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INVOISSUE 11 APRIL 2007
INV
OL
VE
Dedication
It is with some sadness that I announce
this will be my final edition of Involve.
After seven years with the company I am
excited to be moving on and facing new
challenges, which will include maintaining
an association with the funeral industry
particularly through my role as editor
of For Peace of Mind magazine.
Let me then take this opportunity to reflect
on some 19 issues of company newsletters.
As the company evolved particularly with
its changes in ownership, so to did
the newsletter.
Indeed the current issue which introduces a
refreshed focus on InvoCare’s respected
brands is more like a magazine. A new look
and layout has been designed to represent
the brands in a more conspicuous fashion.
In 2000 however, the publication was only
eight pages, and aside from a smattering of
orange it was in black and white. Over the
next couple of years the issues grew in size
and the focus changed to begin to more
actively highlight some of the special events
the funeral homes, cemeteries and
crematoria had been involved in.
By 2002 the newsletter had introduced a
smattering of colour into the design
template. There was also a 20 page special
edition insert produced in full colour
detailing the sponsorship of the visit to
Australia of the Relics of St Therese. Over
the coming issues more colour was
introduced and the number of stories being
submitted for inclusion was increasing.
In 2003 InvoCare became the new
company name, resulting in the birth of
Involve. Now a full colour glossy publication,
it was a chance to showcase the wonderful
work being done in the community by staff.
It also allowed us to highlight some of the
superb photography undertaken particularly
of InvoCare’s Memorial Parks and Gardens.
The previous and current issues of Involve
are the largest yet and include contributions
from all over Australia. Involve has become
an opportunity for InvoCare, its various
brands and staff to highlight how they are
assisting the local communities in which
they operate. I am truly proud to have been
a part of publishing these events.
It would be remiss of me not to thank our
designers at Imagecorp, J.A. Wales Printers
and photographer Christopher Shain; they
help make Involve the wonderful magazine it
has become. I would especially like to thank
everyone at InvoCare for their contributions
and continued support; it has been an honour
and a privilege to be a part of this company.
Please enjoy the read.
Anthony Perl
Editor
Between the lines
Involve has become an opportunity for InvoCare,
its various brands and staff to highlight how
they are assisting the local communities
in which they operate. I am truly
proud to have been a part of
publishing these events.
2
Content highlights
InvoCare
One on one 3
Changing lives 4
Chinese community service awards 5
World funeral news 6
The biggest problem… 7
The last cab ride 8
In appreciation 9
Cemeteries & Crematoria
Rookwood dedication 10
Chinese brochure 11
Croatian garden 12
Simplicity
Sea to the rescue 13
Simply Legendary 14-15
Charity begins at Penrith 16
Rock ‘n’ roll legend 17
Traditional
Racing legend 18
Recruitment information night 19
Wally Foreman 20
White Lady
Women in funerals 21
Recycled reading glasses donated 22
A new uniform 23
Music worth dying for 23
InvoCare is Australia’s largest
private provider of funeral services.
We are a publicly listed
Australian company.
Our philosophy is:
• to demonstrate the highest
degree of professionalism while
assisting client families at a
pivotal time in their lives.
• to exercise responsibility as
industry leader by setting high
standards of service, safety and
fair business practice.
• to increase investor value
through sound fiscal
management and corporate
development.
Our commitment is in – ‘Helping
our local communities, offering
personal attention – showing our
commitment to the families we
are privileged to serve!’
InvoCare released its December 31 year
end financial results in February in which
the company reported continued growth.
The impressive results reflected the
continued high level of service being
provided by staff around Australia, and now
in Singapore, combined with the strength
of well known trading brands and locations.
In March, InvoCare announced the purchase
of Liberty Funerals. This established and well
respected business services Sydney from
two locations at Chatswood and Auburn. We
are delighted that Sam Koura and John
Kourie and the team at Liberty are staying on
to operate the business.
The Board recently announced the
appointment of Benjamin Chow as a
non-Executive Director. Benjamin has an
impressive background in property
development and multi-cultural affairs
and was made an Officer of the Order of
Australia for his service to the community
through inter-cultural activities this year.
David Lloyd, Manager of Blackwell Funerals
incorporating Pengelly and Knabe Funerals at
Glenside in Adelaide was also recognised this
year for his service to the community,
particularly through the Knights of the
Southern Cross, and to the funeral industry in
receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia.
It was with regret that InvoCare announced
Mike Grehan’s resignation as Chief
Operating Officer in mid-February. Mike
made a significant contribution to the growth
of the company since joining the company in
March 2000, including the company’s
successful listing in late 2004. Numerous
initiatives undertaken by the company over
the last seven years can be accredited to
Mike. As a result of Mike’s resignation, in late
March we announced the appointment of
Andrew Smith as Chief Operating Officer and
Phillip Friery as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to
these appointments Andrew was Chief
Financial Officer of the company and Phillip
Group Financial Manager. I’m very confident
that both will excel in their new positions.
It is also with regret that Communications
Manager Anthony Perl has decided to pursue
other opportunities. Anthony began working
with the company seven years ago and has
been responsible for the media relations and
communications both internally and
externally, including this publication Involve.
InvoCare’s focus continues to be on
providing excellent service, developing our
brands, opening and improving facilities and
supporting the communities in which our
businesses operate. A number of the
successes and initiatives in these areas are
highlighted in this issue of Involve.
2007 promises to be another exciting year
for the company. Whilst there’ll be
challenges I’m confident that we have the
right team of staff around Australia and in
Singapore to face them and that we’ll
continue to prosper.
Thank you to everyone for your on going
commitment and support, it’s very
much appreciated.
Richard Davis
Chief Executive Officer
One on one
InvoCare’s focus continues to
be on providing excellent
service, developing our brands,
opening and improving facilities
and supporting the
communities in which our
businesses operate.
I N V O LV E 3
4
Infection controlInvoCare has strict policies and procedures,
particularly with regards to Occupational
Health and Safety regulations. Inspections,
assessments and training are on-going with
dedicated managers overseeing the process.
That of course does not stop anyone from
having a little fun when it comes to the
training, as evidenced by this photo
from Perth.
I had an appointment with an elderly very
deaf lady recently. She was terribly sad and
told me she just wants to go to sleep and
never wake up. She lives in a very small and
dark Housing Commission unit in Southport.
When I asked about her family, she told me
she only had one daughter and had lost touch
with her 10 years ago. There had been some
issues with the man the daughter had
married. During recent years, Jean, the
mother has tried to find her daughter, even
going to the Salvation Army, only to be told
she was no longer in Queensland and there
was no trace of her.
I felt so sad for this lady. She cried and just
talked and talked about how lovely her
daughter was. I asked if I could perhaps try to
find her via the internet and she said that
would be wonderful, but because the
Salvation Army had no luck, she thought it
would be a waste of my time.
Later that day I went home and researched
this girl’s name via different web sites and I
found a government company that employed
a lady of the same name with a personal email
address; so I sent an email and explained who
I was and how I had met Jean and could it
possibly be her mother.
The next day I got had an email from this girl
Jo-Anne saying that she was the missing
daughter and she had been trying to find her
mum for years, but they had both moved
several times and changed phone numbers
and even surnames.
I had the pleasure of phoning Jean that night
and telling her I'd found her daughter. She just
burst into tears and could not believe it. I
asked if it would be ok to give the daughter
her phone number and address and of course
she said yes, so I then sent another email with
all Jean's information. The daughter called her
mother and I then received a call and email
from them both thanking me for getting them
back together. The daughter and her new
partner of nine years are living in Ipswich and
she planned to come to the coast on the
weekend to visit her mum. Jean had seriously
given up hope of ever seeing Jo-Anne again
and now she
cannot contain
her happiness.
