing home that she was residing asked me to make sure moving her body as they did not have facilities to have her over night. I booked the first available flight to come to Sydney. Before departing I had to find a Funeral Service Director. I called many places and I wont bore you with the horrible experience that I had over the phone, BUT when I called Sydney Funeral Co., and I spoke with Scott the first thing he said was his condolences and told me they can take care of everything all I need to focus is get myself safely to Australia. He immediately provided me with quote that I requested vs the other companies who were saying "let us take the body we talk about fees later!" He explained over the phone everything and they took over he was on constant communication with me via email & whats app keeping me updated with everything. They moved my granny’s body very fast. When I got to Sydney Ben Gibson took over helping me, he was also in constant communication with me. The cemetery had a later date available for burial which was after my time in Sydney since I just came for 6 days. Ben told me do not worry you have all lot in your plate we will take care of it and rest assured he did, my grandma was buried on Feb 24th exactly 3 days after her passing. The level of care we received its beyond imagination and I truly felt they do care for us. Since most of family living overseas and it was impossible for them to be at the service they organized a live stream where the entire family were able to join & watch the ceremony live. Then at the service they had the best surprise for us, one of their team sang “Amazing Grace” at the grave this song was my granny’s favorite. There is absolutely no word to show my level of appreciation and gratitude for how you took care of my granny and I. I truly felt cared for. I am forever thank you.
Bita H
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My mothers celebration of life was the most incredible experience. At 40 I never imagined having to plan my mother's funeral. Ben made the process/journey one I will never forget. He supported myself and sister every step of the way and the celebration of life was more than I can have ever hoped for and more. People that attended both in person and live stream couldn't stop talking about how it was so special, the best funeral they had been too or seen. Ben as the celebrant was just so perfect. He spoke about our mother like he knew her and he was spot on in every way. My outlook on the process of planning a funeral of a loved one has changed forever it is a journey and you have no need to feel alone or scared. Thank you Ben you are a super special human xxx
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When you lose someone you love and cherish, it is difficult to think clearly and to understand the importance of your choice of funeral director. In my moment of panic and sorrow, I initially chose a company who left me bewildered, struggling to make decisions, and unsupported. I was heading down a pathway that felt wrong and I was worried that my mum was not being cared for in the way that she deserved. It was on a Sunday when my son called and asked if he could help. He knew Scott personally and after one phone call, Scott was able to put everything right. I really don’t know where to start. I just don’t think I will ever be able to thank Scott enough for the magnificent care he afforded my mum and my family during this incredibly difficult time. I am so grateful that my son introduced Scott to me, the universe works in ways just when you need it most. His kindness, genuine empathy and professionalism was sublime. Having him on our side meant everything to us. The service was perfect and so beautiful; everything that I had hoped for my beautiful mum. I will also be eternally grateful to Scott and his colleagues for taking care of my mum in such a thoughtful and caring way. I will never forget how that made me feel and how much comfort it gave me knowing she was in their care and resting on her lamb’s wool. Thank you, Scott, for everything you did for us and bless your kind, kind heart. You are one of the nicest gentlemen I have ever met.
Karen G
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Losing a family member is one of life's biggest shocks and overlaid with so many emotions. Our father died peacefully at home, but without a manual of what to do, the police, paramedics told us to contact a Funeral Director. Where to start??? I called three Funeral Companies and trusted my gut instinct with Ben Gibson from Sydney Funerals Co. Ben was so reassuring and professional and immediately provided my brother and I with the information and a range of options so that we could make an informed decision. Ben was able to arrange for our father's body to be moved on the same day of his death, and he and his team were very respectful in their care of his body, giving us time to say goodbye, providing sincerity and understanding. Ben went the extra mile consistently throughout the whole process and returned our father's ashes to us in person. He was an amazing support managing the logistics enabling my brother and I to focus on remembering our father and spending time with loved ones. The ashes will be shared with family members down the track in a few special ceremonies rather than at a ceremony during our shock and period of grieving. We highly recommend Ben and are grateful to have struck it lucky with his exceptional services. Thank you Ben and team at Sydney Funeral Co!!!
