I have been involved in funeral services here at Murphy’s for 30 odd years.

It is an interesting discussion to have, and to reflect upon the way these funeral services have changed over the years.  Just a few months ago, I happened to have a funeral service with Father Pat Faherty.

We were standing at the completion of a funeral service on the 16th green at Nowra Golf Club, under the branches of a 100-year-old fig tree.  It was an idyllic setting for a man who had been a stalwart of the Nowra Golf Club and had spent many a weekend following his Titleist around those hallowed fairways.  Father Pat mentioned to me how things had changed over the years, funerals are so much more personal now than they have ever been.  He was so correct, a very accurate reflection from a man who has seen so much over his lifetime and career in the Church.

It is only 10-15 years ago that most of our funeral services were held in Churches or Chapels.  Often with a clergy man from the church we rarely attended leading the service of Christian Funeral Rite.  We prayed and reflected in the same way, it was just a more formal image of a funeral service, often without much of the deceased’s personality reflected in those proceedings.

These days, with progressive families and clergy we are seeing funeral services that I would describe as ‘Beautiful Tributes’ and ‘Celebrations of Life’.  We have also seen a move away from the more formal religious service and non-religious Celebrants have taken over for many of our funerals.

The venues have also changed dramatically, no longer are we bound by a venue.  We have and can hold a funeral service in any public place.  Some of our most beautiful and memorable funeral service have been held at alternative venues.  As mentioned above, the Golf Course, beside the river or sea, on a private family farm, at the family home in the garden.  Our families are only limited by their own imagination and wishes.  Rather than me tell you all about them, I have included some images from some of the funeral services below. 

As you can see, we still have all of the usual Audio and Visual capabilities of a ‘fixed’ venue; our Funeral Logistics team are well skilled in setting up these alternate locations to create beautiful Celebrations of Life; to have funeral services that truly represent the loved one we are farewelling.

As your Funeral Director, we love when our families walk away from a funeral service and tell us that it is the best funeral service they have been to, and just as their loved one would have wanted it to be.