She told me
she had not
slept last night
and had to
keep pinching
herself in case it
was a dream!
A few days later I pulled up outside Jean's
unit, she was outside waiting for me and I
could not believe my eyes. She looked 20
years younger, smartly dressed with her hair
cut and blow waved and a big grin on her
face. She welcomed me with a big hug and
could not contain herself. We went to
Southport for a coffee, where she filled me in
on the reunion.
Jean said there was no awkwardness between
them. She was shocked at how much weight
her mum has lost, which has a lot do with
Jean’s frame of mind over the past years. They
sat at home and caught up on each others’
news, then went to the local hotel for dinner
together and finally came home, where Jean
said her daughter shared her double bed and
they talked into the night. It was a very happy
reunion and plans have been made for another
visit in a couple of weeks and also for Jean to
go and stay with her daughter and partner and
their family over Easter.
All I can say is that it still gives me goose
bumps when I think about what might have
been. Jean was a sad and lonely lady when I
met and spent time with her. She really did
just want to die, but now she really has got
something to live for and look forward to.
Even her doctor had been concerned for her
health and well being, worrying about her with
medication. Her doctor is very happy with this
latest news.
Jean also finalised a Guardian Plan (prepaid
funeral plan) because she did not want her
daughter to be worrying about her being
a burden.
Vicki Pilgrim
Guardian Plan consultant – Gold Coast
AwardAmanda Cuthbert from InvoCare’s Shared
Services in Brisbane was recently awarded
her embalming certificate at the inaugural
AFDA presentation dinner on the
Gold Coast.
Pictured below at
the dinner, from left,
Regional Manager
for George Hartnett
Funerals Mark
Carey, Queensland
General Manager
Funerals Doris
Zagdanski,
Amanda Cuthbert,
Shared Services
Melissa Abbott and
Simplicity Funerals
Queensland
Regional Manager
Matt Hansen.
Changing lives
I N V O LV E 5
The NSW Premier’s Chinese Community
Service Awards acknowledge outstanding
Australians of Chinese heritage who have
volunteered their time and efforts in building
a better and stronger community.
These awards, now in their third year, are
named after some prominent community
leaders who dedicated their lives to the service
of others. In doing so they contributed over
the last one hundred and fifty years to that
great Australian tradition of lending a hand to
those in need.
The awards were presented on Monday 19th
February 2007 at a function at Government
House in Sydney attended by members of the
Chinese Community of Sydney and
government representatives, including Premier
Morris Iemma and Former Prime Minister
Gough Whitlam.
InovCare was represented by Armen Mikaelian
and Ian Parker from its Cemeteries &
Crematoria along with Barry and Margaret
Steward from Guardian Funerals.
InvoCare has a strong association with the
Chinese community having developed the
Lung Po Shan Memorial Gardens in Pinegrove
Memorial Park to specifically cater for the
needs of the Chinese community.
Chinese community service awards
From left, Barry Steward - Guardian Funerals, Armen
Mikaelian - Cemeteries & Crematoria, The Honourable
Henry Tang OAM MLC Member of the Legislative
Council NSW, Chairman NSW-East Asia Business
Advisory Council, Special Adviser to the NSW Premier
on NSW-East Asian Business Relations and
Ian Parker - Cemeteries & Crematoria
Standing from left, Ian Parker, Armen Mikaelian, Barry
Steward with former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
CatholicguidelinesThe Catholic Church, through the Sydney
archdiocese has introduced guidelines
to “assist parishes and funeral directors
to develop clear and helpful pastoral
practices in guiding those who ‘speak in
remembrance of the dead’.” These are the
first guidelines to have been issued on the
subject with the said objective to “put God
back into Catholic funeral Mass.”
Some of the key guidelines state:
• Only one person should speak at the
Funeral Mass or Funeral Liturgy outside
Mass. Others may speak at the Vigil
Service or Committal Service.
• The reflection should be brief: no more
than 3 – 5 minutes (one typed page) and
should be prepared beforehand, and
ideally reviewed with the priest or presiding
minister beforehand, to avoid undue
length or embarrassing situations.
The guidelines include suggestions for the
focus in speaking in remembrance of the
dead. They further point out a key difference
between a ‘eulogy’ and ‘speaking in
remembrance of the dead;’ a eulogy
recounts some or all of the significant events
in the life of the deceased, where words of
remembrance do not attempt to give a
biography, but to share some insight into the
faith and values of the deceased as seen
in one or two examples from his/her life. A
eulogy by its very nature tends to be lengthy,
while words of remembrance are brief.
“Both eulogies and words of remembrance
may be offered at a vigil service on the eve
of the funeral, or at the cemetery or
crematorium. These are also the appropriate
places/times for playing favourite secular
tunes or showing slides or PowerPoint
displays of photos of the deceased.”
The archdiocese believe the guidelines are
necessary because the funeral should be a
time of support for the bereaved family and
friends and be an act of worship of God and
prayer for the soul of the deceased rather than
becoming settings for a series of eulogies.
There is also a concern about the fact that
“not on a few occasions, inappropriate
remarks glossing over the deceased’s
proclivities (drinking prowess, romantic
conquests, etc.) or about the Church
(attacking its moral teachings) have been
made at funeral Masses, embarrassing the
priest, the family and the congregation and
becoming the focus of the service.”
6
The BBC reports that changing attitudes to
death have led to the development of the first
university degree for funeral directors in the
UK. The move to provide the degree is a joint
undertaking of the National Association of
Funeral Directors and the University of Bath.
The university’s director of its Centre for
Death and Society, Dr Glennys Howarth, said
there has been a “cultural revolution” in the
way death is viewed and that has created
greater academic interest.
• • •
In Japan, the high costs of funerals and the
trend to smaller families, plus the growing
incidence of divorce and limited population
growth, are all combining to bring about
significant change to the way remains are
stored. The family tomb, where everyone
ultimately rested, is losing out to newer
practices, according to Associated Press.
In Tokyo, for example, grave plots can set a
family back more than A$120,000. Temples
then charge an additional annual fee of
several hundred dollars for maintenance.
Temples are now offering to store remains
together in multi-layered underground
chambers.
Anyone attending for prayer enters a room,
inserts a card into a machine and receives
the boxed ashes of their loved one via
conveyor belt.
At 416-year-old Tochoji Temple, Fukuoka, a
spot in a large hall for small boxes containing
cremated remains costs some A$10,000 for
33 years, with no extra fee over that time.
The remains are then transferred to a
common container, to create places for new
“members”, the report says.
• • •
The China Daily has carried a piece on the
Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department’s plan to introduce coffins made
of recycled paper. The article says the
average waiting time for cremation is fifteen
days. Paper coffins could reduce that to one
day, according to the department. While
there would also be energy savings, the
tradition of wooden coffins might be hard to
change. To introduce the paper coffins
slowly, the department intends initially using
them with Hong Kong’s unclaimed bodies.
Ray Andrews
Managing Director,
Andrews Group Pty Ltd.
World funeral news
Local government doesn’t have it; neither do
real estate agents, journalists nor insurance
brokers. But nurses definitely do, and so do
doctors and pharmacists. What is the
elusive ‘it’? It is the trust of the immensely
lucrative and growing mature consumer.
Senioragency Australia recently commissioned
research into the emotions driving consumer
habits of over one thousand Australians
between the ages of 40 and 60. They were
asked which organisations and individuals
they trusted and which ones they do not.
Moreover, consideration was afforded to the
changes in attitudes between the ages, as we
all know 40 year olds have very different
needs to 60 year olds.