Sienna M
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Scott Duncombe and his team at Sydney Funerals made an emotionally hard experience of losing our Dad a lot easier to move through. They took care of everything - explained the whole process in a helpful, practical and sensitive way. Truly thankful to have had them throughout this time of grief. Thank you!
Georgie Z
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I recently went through the deeply saddening event of my Father's passing. The process has been quite traumatic for me. However, I was lucky enough to be recommended to Ben Gibson at Sydney Funerals Company. I can not speak highly enough of Ben. All the effort he went to, to help me honour my Dad was exceptional. He showed such patience, understanding and compassion- that organising Dad's funeral was the easiest part of the whole process. I would also like to make special mention & thanks to Scott Duncombe (the company's Director) and Mi-Chelle Nixon Young - all of whom were outstanding. The funerals this company provides are extremely competitively priced, while at the same time the service & quality being on par with any of the bigger funeral homes in Sydney.
Tyrone M
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We were lucky enough to find Sydney Funerals when our brother recently passed away. From the first phone call we knew it was all going to be OK. Scott made everything so easy. Nothing was too much trouble. The photo collage and music for the service was seamless. Scott was the celebrant and was dignified and humorous. Scott found the venue for the service and for the celebration afterwards which he attended. We could not recommend anyone more highly. A beautiful touch was Scott's team disassembled the floral tributes at the service and provided small bunches of the flowers for family and friends to take home. Very thoughtful. Dale
Dale M
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After loosing our Mother I contacted Sydney Funerals Scott and his team were absolutely excellent during a very difficult time He was very knowledgeable, helpful, understanding and compassionate. On the day of the funeral everything was perfect and that made for a beautiful send off for our dear Mother. I would highly recommend Sydney Funerals. 10 out of 10 Thank You Scott and your team
James B
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On the 26th of October , I arranged the funeral for my good friend of 33 years Leonard P, With the guidance and professional services of the Sydney Funeral Co one of the few Independents in the funeral industry, I was able to manage easily without interference the funeral that Leonard had asked for. Scott Duncombe and his valuable team seamlessly managed and controlled the service effortlessly. The services provided were above reproach and I would recommend them without hesitation.
Les M
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Scott was very helpful and accommodating in arranging my dad's funeral. He allowed for last minute changes to the day and also coordinated well with my brother and I to finalize everything. He guided us through the whole process and was upfront with costs as well. Would highly recommend his services.
Deborah L
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We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Sydney Funerals, especially Ben Gibson. Ben assisted us in the process for the recent cremation of my father. Ben was professional, kind and respectful and was always in contact. Ben you are wonderful and we can’t thank you and Sydney Funerals enough.
Naomi T
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Recently dealt with Sydney Funerals for my dads funeral, and in such a dark time they have managed to make everything so much easier for me and my family. I personally dealt with Ben Gibson, and everything about his service was exactly what anyone would want during such events. I can't thank them enough, as the time for me personally was extremely difficult, and Ben definitely lightened the load. Upfront with everything, nothing hidden. It was very refreshing compared to other companies I attempted to deal with.
David M
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Ben was so kind and generous with his time and expertise. He remained in contact at all times and answered all questions promptly. I would not hesitate to recommend Ben and Sydney Funerals.
Sophie C
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Scott and his wonderful team recently managed the service of a departed loved one. During this difficult time, I can only recommend +++ Scott and the Sydney Funerals team for the wonderful service they provided. Scott was kind, courteous, friendly, honest, caring and the service they organised including flowers, minister, and site were perfect for the occasion. Nothing was too much to ask, Scott was always available, provided expert guidance, advice and was able to arrange some special requests without any trouble at all, the team ensured the whole process ran smoothly, with grace, dignity and respect. All staff members were sincere, friendly and accommodating. We always felt comfortable with Scott and his team throughout the process. On behalf of my family THANK YOU sincerely to Scott and his team in managing the service and I would encourage anyone who is looking to engage a funeral director, during what is a very difficult time, to contact Scott and his team as we could ask for nothing more than the perfect service Scott and Sydney Funerals provided.
Phillip B
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Scott and his team were absolutely fantastic, professional and truly helped my family in a time of need. I could not recommend Scott and the Sydney funerals team any higher for the celebration of life of your lost love ones. My sincere thanks.
