Funeral Directors

A funeral director is an individual or company that facilitates all stages of planning and conducting a funeral.

Also known as an undertaker, a funeral director acts on behalf of the family or agent of the deceased to arrange for the burial, cremation and in some cultures, embalming of the body, along with planning and carrying out the logistics of the funeral ceremony. A funeral director will have access to all aspects of carrying out the traditional rituals of a funeral such as a choice of caskets (coffins), cremation urns, a chapel or venue for the ceremony, floral tributes, printed tributes, a hearse and courtesy cars for family and guests if necessary. Additional services such as musicians, singers, audio visual tributes or decorative effects may also be arranged at the discretion of the deceased’s family or agent.

A funeral director will collect the body of the deceased once the appropriate medical and legal authorisation allows and transport it to a mortuary. Prior to the funeral, a funeral director will work with a mortician to prepare the body for burial. This often involves dressing the body in suitable garments and cosmetically enhancing any parts of the body that will remain on view for the duration of the funeral service.