From a marketer’s perspective, trust is
perhaps the pinnacle of the brand awareness
pyramid, assuring the two most important
customer activities: loyalty and
recommendation. Trust is reliant on inherent
integrity and is almost impossible to garner
without quality, service and care. In other
words, you can not fool seniors into trusting a
brand – they have heard it all before. The
results of the list are more heartening than
surprising, and are in line with similar studies in
all age groups around the world.
The ambulance service is placed as seniors’
most trusted of Australian organisations,
followed by the fire service, nurses, doctors
and, at number five, the police service.
How does our opinion change as we age? We
have a mixed relationship with our doctors.
When we are aged in our forties, we trust and
have confidence in the recommendations made
by our doctors, putting them at number four in
our top ten. When we hit our 50s however
things start to shift, and we’re paying more
attention to our pharmacist and push doctors
down to position 6. It stays this way until we get
to our late 60s when the situation reverses
again, and our doctor becomes more important.
We never waiver in our support of nurses
either and they are always at number 3 in our
top ten, we regularly put nurses above
recommendations from our doctors.
It is no surprise that health care workers of all
variations rate highly in the list of most
trusted professions and organisations. But it
is interesting to note that pharmacists are the
only group represented in the top 10 that
have a retail focus and sell products rather
than wholly assist people with their health
and wellbeing. Those organisations and
individuals who ranked worst in the list
(insurance brokers, consumer information
provided by major corporations and real estate
agents) all have a considerable vested interest
in persuading and seducing customers.
So what does all this mean for the funeral
industry? Like pharmacists, funeral directors
rely upon straddling the chasm between
providing comfort and advice to grieving
families, and selling products associated with
the provision of the service.
They must walk a fine line, because without
trust, in particular from seniors, it would be
impossible to maintain the successful and
careful balance between the two.
Chris Cormack
Group Managing Director
Senioragency Australia
Who can you trust?
I N V O LV E 7
In an experiment people were asked to
watch two teams playing basketball and
count the number of passes made by one
particular team. While they were
undertaking this task someone dressed in a
gorilla suit ran on to the court and jumped
around and then left. At the end of the task
most people got the pass count right and
were then asked if they had noticed
anything unusual. The great majority didn’t
mention the gorilla and were astounded
when shown the video replay.
In another experiment two strangers met and
after a very short time two people carrying a
door rudely pushed between them and in the
course of the maneuver the stranger was
replaced with a different person. Many
people, when the door was removed, didn’t
realise that the person had changed. People
tended to recognise the change only if the
person was of the opposite sex and younger.
They did not notice if the person was of the
same gender or older.
So what’s going on with our attention?
Have you noticed any changes in
yourself like…
• Inability to make decisions
• Irritability and anger
• Pains in the stomach and muscles
• Feeling helpless, listless and lethargic
• Inability to sleep at night – often waking
with a sense of panic
• Loss of energy and enthusiasm for
hobbies, leisure activities or intimacy
Reuters‘ conducted a survey of 1,300
business people in Britain, the U.S.,
Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia, in a
variety of industry sectors. Two-thirds of those
interviewed indicated that stress attributed to
dealing with too much information had
damaged their personal relationships,
increased tension with colleagues at work
and contributed to a decline in job
satisfaction. The results were reported in a
book called “dying for information”. More than
40% felt that important decisions were
delayed and the ability to make choices was
hampered by excess information. One-third
said they suffered from health problems as a
direct consequence of stress related to
information overload.
This problem is likely to be affecting many of
us if we are working full time in the modern
Australian environment and many many
others in the community. It’s called
‘information fatigue syndrome’
We live in the age of ‘instaneity’. People talk
about wanting instant service, instant replay,
instant polls, and instant messaging – all for
instant gratification.
People often talk to us about how they save
those precious milliseconds! In their car on
their way to work they read e-mails on high-
speed Palm Pilots (while checking for faxes),
they drink coffee they have reheated in the
microwave because they decided to check
their emails before leaving for work and got
sidetracked.
When they get to the office, they punch the
lift button dozens of times, in the vain hope
that the lift will somehow arrive more quickly.
Men flush the urinal before they finish peeing!
We have seen in our group discussions the
acceleration of modern life has many
consequences. One is “hurry sickness”.
Sociologists in several countries have found
that increasing wealth and increasing
education bring a sense of tension about
time. We believe that we possess too little of
it; that is a myth we live by now.
The acceleration of just about everything has
fundamentally affected the consumption of
information. We ‘attend’ to less and less
broadcast media. The media has also started
to compensate. The average “sound bite” on
radio and TV news broadcasts has shrunk to
about five seconds.
We have compensated. Who of us has time
for long lunches or “long walks on the
beach”, even a simple conversation? Let
alone paying attention to communications,
information from people and organisations like
us. Getting the attention of others will be the
biggest problem facing organisations in the
years to come. The keys to achieving lie in
these truths…
People will tune into those things that are
personally relevant to their life
People will pay attention to things that come
from a trusted source
People will connect with things that are
concise OR tell a story
People will notice things more that
are different
People will understand and remember
things that connect emotively
David Donnelly
Head of Australian Consulting
Instinct and Reason
The biggest problem…
8
This story arrived in a chain email and is one
you just hope is true…
Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living.
When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was
dark except for a single light in a ground floor
window. Under these circumstances, many
drivers would just honk once, but I had seen
too many impoverished people who
depended on taxis as their only means of
transportation. Unless a situation smelled of
danger, I always went to the door. This
passenger might be someone who needs my
assistance, I reasoned to myself.
So I walked to the door and knocked. “Just a
minute”, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could
hear something being dragged across the
floor. After a long pause, the door opened.
A small woman in her 80’s stood before me.
She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox
hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out
of a 1940s movie.
By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The
apartment looked as if no one had lived in it
for years. All the furniture was covered with
sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no
knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the
corner was a cardboard box filled with photos
and glassware.
“Would you carry my bag out to the car?”
she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and
returned to assist the woman. She took my
arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.
She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s
nothing”, I told her. “I just try to treat my
passengers the way I would want my
mother treated”.
“Oh, you’re such a good boy”, she said.
When we got in the cab, she gave me an
address, and then asked, “Could you drive
through downtown?”
“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry.
I’m on my way to a hospice”.
I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were
glistening. “I don’t have any family left,” she
continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very
long.” I quietly reached over and shut off
the meter.
“What route would you like me to take?”
I asked. For the next two hours, we drove
through the city. She showed me the building
where she had once worked as an
elevator operator.
We drove through the neighbourhood where
she and her husband had lived when they were
newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a
furniture warehouse that had once been a
ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a
particular building or corner and would sit
staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As
the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon,
she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the address she had
given me. It was a low building, like a small
convalescent home, with a driveway that
passed under a portico.
Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as
we pulled up. They were solicitous of us and
intent, watching her every move. They must
have been expecting her. I opened the boot
and took the small suitcase to the door. The
woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked,
reaching into her purse.
“Nothing,” I said
“You have to make a living,” she answered.
“There are other passengers,” I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her
hug. She held onto me tightly.
“You gave an old woman a little moment of
joy,” she said. “Thank you.” She squeezed my
hand, and was then pushed in her wheelchair
into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door
shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn’t pick up any more passengers that
shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the
rest of that day, I could hardly talk.
What if that woman had gotten an angry
driver, or one who was impatient to end his
shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or
had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don’t think that I have
done anything more important in my life. We’re
conditioned to think that our lives revolve
around great moments. But great moments
often catch us unaware – beautifully wrapped
in what others may consider a small one.
People may not remember exactly what you
did, or what you said, but they will always
remember how you made them feel.
“Life may not be the party we hoped for, but
while we are here we might as well dance.”