Tim K
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Scott helped me to navigate all the plans for the funeral. I had no idea of what was right or wrong and Scott guided me every step of the way.
Everybody commented on how beautiful the service was and even the live stream back to our family in UK was of high quality. He took my boy into his care and offered nothing but compassion ams support for me and my daughter, he did an amazing job as the celebrant at the service and worked with me around the coroners schedule.
At this very stressful time, the addition of financial stress was incredibly upsetting - I had started to look at White Lady Funerals and a couple of others, they all show a fairly low starting package but you soon feel like you are being “sold” to and taken advantage of in your grief. A fairly simple coffin on one of their sites was $3500. Scott not only was incredibly kind but where services are inevitably never ‘cheap’ he saved me more than $4K overall on what I would have been charged elsewhere with the same coffin at under $1000 and was more than happy to support alternatives to save on the costs.
Angie C
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I can not say how much myself and all of the people who attended my mother’s service recently have commented on what a wonderful service it was. You were so considerate and caring and thought of everything, went above what normally would be expected. I could not have wished for a better send off for my mother. Just thank you thank you for everything you did.
Janine W
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In our time of despair. We want to take this opportunity to personally thank Scott and his team for their care and compassion shown our Mum. Your caring professional manner and heartfelt guidance when our emotions were so high has been greatly appreciated. I hope we do not need your services again too soon, but if we do we will definitely call upon yourself. Mum never got to meet you, but if she had I am sure she would have liked you.
Steve N
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How does one recommend a funeral company‽ Sydney Funerals were excellent. Because of the imminent lockdown at the time of my mothers death we had a very tight timeframe to organise and hold her funeral.Ben and Scott really provided excellent service. Sensitive, & practical. Scott was fantastic on the day. Definitely would use them again. But I’m next in line. So hopefully not anytime soon.
Chris D
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Ben and Scott from Sydney Funerals made the process easy from helping to book the church service, organising the beautiful flowers and all the small details that made a send off for our dad a lovely day. They were very reasonably priced. I highly recommend the service.
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Stylish, superior and exclusive would be how we would describe the send off for our mum that Scott arranged. From the first contact with him, he was kind and dignified, and explained the very reasonable costs very clearly to us. He did not try to upsell and worked with us to find exactly the right touches for our mum. His flowers, booklet, hearse and technology were 1st class. And he literally was available for us 24/7. His team were so lovely on the day. Could not recommend this company more highly.
Anne-Louise C
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We cannot recommend Sydney Funerals enough. From the moment we made contact, Ben was extremely helpful compassionate and professional. The whole process was seamless and dealt with in the utmost of respect. We cannot thank Ben and the team enough for everything they have done in making such a difficult time that little bit easier.
Kellie T
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We would recommend Ben from the Sydney Funeral Co. to anyone requiring respectful, compassionate funeral direction following a bereavement. You explained everything without being patronising, made valid and wise suggestions, encouraged us and stopped the whole thing from being overwhelming. Everything was taken care of, you stayed in constant contact, and we always felt supported. Everything was done properly, professionally and in accordance with our wishes. In short, you turned what would have been one of the worst days of our lives into something that, in time, will be one of our fondest memories. We thank you.
Kate and Ewen C
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Thank you Scott for overseeing and organising my mother’s service. At a very stressful time you provided a calm, clear pathway to navigate a very unfamiliar journey. Your behind-the-scenes actions and availability to deal with multiple demands were greatly reassuring. You seemed to ‘get' what we were aiming for and were able to enhance our wishes. So, many thanks from our family.
Steven J
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Thank you so much for everything you have done for us, you just made everything so easy right from the word go. The fact that you were so available to us every step of the way, we knew we were in good hands and I couldn’t have imagined it going any better than it did.
Rayna S
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I can't recommend Scott and his team at Sydney Funeral Co highly enough for their professional, compassionate and friendly approach during the whole process of seeing off my dad. Scott's personal service was very reassuring during a difficult and unknown process. There was no hard sell, rates were very reasonable and everything was seamless.
