Focus | Dignity with Sincerity Funeral Services
Sincere farewells The mission statement is “To look after the deceased and take care of the living". Cheryl Cowden established Dignity with Sincerity Funeral Services in 1995. Her aim was to open a funeral company that offered something unique, being owned and operated solely by women. “Funeral directors provide a 24 hour service, so this is a lifestyle, not a career. We know there is only one chance to establish the kind of rapport with a family that does justice to what they want for their loved one’s funeral and that helps them through the grieving process. “What we say to families at this particular moment can affect them for the rest of their lives.” So being experienced, thoughtful and qualified is a must. Starting up her own company as a woman in the male-dominated funeral profession of the mid-1990s was far from easy for Cheryl. She could have given up many times because of the obstacles that were put in her way.
But Cheryl is a very determined woman and she believed there was “something” missing in the profession of the day. That something is a woman’s compassion, and the ability to be understanding and empathetic, yet still totally professional. As Cheryl puts it, “We feel for the families, as we too have experienced personal loss, but we remain distant from the heart-wrenching feelings that the families are going through.” Cheryl was joined in the company in 1997 by her daughter Lauren who is also qualified in all aspects of funeral directing. Lauren says she knew from the age of 12 that she wanted to be a funeral director, to look after people in their time of need. “Lauren is very good with families,” says Cheryl and I am very proud of her. She is such an integral part of what this company believes in.” There is another member of this all-woman team and she probably should have been mentioned earlier. Her name is Daizie, (the dog); she’s known as “The boss” and she comes to the funeral home every day.
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Funeral directors provide a 24 hour service, so this is a lifestyle, not a career. We know there is only one chance to establish the kind of rapport with a family that does justice to what they want for their loved one’s funeral and that helps them through the grieving process.
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“Daizie enjoys the company of the people who visit the home. She likes to play fetch, which breaks the ice when grieving families come here to the home.” Cheryl and her experienced team offer families a service that is more like a “celebration of life” rather than the traditional mournful funeral. Their philosophy is that the “most expensive funeral is not necessarily the best and neither is the cheapest the worst”.
For them a funeral that is created to the needs of the individual family will have the most rewarding outcome and will be a lasting treasured memory for the family, CT . Dignity with Sincerity Funeral Services 78 Brisbane Street Sydenham Christchurch T (03) 365 5055 E info@dignitywithsincerity.co.nz www.dignitywithsincerity.co.nz Cheryl Cowden
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Lauren Cowden
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www.canterburytoday.co.nz October/November 2016 | 39