The last cab ride
I N V O LV E 9
Guardian Funerals Minchinbury, NSW
Dear Sir
I write on behalf of the family and…would like
to formally extend our sincerest thanks for the
warmth, compassion and professional
guidance and assistance provided to our family
at our moment of need and at the time of a
death in our family. It is always difficult to deal
with the loss of loved ones but your assistance
and the services provided by Guardian were
second to none.
Quite frankly, I ponder what would have
happened had you not been there for all of
us…In the world we live in today, everybody
seems happy to criticise or complain about
things in life, I thought it would be a nice
thought to write a note of thanks and
compliment those people that really made a
difference at the time of our family’s loss.
George Hartnett Wynnun QLD
Dear Jo,
Just a short note to say thank you for all your
help in the most difficult time in our lives. Your
professionalism and the ability to help me
make the most arduous decision that I will ever
have to make “although not easy” somehow
bearable. We will be eternally grateful for your
understanding and assistance...
Blackwell Funerals, SA
Dear John
We were very satisfied with the proceedings
and the funeral itself was excellently
conducted, and certainly met our every
expectation – professional, well presented and
compassionate, - also the arrangements for
guests after was excellent.
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens &
Crematorium North Ryde, NSW
Dear Sir/Madam
I would like to share with you the wonderful
uplifting emotion which swept over me whilst
visiting my husband’s various family memorials
last Saturday. The beautiful gardens and the
obvious loving care lavished on them is a credit
to all those involved. The colours, shapes, bird
life, the pathways – all can only uplift the
saddest of hearts. Please convey my deep
personal appreciation to the gardening and
horticultural staff for their brilliant efforts, and
magnificent results. It is with a much lighter
step that I go about my regular chores, whilst
recalling that memorable visit.
Castlebrook Memorial Park
Rouse Hill, NSW
Dear Allyson,
…thank you for your kindness and the special
assistance you gave me and my family on the
internment of my mum and dad…It was a sad
occasion, but with your support and
professionalism you helped ease the sadness
and made the internment a lot easier to
accept. I can only say Castlebrook Memorial
Park is in good hands with people like you who
look after those of us who have suffered
such losses.
Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Leppington, NSW
Dear Rob, Angela & Forest Lawn Staff,
On behalf of our family, we’d like to extend our
thank you for all that you’ve done to ensure my
Mum’s best interests are upheld and executed.
It means a lot that you did all that you did for
our mum after all we had been through,
and the uncertainty we had to endure.
We appreciate that you took over and just
made ‘it happen’. Thank you also for sharing
the memories you had of our Mother. She
thought very highly of the Staff at Forest Lawn
and often spoke of you guys with fondness.
She was extremely proud to be a part of the
Forest Lawn team. Thank you once again
words cannot express how grateful we are
for all that you did.
In appreciation
The following are excerpts from a collection of some of the letters of thanks sent in by the families we have serviced.
On Monday February 26th, the Mayor of
Auburn, Councillor Le Lam, formally
accepted the key to the South, West and
East Chapels at Rookwood Memorial
Gardens and Crematorium in Sydney.
More than one million dollars has been
invested in the extensive refurbishment. The
chapels were dedicated to the people of the
City of Auburn at a ceremony attended by
clergy, celebrants, funeral directors and
members of the community.
Celebrant Susan Garvan recited the
Lord’s prayer and sang a special song
while Rookwood’s Family Service Manager
Rosanna Kleckin lit a candle in memory
of the near 230,000 people cremated
at Rookwood. Ian Parker, Rookwood's
acting Operations Manager was the MC,
with proceedings followed by tea and coffee.
In addition to a speech from the Mayor of
Auburn, in which she described Rookwood
Memorial Gardens as “a beautiful oasis in
the midst of the City of Auburn,” the
Reverend Peter Kilkeary, Chairman of the
Joint Committee of Necropolis Trustees,
congratulated Rookwood Memorial Gardens
and Crematorium on its continued
commitment to excellence.
The original buildings were commissioned
in 1924 and completed in early 1925
under the guidance of the architect
Frank I. Bloomfield. The first service was
held on the 28th May, 1925 for Annie
Elizabeth Silcocks.
Her ashes are still held in perpetuity in their
urn in the South Chapel. More than 200,000
cremations have since been conducted at
the site.
Rookwood dedication
Ian Parker, Armen Mikaelian, Auburn Mayor Councillor Le Lam, Rosanna Kleckin and
Reverend Peter Kilkeary (JCNT).
InvoCare owns 12 cemeteries
and crematoria in New South
Wales and Queensland. They
have a strong local heritage
and in some cases have been
places of memories and
tranquillity since the 1930’s.
Those locations operating a
cemetery and crematoria are
known as Memorial Parks and
those operating only a
crematorium are called
Memorial Gardens; because
they are beautiful, tranquil,
peaceful environments where
people can reflect on a life lived.
The multi culture nature of
Australia is recognised with
burial, cremation and memorial
options including Asian
sections designed by feng shui
advisors and the availability of
outstanding crypts, vaults and
family mausoleums preferred
by many European
communities.
There are hundreds of
memorial options to reflect
individuals and suit all budgets.
10
South Chapel
West Chapel
It is with sadness that we announce the
passing of Sonia Napiza who has worked
with InvoCare’s Multi-Cultural Unit
since 1997.
Based at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in
Sydney’s south, she was also working as a
nurse in Liverpool Hospital until 2004 when
she decided to concentrate more in offering
pre-need memorials to the Filipino
community in the Campbelltown area. Her
death was a shock not only for fellow staff
members but also to the Filipino community
for whom she had arranged memorials for
so many years. We extend our sympathies
to her family.
Chinese brochureLung Po Shan Memorial Gardens has been
a sanctuary for the Chinese community of
Sydney to place memorial tributes for a
number of years. Purpose built in
consultation with a Feng Shui Master, the
third stage of development of the Gardens
has now been completed.
To assist InvoCare’s Multi-Cultural Unit in
displaying the unique aspects of the
Gardens, a specially designed brochure has
been produced, mainly in chinese. There is a
focus on the way the three stages of
developments produce a butterfly. The
butterfly’s antennae, in the form of Wah Biu
poles will be formally installed in a special
ceremony to be held later this year.
Sonia Napiza Harley tributeAround 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles
lined the streets of Lakeside Memorial Park
at Dapto in NSW recently for the funeral of
Biker Lance Williams.
The Harleys preceded the funeral procession
and lined the entrance to Lakeside’s Chapel to
welcome the hearse. As the hearse proceeded
through the guard of honour all the bikes were
revved onto full throttle, creating the most
amazing and chilling sound. Family Service
Manager Julie Harvey says, “The sight of 100
empty Harleys was in itself a moving tribute to
a lost friend.”
I N V O LV E 11
The specially designed brochure for Lung Po
Shan Memorial Gardens
Lakeside Memorial Park at Dapto in NSW is
calling on the local community to offer
suggestions for a name for its new Croatian
section. This special belt within the Park
has been set aside as a location for the
memorials of those from a Croat
background and was formally dedicated
at a recent ceremony.
The Croatian area of the Park already
features lush new turf, elegant signage and
six pencil pines. The native Australian
conifers have been specially chosen to
provide a natural screening element, and a
more extensive landscaped garden will be
developed later with the input of Mary,
Queen of Croats church.
But as yet, this new section remains nameless.
“Rather than Lakeside deciding on a name
for this important new feature of the
Memorial Park, we felt that it would be more
meaningful if it were christened by the very
community for which it caters,” said Julie
Harvey of Lakeside Memorial Gardens.
“The Croatian population in the local area is
growing, both in numbers and in self-
identification, and the creation of the garden
is in direct response to its requirements.”