Karen M
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Scott is a compassionate and professional Funeral Director who naturally embodies the care you'd expect of a person who knew your loved one, and the calm that you hoped you'd feel on the day you had to say goodbye to them. Scott's gentleness and understanding in carrying out the days services, together with his options for coffins (my favourite being the beautiful basket coffin) to the shiny Hearse 'Harry' - he has thought of everything. He is respectful and kind, and the perfect Funeral Director to carry out a funeral that is beautiful, warm and meaningful.
Jenna J
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We continue to recommend Scott having first hired his services for our dear friend Dassan's Funeral, and to this day we know Dassan would have loved his celebration of life. Scott assisted us with a passport style Order of Service, in honour of our friends love for travel. He then turned this into an amazing photo presentation; we couldn't help but smile. And when the Hearse 'Harry' pulled away for our last goodbye, the South African Soccer World Cup anthem rang out for the whole neighbourhood to hear. We all needed that giggle at that very moment, and Scott had preempted this before we even knew we'd need it. I can't thank him enough for his time in planning and empathy towards all of my family and friends for what was solemn yet dignified goodbye for a very dear friend.
Jenny E
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Sydney Funeral Co. and Scott were recommended to us by a friend after the sudden death of my father. We had spoken to several funeral directors prior to ringing Scott, but after only a few minutes we knew we wanted to work with him.
Once I had mentioned what had happened, he immediately offered me his condolences, this was something no other funeral director had said to me. This was very much his approach, he put us and my father’s wishes first.
He suggested things we would have never thought of, like Gledswood Homestead Winery for the funeral and the wake. This meant that we could stay in one location and relax, rather than ferry family members around and have multiple people at my mother’s place.
Every time he answered the phone, he used my first name. He answered my multiple silly questions and was very honest about how much things would cost and how to spend our money wisely. He replied quickly in text if I texted him and he came to the house to discuss plans. He didn’t rush my family through their grieving process even after hours of stories. I didn’t realise how much he had been listening until I attended the service. He took the time to understand who my father was and put in little things we didn’t know about to make us smile, things that my dad would have loved.
On the day, his staff were gentle and unobtrusive. They had so much to do with COVID restrictions, but they even did this kindly.
Scott and his team were wonderful. They made a truly horrific time a lot easier through their compassion and dedication.
Thank you Sarah
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My father-in-law passed away on Anzac Day and from the time I contacted Scott, to the time we said our final goodbyes at the funeral, he was able to gently take control and guide us through the process with care and compassion. It’s at times like this that families need gentleness and understanding, and Scott and his team certainly gave us that. Thank you very much Scott for helping us through this difficult time, made even more challenging with the Corona restrictions.
Stacy F
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Hi Scott, I know life will be hectic at the moment given all the things that are going on in our world and negotiating around those constraints. I wanted to thank you again for everything – our friends and family have been constantly telling us what a wonderful occasion it was and how well you and your team conducted the day.
Regards Deb
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Scott was recently assigned funeral director for my beautiful brothers funeral but he became so much more than that to each and every person who came together during this time. Warren was only 58. Words cannot do this man justice - he not only managed this process so professionally but he became our friend, a friend who helped and supported us.
Thank you - Kay
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I found Scott helped our family wonderfully throughout this difficult time having meeting before was great as he chose to get to know my dad so he could portray him very well. Dads send off was exactly what he would have wanted thanks to you. It was beautiful he would have been sitting up somewhere proud as punch so thank you again from all of the family.
Thank you Melody.
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Scott, On behalf of the family I would like to sincerely thank you for presiding over Dads Service on Wednesday, we have all commented that you made a huge difference and that the comments you made were both sensitive and certainly hit the mark. You achieved an understanding of Dad in a very short time and the sense of humour and honesty you demonstrated at our Sunday meeting was greatly appreciated. Thank you for making our tough week both memorable and worthy of Dad and everyone who attended.
Kindest Regards Brian and Graham H.
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Dear Scott
I write with heartfelt thanks regarding your work on Warren’s funeral. You were, quite simply, amazing. To me, Funeral Directors create a picture of four men in top hats, creaking doors and sobriety - you were, thankfully, far from that. We really didn’t want a traditional funeral, or funeral company, and you truly offered a delightful alternative. With deep gratitude and kind regards,
Jez.