Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Wairarapa Midweek
17
ROSEWOOD FUNERAL HOME
CELEBRATES 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS
D
avid and Lynette Dew have always been community spirited people so last November when the twentieth anniversary of their business arrived, they decided to celebrate it by hosting a concert at the Carterton Events Centre. New Zealand barbershop chorus champions and world finalists, VOCALFX, a male barbershop chorus from Wellington entertained around 200 guests. It was a wonderful evening supported by all their children, family, friends and other business people. David grew up in Carterton and Lynette in Wellington. They met when they were both still in their late teens at a youth leader’s camp in 1978. Both went on to train as primary school teachers in Wellington. They married in 1980 and moved to Masterton in 1982 for teaching positions. David later changed career to become a social worker for three years and then a funeral director in 1987. “Teaching and social work both created great grounding for becoming a funeral director,” says David. “Both roles deal with every facet of society and with people’s needs. The social work required the same interpersonal communications and relationships with communities as being a funeral director. One of the aspects that attracted me to being a funeral director was that of embalming which restores the dignity of the deceased. This is really important as it provides a positive experience for people who are in the early stages of grief.” David initially worked for a local funeral home before becoming a tutor in Embalming and Funeral Directing at CIT in Upper Hutt for three years. In 1996 the couple decided to start their own business, purchasing a residence in Queen Street, Kuripuni and adapting it to operate a funeral home. “With NZ funeral homes being purchased by large corporates, we liked the idea of offering a family owned business that would be more personal and connected to community we live in”, says Lynette. “We liked being in a former home as it created a welcoming home-like environment which it still has 20 years later.” When the business opened, the couple had five children aged 18 months to 13 years. Lynette juggled home life and the children’s activities with part time work in the early years. She now works full time in the business. Over the last twenty years they have been blessed with quality staff, adding their skills and compassion to the overall support and care of bereaved families. “We could not have managed without their contribution to the smooth running of the business.” The current staff comprises of David and Lynette as company directors, Stephen Walker, Maz Charles and Paul Gadsby. There is also a dedicated team of casual catering staff.
A new funeral chapel
In 2003 the couple purchased two adjoining properties and with the help of architect Darryl Silverwood and construction company Rigg Zschokke they built a new chapel which they named Rosewood. David’s mother, Helen Dew, worked tirelessly to establish the gardens around the new chapel complex. They are very proud of the chapel and it has been marvellously supported by the community. More than half the families we care for choose to use Rosewood. It is also used by the Wairarapa Singers for their rehearsals on a Wednesday night. It has also been used for concerts and two weddings. “A lot of people have commented on its pleasant and peaceful surroundings, especially its fernery and waterfall. It’s a very modern facility with multi-media displays, onsite catering and plenty of off-street parking.”
Monumental Work
Rosewood Funeral Home offers a monument and headstone service. “One of the pleasures of having this service is that it provides an opportunity for the Rosewood team to connect with families again after a funeral and continue the relationship”, says David. There are a variety of shapes, sizes and styles of headstones to choose from which are designed by David with artistic input from Paul Gadsby who is involved in finishing work and installation. The Home is also able to memorialise funerals through photographs, videos and a memorial book.
Pre-Plan and Pre-Pay funerals
Both Pre-Plan and Pre-Pay options are available at Rosewood Funeral Home with David and Lynette or their staff happy to discuss these. “It would be unusual to not have a week where someone makes inquiries about Pre-Plan and Pre-Pay funerals,” says Lynette. “This has been a consistent need over the past 20 years, especially now that there are a lot of people who have elderly relations who live in the Wairarapa. They might not live here themselves and they want to be prepared for when the time comes.” As members of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand, Rosewood will be supporting the “Take the Time to Talk” campaign in April of this year. Take the Time to Talk discussions can help families make important decisions about how they wish to remember and honour the lives of their loved ones. When the time comes, these conversations can be translated to plan a meaningful gathering to remember and celebrate a person’s life.
Grief Education
Reflecting the value David and Lynette place on contributing to the community, two years after they opened Rosewood Funeral Home the couple started running regular Grief Education sessions. These are now held two or three times a year in association with REAP House. As far as they are aware, Rosewood is the only funeral home offering this service. “We wanted to not just provide a service for the physical well-being of the community, but the emotional health of the community as well. It is a service that people can use whether they used our services or not. It is for anyone with a need for more understanding.” “Grief is a pretty compelling set of emotions and it was something we felt was needed, giving people the opportunity to understand more about what they are going through,” adds David. “It is an educational role, not counselling. There’s always a demand and we get anywhere from five to twenty attendees each time.”
Sponsorship and Community
As part of their commitment to their community they host a Christmas Remembrance Service each December. This is open for anyone to attend, although their client families from that year get a personal invitation. Rosewood Funeral Home enjoys supporting various community groups including sponsoring the Wairarapa Bowling Association Rosewood Triples Tournament every November, Kokomai Arts Festival, Hospice Wairarapa Country Christmas and the Masterton ANZAC dawn service. David is President of Masterton Rotary Club and a member of the Masterton Golf Club while Lynette is a member of the Wairarapa Singers and Songbirds. The couple are both members of Masterton Baptist Church. They both enjoy their vegetable gardening, children and their growing number of grandchildren.
417 Queen Street, Masterton Phone 06 370 8088 www.rosewoodfuneralhome.co.nz