Father Ivo Tadic of Mary Queen of Croats
church, Australia’s first Croatian church
which was built in 1983, has welcomed
Lakeside’s willingness to undertake
community consultation with respect to the
naming and development of the newly created
garden. The church has formed a committee
to discuss suggestions that have already been
proposed, and further contributions from
interested parties are very welcome.
“Serving our culturally diverse community has
always been a priority for Lakeside Memorial
Gardens,” said Julie Harvey.
“In addition to the new Croatian section,
we also have Greek, Serbian and Polish
garden areas.
“We really value the relationship we have with
families and with residents in the local
district. Everything we do is about creating a
more comfortable place for personal
reflection for families and friends to visit and
remember their loved ones.”
Cooking Italian styleJulie Harvey, Family Service Manager for
Lakeside Memorial Park at Dapto in NSW
recently attended the Italian Pensioners
Association Pasta and BBQ day as a guest
of the Association and Mrs Maria Di Carlo
from Italian Welfare Organisation (ITSOWEL).
Lakeside provides gift baskets for community
raffles and sponsors the Pensioner
Association annual Christmas party each
year. The funds go towards food purchases
for the event. All the pasta is cooked at the
grounds on the day and the homemade
pasta sauce is renowned for being one of the
best in the region. The food is prepared by
volunteers who generously give up their time
to do so for many Italian community events
throughout the year.
Croatian garden
The cook stirring the pot is Mr Tony Tobia
Maria Di Carlo and Julie Harvey at the event
All the family said was that
everything was just elegant,
no sadness just beautiful.
Allambe Memorial Park Nerang, QLD
Survey comment
12
Provides families with a simple,
dignified, respectful and affordable
approach to arranging a funeral.
Simplicity offers:
• A simple and practical approach
making arranging a funeral an
easy-to-understand and smooth
process for families
• Affordable and flexible options,
enabling families to tailor the
funeral service to their needs,
expectations and budget
• Support for individuals and
communities through information
and education beyond the
funeral service
• 35 locations throughout Australia
• Easily accessible ‘shop front’
arrangement offices
• A unique silver fleet
Four years ago I established a liaison with
the local Sea Rescue Squadron (SRS) in
Adelaide. They are a volunteer
organisation that only receives minimal
state funding and support by South
Australian Police with another funding arm
providing services to families who wish to
inter their loved ones ashes at sea.
We have arranged a number of sea
interments of cremated remains over the
last few years. Normally we use their
standard rescue craft that can take a
maximum of four clients.
However, this particular family that I
arranged the funeral for were unique,
because 19 family members wanted to
attend, hence a larger million dollar craft
was sought. This is owned and skippered
by one of the SRS members who agreed to
use his craft for the family sea committal.
The family, crew and I set out on the
morning and anchored approx 500m off a
coastal reef at Glenelg. Prayers were held
and family members interred their father’s
ashes followed by a stream of red rose buds.
The SRS then provided the family with
a Certificate of Interment including the
latitude and longitude via a GPS, showing
where the cremated remains are interred on
the earth’s surface. The family were then
invited back to the SRS Operations Centre
for light refreshments.
Steve Gregory
Location Manager – Enfield, SA
Sea to the rescue
From left: SRS Skipper Tony Norman, SRS Operations Captain Gerry Dejong, Location Manager
Simplicity Funerals Enfield Steve Gregory and SRS Rear Commodore Fraser Bell
I cannot add any more praise on
Simplicity for the way in which they
conducted themselves.
They were marvellous. Special thanks
to Kay Kirby without whom I would
never have got through the funeral.
Miami, QLD
The staff were amazing,
just beautiful people.
Sunshine, VIC
Survey comments
I N V O LV E 13
14
Simplicity Funerals recently announced the
winner of the Central Coast’s Simply
Legendary Local Legends competition. This
is the second time Simplicity have run this
very successful competition which asks
people in the local community to nominate
someone who died in the last 25 years who
made a significant contribution to the area
that is worthy of further recognition.
Run in conjunction with the Central Coast Sun
Weekly, each week of the competition they
published a nomination submitted by the local
community. Together with Gosford Council,
the paper’s editor David Stewart and
Simplicity staff, Kathy Gibbons was chosen as
the inaugural Central Coast winner.
Kathy helped raise $50,000 for the Cancer
Council, a mission she began after being
diagnosed with cancer.
Friend, Judi Gurzinski nominated Kathy
describing her as a ‘true legend’.
“Her courage made those who knew her
stronger and it is people like Kathy who
encourage you to accept the challenges in
your life and rise above them.”
A special presentation was held at the
Beachcomber Hotel to announce the winner
and unveil a beautiful portrait tribute to Kathy.
Gosford Councillor Chris Holstein, in presenting
the award to Kathy’s husband Colin, said he
was “deeply touched by her story.”
Judi wrote to Simplicity’s Central Coast Area
Manager Allan McLean to thank everyone for
the award. “I felt so proud that Kathy was
being recognised in this way, and wish all
the people involved in the presentation had
been fortunate enough to have known her
personally. Kathy’s husband Colin is so proud
of the award that he takes it everywhere with
him to show people.”
Simply legendary
The girls from Dragons Abreast
Judi Gurzinski and Colin Gibbons at the unveiling of Kathy’s portrait
“Her courage made those who knew
her stronger and it is people like
Kathy who encourage you to accept
the challenges in your life and rise
above them.”
I N V O LV E 15
Kathy GibbonsIn recognition of her outstanding contribution to the Central Coastcommunity, Kathy Gibbons has been posthumously awarded the 2006Central Coast Simply Legendary Local Legend Award.
After being diagnosed with cancer in 1997 Kathy didn’t allow her illness to take over, ploughing her energy into fundraising for various local cancer charities.
Her contribution was simply amazing and outstanding. She worked fornumerous organisations and initiatives including the Cancer Council,Breast Cancer Services, Relay for Life and Daffodil Day. Over three years,with the assistance of her husband, Kathy raised $50,000 for the CancerCouncil alone.
A foundation member of Dragons Abreast on the Central Coast, Kathy and a group of breast cancer survivors raised awareness through dragonboating. Their aim is to show others that there is life after breast cancer.The team looked upon Kathy as their matriarch, inspiration, mentor,advisor, a shoulder to cry on and much more.
These overwhelmingly positive attributes saw Kathy as an excellent choice to become a Counsellor for Breast Cancer Support for newly-diagnosed women.
Kathy inspired the lives of her family, friends and all who knew her andencouraged others to strive for greater things, face their demons andbeat them.
The legacy of Kathy’s practical determination, energy and support forothers is the increased awareness of breast cancer on the Central Coast.
“Accept it, get over itand move on.”
KATHY GIBBONS, 1948-2005
16
Simplicity Funerals demonstrated its support
for the local community with the generous
donation of four stands at the annual Penrith
City Festival, held recently. Celebrating
the opening of the new Simplicity Penrith
location late last year, they purchased extra
stands with the intention of giving them
away to those who could best utilise
the opportunity.
Charitable organisations which benefited
from Simplicity Funerals’ sponsorship were
Lifeline, the Salvation Army, the Penrith
Disabilities Resource Centre and Ozwac -
the Australian Women and Children’s
Research Foundation.
The four charities were selected via a simple
but effective promotion in the Western
Weekender in which organisations were
asked the question, “Why do you want to
march in the parade with an Australian Flag?”
Simplicity Funerals and Pinegrove Memorial
Park also shared a site at the Festival. Staff
were on hand to answer questions about
funeral related matters including pre-
planning funerals, grief awareness and the
changing role of the funeral director, and to
conduct community information sessions.
With more than 150 stalls, carnival rides, an
array of international food stalls and a grand
street parade, the Penrith City Festival
attracted thousands of visitors and proved to
be a very successful event for all involved.
