When I jumped wholeheartedly, boots and all, into the funeral industry 19 years ago, this was something I said often. I would arrive at a family home, knock on the door and introduce myself. All well and good until the person answering the door looked over my shoulder to see where the funeral director was.
“will the funeral director be along shortly also?”
“yes, I”m the funeral director”
“but you’re a girl!” …….yes indeed, the last time I checked
or, but you’re very young!” …..well, thank you very much, knocking loudly on the door of 30 years old, but I’ll take a compliment where I can find it.
So many “buts”, and always “yes, I’m the funeral director”
Obviously, I didn’t fit the bill of the stereotypical funeral director of the time. But a funeral director I was.
Like most of the world, the funeral industry is moving forward (although perhaps slower than many) with the times. Way back then (ahem!….), funeral directors were seen as sombre men in black suits. They weren’t seen as “real” people. They were unapproachable, untouchable and you certainly wouldn’t ask too many questions, or strike up a conversation.
But the face of the funeral industry is changing. Whilst many Gold Coast funeral directors may still be sombre men in black suits following a highly traditional path, there is a new breed of funeral director. We are pushing back on the “old boy’s network”. We are pushing back on the cookie cutter approach of the corporate funeral providers. We are creating new pathways for people to farewell their departed and celebrate their lives.
Yes, we are Gold Coast funeral directors, yes, we are women, and yes, although some of us aren’t as young as we were 19 years ago, we are not sombre men in black suits here to offer you a package deal.
The presence of ladies in the funeral industry is much more the norm now, they no longer need to offer their credentials or justify themselves. Indeed, many people are particularly looking for ladies to entrust their departed womenfolk to. Ladies offer a softer, more gentle and less intimidating approach to planning and holding a funeral. Even better, some of us are setting up our own funeral businesses, meaning that we can follow our own rules, and prepare funerals the way we want to, and the way our families want to. Eco funerals, traditional funerals, unique funerals, cultural funerals, private cremations…we can do it all, and we do it well.
I’m a woman, I’m approachable, I’m huggable (if you need a hug!), you can ask me any question at all, and I’m more than happy to have a conversation with you….
Yes, I’m the funeral director and oh so proud of it!
