Testimonials

Sarah joined State of Grace in October 2020 as a funeral director. She, with her natural leadership skills, was appointed General Manager in March 2026 She is leading the team forward ensuring our philosophies around family support continue. She is completing her diploma in Funeral directing. Prior to this Sarah worked for 12 years at Hospice as Registered Nurse. She has a great passion for working with families ensuring their loved ones get the best possible send off, she shows great empathy and kindness to everyone. She feels that working with families at this time is both a privilege and an honour. Sarah has attended extensive workshops on grief, and counselling, during her time as a Registered Nurse at Mercy Hospice. Sarah is married to Eyan. They have 4 children, who keep them constantly busy! Sarah immerses herself in the raw west coast as frequently as time allows, and enjoys yoga, gardening, cooking, hand crafts and a good book

Michelle joined us at State of Grace in March 2016. Her background was previously in Media and Marketing and although she was passionate about her role within this industry she felt a need for a change and a chance to use her life experience to help others. She had been to previous funerals that State of Grace had been involved in and loved the way we worked with the families and so put pen to paper to introduce herself to us – at just the right time. Michelle has compassion when working with families who are dealing with great loss. She steps in to assist them with deciding how they would like to honour and say goodbye to their loved one. She is authentic, compassionate, kind, intuitive, professional and positive. Michelle will go out of her way to help our families. Michelle feels that working so closely with families is a true honour and feels very fulfilled by this. Michelle is married to Tom and they have two grown children. Her son has a career in acting and her daughter has finished her degree and is now living overseas – she is very proud of them both!

Jackie joined State of Grace in 2023 and she has quickly become a key member of the team. After 16 years as a midwife, when Jackie thought about changing career she felt becoming a funeral director was the most natural transition for her.  Some told her these careers are polar opposites but it just seemed natural to Jackie that they flowed. She sees her work as similar, as in it is all part of life’s journey.  She believes being a funeral director suits her personality and it is important for her to be able to support families. Jackie has proved that her caring and kind nature makes her approachable.  She will listen with an empathetic ear so she can do as much as she can for grieving families, and always keeps in mind how they must be feeling at such a difficult time. Jackie’s number one idea of fun is spending time with her family.  She and husband Dave are ‘empty nesters’ and there are no grandbabies yet but she would like some.  She also enjoys travel and is an ace op-shopper.  She loves to browse and she has an eagle eye when it comes to a bargain.

Ellie always knew she wanted to be a funeral director and started her career in 2022. We are very fortunate to have her join State of Grace in April 2026. Her warmth, gentle and compassionate nature makes families feel safe and at ease. One of Ellies many attributes is ensuring families are well looked after during a challenging time, putting families first is of great importance to her. Ellie is environmentally aware which aligns nicely with our values. She is currently completing her diploma in Funeral Directing. In her down time, Ellie loves to go for walks, travel and she loves to bake which we are very excited about.

Wendy applied for the position of funeral assistant in 2021 and we are so glad she did. She is a happy, warm, practical and caring person and fits into our team so well. She lives locally to the Albany branch with her husband of 20 years – Darryl – and their two children – a boy and a girl. They have a small farm with cows, chickens, a dog, a cat and two budgies! They live an active family life enjoying travelling, hiking and biking. Wendy’s previous experience was in signwriting so this is a real change of direction for her. She is a keeper!

Sue joined our team in April 2015 – she is in charge of all of the administration, accounts, and also is a source of comfort for any families who pop by unexpectedly – a cup of tea and a sympathetic ear… Sue is a very kind, loving, empathetic, patient, creative, caring and trustworthy person with a wicked sense of humour and everyone loves her. She is modest but we can tell you that she is a very talented artist, and can turn her hand to any crafts. She is a mum to Steph and Ben and a loving nana of six. Sue and her husband – Kona – live in Mt Albert and are building a second home in Niue for their retirement.

Car Valet & Cleaner Ian joined State of Grace in Feb 2015 and works one day a week. Besides being diligent he has a great eye for detail and we can rely on him to keep our vehicles, office and grounds in tip top condition. Ian keeps busy with 2 other jobs – he is a support worker helping persons with a variety of disabilities to attain more independence in their lives. He also teaches English to ESOL students in an evening class & does private tutoring. These jobs really suit Ian as he is patient, kind, and very friendly. As well as keeping physically fit grooming our cars, Ian keeps in shape running and hiking and when time allows he enjoys mellowing out with a great book.