Charity begins at Penrith
I N V O LV E 17
Australia recently mourned the sudden loss
of one the music industry’s greats – rock ‘n’
roll legend Billy Thorpe. His death shocked
the nation and brought together the
entertainment industry to give him the send
off he deserved.
Simplicity Funerals played an integral role in
arranging the funeral through Betty Gray at the
Paddington branch in Sydney. She worked
together with Amanda Pelman and Michael
Chugg, who were given the responsibility
by the family. Amanda and Michael having
worked together with Billy Thorpe to co-
produce the phenomenal live music event
Long Way to the Top which was seen by over
a quarter of a million people in 2002.
The family chose a 1937 Cadillac Hearse. The
driver/owner of the vehicle, Stuart Rowe, was
delighted to be able to support us by wearing
our tie and to be included as “part of a very
professional team”.
Regional Manager for Simplicity Funerals in
NSW, Philip Overduin says, “The most
remarkable thing about the event was really
how unremarkably easy it was. Everyone did
their job in exactly the way they always do,
without fuss or bother, accommodating the
family’s wishes at all times. Despite the media
interest, the pressure to get it all right on the
day and the concern about distraught fans
wanting to get their last look at their idol of so
many years, the Simplicity team was able to
honour the memory of the late Billy Thorpe in
precisely the way the family had requested.”
A memorial service was held on Sunday 4
March at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
with around 9,000 mourners in attendance
staged by Michael Chugg and Amanda
Pelman. The next day a private service was
held with only 90 invited close friends and
family in attendance. The Simplicity team was
again applauded for their contribution by
family and celebrities for providing just the kind
of service the family had been asking about.
Betty Gray said, “It was an honour and a
privilege to be asked to arrange the funeral. I
have been a fan since I was a teenager.”
The service included; a keynote address from
Rev. Bill Crews, while other speakers included
Bryan Brown, George Negus, Little Pattie,
Max Merritt, Jack Thompson AM, Michael
Chugg AM and Olivia Newton-John.
Rock ‘n’ roll legend
Jazz manSimplicity Funerals at Balgowlah in Sydney
recently arranged a funeral for late the John
Speight OAM, with famous jazz musicians
leading the service.
The Sydney Morning Herald paid tribute to
John writing, “For nearly 30 years, upwards
of 80,000 Sydneysiders have flocked to the
Manly Jazz Festival, unaware of the man
behind the music. John Speight, who has
died aged 71, was simply too busy to
become well-known.”
John Speight was a communicator, writing
and reviewing jazz for various publications as
well as being a teacher who was said to be
“an inspiring educator.”
Amongst the most famous of those he
mentored was trumpeter James Morrison,
who led a procession of instrumentalists
(playing Just a Closer Walk with Thee) at the
funeral as it made its was through The Corso
in Manly.
James Morrison said: “The legacy isn't only
to the few of us [here], although we like to
think so. But often the vast numbers who
benefit from a person's passion don't even
know his name. And that's the way John
Speight would want it. It's never been
about him but about the music.”
The program paid special tribute to John
and included a special mention for
the work done by Jenny Smith from
Simplicity Balgowlah.
BILLY THORPE
1946 - 2007
InvoCare has 73 traditional style
locations in Australia, including
some of the oldest names in the
funeral business in Australia.
Through generations of
experience in the funeral
industry, and the strong heritage
associated with our names,
the traditional style brands
bring a wealth of experience to
gently guide families in making
their arrangements. Staff are
experienced and understand the
requirements and traditions of
different cultures and religions.
Staff wear traditional smart attire.
The service offered is as
professional as it is personal,
gently guiding families through
the funeral arrangement process
18
Le Pine Funerals recently had the honour
of arranging the funeral service for racing
legend ‘Scobie Breasley’, who died
aged 92.
For the service, past and present jockeys
gathered with 300 mourners as the casket
was placed in the Members Stand at
Caulfield racecourse with a view to the
golden winning post outside.
The Australian Racing Museum offers this
brief summation of his achievements.
“Born in Wagga Wagga (NSW) in 1914,
Arthur ‘Scobie’ Breasley was born to be a
jockey and commenced his career at age 12.
“He earned his nickname from famous
trainer James Scobie and rode his first
Melbourne winner in 1928.
“He won four Caulfield Cups in succession
between 1942 and 1945 and later returned
from a trip to England to record a fifth win in
the race in 1952. Breasley established a
huge reputation during a stellar career in
the UK. He won the English Jockeys’
Premiership four times and his career total of
3,251 winners included more than 2,000 in
England. He won two English Derbies
(1964-66) and also won the 1958 Prix de
L’Arc de Triomphe. Breasley had his last
ride in 1968 and took up training before
returning to Melbourne to live in his
retirement. Breasley was immortalised with
the naming by Racing Victoria of the Scobie
Breasley Medal, awarded each year since
1996 to Victoria’s outstanding jockey.”
Former Victoria Racing Club secretary Rod
Johnson, a close friend for nearly 60 years,
said a quote of author and journalist
Les Carlyon summed up the jockey's
illustrious career: “Never were a man and
horse more at one than when Scobie
slipped into the saddle.”
Breasley is survived by his daughter Loretta,
grandchildren Jason, Zonda and Kelly,
and great-grandchildren Zak, Polly, Harry, Lilli
and Tehi.
Racing legend
General Manager John Fowler leads the funeral procession with jockey Damien Oliver beside the hearse
Phot
o: T
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For the service past and present
jockeys gathered with 300 mourners
as the casket was placed in the
Members Stand at Caulfield
racecourse with a view to the
golden winning post outside.
I N V O LV E 19
Le Pine Heritage Funerals at Croydon in
Melbourne recently conducted a Funeral
Industry Recruitment evening where
20 potential employees had insight into
working for InvoCare.
Everyone who attended found the night very
informative and left with a much better
understanding about career opportunities.
Attendees were provided with refreshments
before hearing information about our company
and the job descriptions and opportunities
available. All participated in a brief introduction
before breaking into three smaller groups to
complete several work tasks.
Of the twenty that attended four potential
future employees have been interviewed for a
current vacancy. This new trial way of
recruiting has been very successful and
proven to be a great way to be exposed to
many applicants in a short period of time. It
also works as a great public relations
opportunity and is viewed very positively by
the job seekers.
Rather than receiving ‘a thanks but no
thanks’ letter in the mail at least they get
an insight into the position and the
other candidates.
Since the information / recruitment night we
have received many emails thanking us for the
opportunity of providing such a recruitment
process. With staff being the most valuable
resource to our business I feel that this
approach to recruitment has merit.
Ashley Crow
Regional Manager – Le Pine Funerals
(South/East)
TraditionalsteeringcommitteeInvoCare’s traditional style funeral brands‘steering committee’ met in Sydney recently. Topics discussed included; the roleout of the new uniforms and the futuredirection for all creative collateral includingtelevision commercials.
From left (back), John Fowler – General Manager
Victoria, Ashley Crow – Regional Manager Le Pine
Funerals South/Eastern, Andrew Puslford – Regional
Manager Guardian Funerals, From left (front)
Andrew Hogan – General Manager Western
Australia, Mark Carey – Regional Manager George
Hartnett Funerals, Jason Maher – General Manager
South Australia and Ian McKenzie – General
Manager Marketing
SpeednetworkingCannon & Cripps Funerals – a George
Hartnett Funeral Home located at Kelvin
Grove in Brisbane recently held a speed
business networking function with a ‘twist’.
Based on the same rules as speed dating, two
lines of people were seated facing each other.
Each person had 2 minutes to promote their
business. When the bell rang one side moved
to the next person. By the end of the night all
people in attendance had promoted their
business to everyone in the room and who
knows; may have even come up with a date
as well…
It was a great way to have some fun while
promoting business to a captive audience.
