professional and compassionate funeral arrangements

Funeral Service Options

We at Morrison’s are experienced professionals, understanding the needs of the family and the friends of the bereaved. We know how important it is to the family to have the opportunity to be able to show their love for the deceased and to be able to create a service that will reflect the life of that special loved one. The list of services that follow is here to help you think about the many options available.

BURIAL OR CREMATION

This is one of the first decisions you will have to make mainly because different documentation is required for each option. Often the preference has already been stated in the will so please check with your solicitor or executor.

Burial involves selecting and purchasing a burial plot in the cemetery of your choice. You will also need to select a headstone and the wording you require on it. The selection of the headstone can be  done at a much later stage. For many people it is traditional for the headstone to be placed and “unveiled” with a special ceremony, a year later. We can advise you on the cemeteries and costs in your area.

Cremation has become the more popular option and many of the cemeteries in Auckland also have cremation facilities as well. We have our own cremator at our Henderson branch which gives families greater options for having the entire service all at the one venue, especially if they wish to attend at the actual cremation itself. There are many options for the final resting place for your ashes and we can give you advice on many of these. This is not something that you have to decide until you feel you are ready, and it is wise to take your time with your decision.

VENUE

There are so many options as to where to can hold your funeral service, from your local church, to the cemetery chapel, the RSA, a garden, a beach, a club and of course at one of our chapels. Where-ever you wish to hold the service, we will work through the practicalities with you, and take care of the liaison and organisation of the venue.

VIEWING

Saying goodbye to your loved one, friend or colleague is an important part of grieving. Spending time with the deceased helps us accept the “death” and come to terms with the reality of the loss. You may wish to have your loved at home for some time before the service, or spend time with them at our funeral home. Our family viewing rooms are quiet, spacious and private ensuring your time with them is peaceful and belongs to you and your family.

FLOWERS

Our florists are either in house or adjacent to our funeral homes enabling families to personally select their own flowers. They will work with families helping them to select and personalise their own floral tributes. Some of the more popular floral tributes can be seen under “Our Products”

CASKET SELECTION

A full range of caskets is available in our showrooms or if preferred these can be seen by catalogue or laptop in the comfort of your own home. Have a look at the selection under “Our Products”.

CELEBRANT/CLERGY  If you do not have your own minister and would still like to have a religious service we can arrange this for you, similarly if you wish to have a non-religious service we can organise a celebrant who will help you plan the service of your choice.

ORGANIST/MUSICIAN

We can arrange for any musician such as an organist, piper, or soloist to play at the funeral service.

SERVICE SHEETS

Service sheets or hymn sheets can be a personal tribute and a memorial of the deceased and are often an important part of the celebration of life. We can help you personalise these and we can print them in colour or black and white.

MEMORIAL BOOKS

These can be a tribute and a valuable record of the people that have taken the time to pay tribute to your loved one.

DEATH NOTICES

We can assist with the wording and format for your Death Notice and can place them in any of the papers in New Zealand and overseas.

AUDIO/VISUAL

State of the art equipment for playing CD’s, recording the service and DVD presentations are available at both facilities. A DVD presentation can also become a lasting memorial for your family.

HEARSES AND CARS

We have both Modern and Vintage Hearses available and Funeral cars for transport to and from the funeral service for the bereaved family. You can view our vehicles in “Our Products”

24-HOUR SERVICE

Personal advice and assistance and transfer of the deceased into our care, is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

EMBALMING

This involves the preservation and presentation of the deceased for the duration of the funeral service. It is nothing like the ancient Egyptian practices! Today, it is very much a medical procedure that ensures the disinfection and preservation of your loved one for the time they will spend until the cremation or burial. It is important to us that our embalming can give a more natural appearance, ensuring that viewing is a positive experience.

COMPASSIONATE AIRFARES

When family members have to travel by air to attend a funeral service, many of the airlines offer reduced airfares. They will require a letter faxed from us confirming the death, giving all the details of people travelling and their relationship,  and the date of the funeral. Please advise us if you require this letter.

ASHES

Knowing what to with your loved one’s ashes can be a dilemma for many; we can advise and assist with the many options available, from scattering at sea, in a garden, in a cemetery, burial in a public garden, or a cemetery or even interring them in a temple.

FUNERAL PLANNING

Being prepared and pre-arranging your funeral can lessen the worry for your family and can make the many decisions a little easier for them. It is important to hold these records in a secure, known location. We can hold your records, with a copy for your next of kin or executor, giving you peace of mind. You may wish To fill out the pre-arrangement forms on line and either send them to us for safe keeping or keep them with your important papers.

FUNERAL PREPAYMENT

We have a safe secure prepayment plan where your money is securely held in our “Morrison’s Funeral Planning Ltd Interest Bearing Account”. Also available is the FDANZ funeral prepayment plan. Prepayment can relieve your family of the financial burden of funeral costs and put your mind at rest knowing that these costs have been taken care of. Comprehensive brochures on prepayment are available on request. Contact us

REPATRIATION

Should your loved one die overseas or you wish to have them returned to their country of birth, there are a number of important legal considerations and documentation that must be completed. We can take all the stress and worry away with our expertise in repatriation.

FUNERAL COSTS AND PAYMENT

The funeral account is comprised of the costs for our services and time, the casket, and all the disbursements which may include items like flowers, celebrant/minister, newspaper, cremation fee, Organist, service sheets, catering etc. We believe that an important part of our role is to provide a high standard of service at a reasonable cost.