The twist came when at the end of the night
all in attendance had to stand and mention
one thing they had learnt about another
business on the night.
Mark CareyRegional Manager – George Hartnett Funerals
Recruitment information night
Bowling teamRocky Di Battista and Ben Quick from Le
Pine Heritage at Ferntree Gully in Melbourne
were recently the first to be recruited to play
in a 12 week lawn bowling program set up
through the Ringwood Lawn Bowling Club.
The club has introduced a system where all
sponsors of the club have enrolled a team of
two for the Monday night competition. All
players have a named shirt with their logo on
the back and participate in the competition
along with fellow sponsors and clubmen.
The games are fairly light hearted and follow
a simular format to that of the barefoot bowls
promotions that many clubs offer. It is very
social with a BBQ dinner before the games
and liquid refreshments at the end.
Putting the blame on having to rotate players
each week, it looks like the Le Pine Heritage
team will finish near the bottom of the ladder.
The players are enjoying the competition and
are developing their skills slowly. They tell us;
“It’s harder than it looks”, but they will be
back bigger and better next time.
Ashley Crow
Regional Manager – Le Pine Funerals
(South/East)
I could not have wanted for anything
better. They were so professional and I
thought they went out of their way for
me and the family and friends.
Guardian Funerals incorporating
AF Anderson Funerals – Granville, NSW
Survey comment
From left, Terry Boxall, Colin Bell and Ashley Crow
20
Blackwell Funerals at Payneham in Adelaide,
caters to a large Italian community. Late last
year they saw an opportunity to bring
together those Italian families who were
grieving the loss of a family member in the
past year, for an Italian movie night.
Featuring Life is Beautiful Academy Award
winner Roberto Benigini, the movie shown was
‘La Tigre e la Neve’ (the Tiger and the Snow).
The Trak Cinemas hosted the movie which was
followed by refreshments, giving families the
opportunity to mingle and share their grief with
others who were in a similar situation.
Location Manager Ivana Vagnoni says, “The
evening was very well received. People were
appreciative of being thought of in a positive
way well after the funeral.” The event was also
covered in the local Italian newspaper.
Wally ForemanIn the last issue of Involve, we featured an
article on the funeral of ABC Sports
commentator Wally Foreman, arranged by
Purslowe Funerals. What follows are excerpts
from letters sent to Western Australian
General Manager Andrew Hogan and Arnold
Taylor who arranged the funeral service.
Dear Andrew
Today, as I wrote a letter of thanks to Arnold Taylor for the wonderful
farewell he helped prepare for my brother Wally Foreman, I felt that I
would like to write a letter of commendation to you, his General
Manager…The task he undertook was exceptional and the manner
in which he accomplished it was faultless. No request from us was
too hard and he treated us with respect, understanding and
compassion at all times.
He managed to maintain a very personal touch to such a public
event. Whether he was with us at Wally and Lyn’s home, at
Challenge Stadium, at Purslowe’s Funeral Home or via a telephone
call, he used his discretion to organise the job in hand without
intruding on our privacy…I am pleased, on behalf of the Foreman
family, to congratulate and thank Arnold and all the staff at Purslowe
Funerals for their kindness and dedication.
Dear Arnold
I write this letter to you on behalf of all the Foreman family…I’m not
sure how I can adequately put into words our gratitude to you for
the wonderful farewell you helped prepared for Wally. With the grief
we were feeling at the sudden loss of Wally, you led us through all
the necessary steps with dignity and compassion. Your calm, gentle
manner at a time when we were feeling overcome with emotion
sand sadness and disbelief helped us to feel confident that the
funeral being prepared for Wally was the one he so richly deserved.
For you and the staff at Purslowe’s, the task of liaising with
Challenge Stadium and the A.B.C to organise the Celebration of
Wally’s Life must have been daunting. There were so many logistical
matters to consider whilst keeping the occasion so very personal for
the family and relatives. This you achieved perfectly…We felt that,
whilst the service was a huge public event, it seemed as if we were
addressing just those who were closest to Wally…We appreciated
too, the additional “extras” you put in place…You managed to sense
our emotions and deal with them appropriately…I remember boldly
saying when I first approached Purslowe’s to conduct this funeral
that Wally’s farewell just had to be perfect. We were his proud,
proud family and second best just would not be good enough. Well,
I am pleased to say this was achieved and we thank you for the
time and the resources you devoted to the farewell to Wally
Foreman and to the well-being of his adoring family.
Italian movie night Movember It proved to be one of the more popular
means of publicising a charity in many
years, when November suddenly became
Movember, with men encouraged to grow
a ‘mo’.
The Staff at Guardian Funerals at Minchinbury
in Sydney helped to raise funds for men’s
health including Prostate Cancer and
Depression. Throughout the month some of
the staff at Minchinbury grew a moustache and
raised funds by selling raffle tickets and
attending a trivia night. They raised $1800 for
the charity including a donation from InvoCare;
not a bad effort for their first year.
At the trivia night showing the Guardian staff with mo’s
I N V O LV E 21
Women in funerals
Following on from the story in the last
edition of Involve ‘Putting a smile on the
face’, (regarding Bruce Maurer Funerals - a
Guardian Funeral Provider, based at Crows
Nest in Sydney holding a BBQ and
entertainment day for residents and staff of
‘Venee Burges’, the Spastic Centre at
Allambie Heights), Manager Peter Brock
was invited to the Management and Staff
Christmas party.
Barbara Hall the Resident Group Manager
announced, “We don’t usually do this, but I
would like to make a presentation to a
special friend of The Spastic Centre.” Peter
was then given a thank you certificate
enclosed in glass for the office.
Peter said, “I can honestly say that I
was surprised.”
Since 2002 when Peter first became involved
with the Centre, he has arranged many
funerals for the staff, residents and family.
A special thankyou
Cannon and Cripps Funerals – a George
Hartnett funeral home, based at Kelvin
Grove in Brisbane recently hosted the
annual ‘Women in Funeral Service’ seminar.
The seminar is run by the Australian Funeral
Directors Association Queensland Division.
Judy Harvey from White Lady Funerals was on
the organising committee. The event is
designed to not only bring together women
working in the industry from a variety of
companies, but also to “share the latest in
professional skills and techniques”. Among the
speakers were Melissa Short from InvoCare’s
Shared Services in Brisbane who spoke about
communication between the funeral arranger
and the embalmer.
The keynote speaker was Brisbane Lady
Mayoress and Chairman of the Lord Mayor’s
Community Trust, Lisa Newman. She spoke
passionately about her work with the
homeless youth, as well as balancing work
life with being a wife and mother.
QLD General Manager Funerals Doris Zagdanski
with Brisbane Lady Mayor Lisa Newman
My mother had a beautiful, simple
farewell. I would like to make special
mention of your funeral director,
Christine Mills, we thought she was
lovely.
George Hartnett Funerals
Albany Creek, QLD
The funeral was conducted in such a
dignified and beautiful manner.
Blackwell Funerals – Payneham, SA
Survey comments
At a recent presentation, White Lady
Funerals in Queensland provided the Lions
Club of Pacific Pines with a special
donation of used reading glasses that were
collected from the relatives of deceased
persons. The glasses are being collected
as part of the Lions Recycle for Sight
Australia Recycling Program which
distributes recycled spectacles to
humanitarian organisations for distribution
to poor people in need.
“We are delighted to have been able to help
the Lions Recycle for Sight Program in this
manner. The response has been excellent
and highlights the kind and supportive nature
of the local community” says Tania Dell’
Amico, Location Manager for White Lady
Funerals at Tanah Merah Brisbane.
“People can really see the value of this
initiative and how it helps those who are less
fortunate than themselves. At White Lady, we
too can see how the recycled spectacles will
benefit these people worldwide” she added.
The glasses were presented to the Lions
Club President Lion Ivy Jones by Tania
Dell’Amico of White Lady Funerals at a
recent meeting.
Lions Recycle for Sight Australia Inc is
part of the Lions Clubs International
Worldwide Eyeglass Recycling Program
and operates throughout Australia and
overseas collecting thousands of pairs of
used spectacles, sunglasses, new frames
and other ancillary equipment.
The program distributes 250,000 pairs of
recycled spectacles throughout the world to
Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and humanitarian
organisations at no expense or obligation to
the recipient.
Over the 15 years, the program has delivered
2.5 million pairs to countries in Africa,
Europe, Middle East, Indian Sub continent,
East Asia, and the Far East, including China,
the countries of the Pacific Rim and
Southern Asia and Oceania.
Recycled reading glasses donated
A special donation of used reading glasses were presented to the Lions Club President Lion Ivy Jones
by Tania Dell’Amico
22
White Lady Funerals are staffed
entirely by women and bring a
refreshing modern touch to the
funeral industry.
They;
• Are unique with all female
staff, elegant white uniforms
with burgundy hats and a fleet
of white vehicles
• Offer funeral services for those
who want greater diversity
in honouring the life of a
loved one
• Reflect an eye for detail from
using the love one’s life to
personalised arrangements
to the attendance
cards/memorial book provided
to guests and the memorial
candle given to families at
the end of the service
• Provide an after service care
second to none through 33
White Lady Funeral homes
throughout Australia
I N V O LV E 23
A new uniform Anyone forcroquet?Kaylene Perry of White Lady Funerals at
Hillcrest in Adelaide attended the Tea Tree
Gully Croquet Club to help celebrate their
annual Christmas Party and participated in
the raffle draw for the gift basket that White
Lady Funerals donated for this event.
White Lady Funerals has had a long association
with their club and have previously attended
many of their gala events and stayed in regular
contact with the club.
The club has grown to a considerable size over
the years and they speak very highly of White
Lady Funerals.
In the past they have recommended our
services to their members and friends and we
at White Lady Funerals look forward to a long
and close association with them.
Sharyn Schubert
Regional Manager, SA
MorningtonopensWhite Lady Funerals in Melbourne recently
opened a new location at Mornington.
The site was formerly a funeral home
operated by a different owner and has now
been completely refurbished.
An official opening event is being planned.
Survey comment
They made a very difficult time
and experience a very ‘nice’
tribute. At no time did we feel
pressured from staff. It just went
so easy. They were a delight to
deal with at all times.
Mareena Purslowe
and Associates Funerals
Willetton, WA
From left Regional Manager Barbara Slater,
Margaret World Conductor/Arranger and Location
Manager Jennifer BrownSian Wenn, Location Supervisor, Mareena
Purslowe & Associates, Willetton
Mareena Purslowe and Associate Funerals
in Perth will soon adopt the brand livery
made famous by White Lady Funerals.
From April MPA staff will also wear the
distinctive White Lady uniforms which were
recently modelled for staff. Their reaction
was very positive to their new MPA look.
What do Australian Idol runner-up
Anthony Callea and ’Ol Blue Eyes himself,
Frank Sinatra, have in common?
A recent survey of all InvoCare funeral
directors asked about the songs requested
most frequently for funeral services, and the
results were surprising. Nominated alongside
well-known tunes by Sinatra and Nat King
Cole were such recent hits as Callea’s The
Prayer and You Raise Me Up by Westlife.
The survey attracted hundreds of responses
from around Australia, with funeral directors
more than willing to provide a glimpse
beyond the curtain.
One of the Simplicity Funerals survey
respondents has found that songbird Celine
Dion is a particularly popular request from
families and friends planning a funeral.
“My Heart Will Go On, Because You Loved Me
and Fly are all firm favourites.”
Generally, the songs are selected by relatives
or close friends, but there is a growing
number of people that are choosing to pre-
plan their funerals, leaving written instructions
in their will or with a family member that
specify the format of the service, right down
to the music they want played.
Although it’s not known how Ms. Dion feels
about her elegiac popularity, singer/
songwriter James Blunt was shocked to
learn that Goodbye My Lover had topped the
list after a similar survey was conducted in
Britain late last year.
Upon being told of the honour, Blunt
reportedly responded with, “I didn’t know
there was a funeral chart.” In Australia
however, he narrowly missed out on a place
in the top ten, with Goodbye My Lover
skating in at number twelve overall.
An interesting detail to note is that modern
funerals are often more about celebrating a
person’s life than mourning their passing.
Uplifting songs such as We’ll Meet Again,
What a Wonderful World and Somewhere
Over the Rainbow are among those selected
by families opting for a less solemn service.
Unusual songs played at funeral services
have included the Queen anthem Another
One Bites the Dust, the Chicken Dance, and
Highway to Hell by AC/DC.
Finally the survey asked what songs funeral
directors want played at their own funerals.
Some stuck with the tried and true. Ave
Maria, “because it’s such a beautiful, emotive
piece,” said one respondent.
Other choices corresponded with the
survey’s top ten results, with several votes
for Time to Say Goodbye.
But Graeme Knorr has decided on a funeral
that will afford family and friends one last
glimpse of his quirky sense of humour. The
Le Pine funeral director from central Victoria
has nominated a unique soundtrack for his
own farewell – the Monty Python comic
classic Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
Music worth dying for
Involve welcomes your contributions:
Involve: Locked Bag 8000, Crows Nest NSW 2065or fax to: 02 9978 5298 or email: [email protected]
© InvoCare Limited ABN 42 096 437 393
The Last WordRobert Henry from Parkway Funerals – a
Guardian Funeral provider at Dee Why in
Sydney, visited the Zeehan Museum on a
recent trip to Tasmania. The exhibit relates to
the mining industry showcasing lots of rustic
implements among other things.
Robert photographed the following display
which bears the legend:
The person who made it Had no use for it
The person who bought it Don’t need it
The person who is using it Don’t see it
The top ten funeral songs according to Australia’sfuneral directors:
1 Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings2 Frank Sinatra – My Way3 Nat King Cole – Unforgettable4 Vera Lynn – We’ll Meet Again5 Sarah Brightman – Time to Say Goodbye6 Westlife – You Raise Me Up7 Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World8 Anthony Callea – The Prayer9 Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On10 Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven
National top 10 Classical or Opera
1 Johann Pachelbel – Canon in D2 Various – Ave Maria3 Antonio Vivaldi – Four Seasons4 Luciano Pavarotti – Nessun Dorma5 Charlotte Church – Pie Jesu6 Johann Sebastian Bach – Air on a G String7 Claude Debussy – Claire de Lune8 Johann Strauss – Blue Danube9 Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman –
Music of the Night10 Ludwig van Beethoven – Moonlight Serenades
National Top 10 Unusual Songs
1 Monty Python – Always Look on the Bright Side2 Werner Thomas – Chicken Dance3 Mac Davis – Oh Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble4 Bob Marley – Don’t Worry, Be Happy5 Queen – Another One Bites the Dust6 Meatloaf – Bat Out of Hell7 From the Wizard of Oz – Ding Dong, the Witch
is Dead8 AC/DC – Highway to Hell9 Lonnie Donegan – Does your Chewing Gum
Lose its Flavour?10 Slim Dusty – A Pub with No Beer
Amusing Quotes – “My uncle Sammy was an angry man. He had printed on his tombstone: What are you looking at?” Margaret Smith
“Did you ever notice how the word ‘marriage’ is one vocal inflection away from the mirage? Wanda Sykes
