Arranging a Funeral
Arranging a Funeral
No matter how big or small the farewell, we can make it happen
A range of different options to suit every families' needs. From photo tributes, to outdoor services, or something as simple as direct cremations, we will assist every step of the way.
Burial or Cremation
During your first contact with our company, our funeral director will ask you whether the person who has died wished to be buried or cremated. The choice – burial or cremation – determines which kind of medical certificate we are legally required to obtain.
Burial
Harvey Bowler arranges all the details for the final resting place. Burials can be arranged in most cemeteries either in existing graves or in new plots. We provide a grave marker in the form of a wooden cross when a new plot is purchased. Cemeteries will generally allow two interments in the same plot, so you may wish to decide on single or double depth as part of the funeral arrangements.
Cremation
In New Zealand cremation is now a widely accepted alternative to burial. Harvey Bowler attends to all the requirements for cremation at our own onsite Crematorium, known as Horowhenua Crematorium.
Our funeral director will assist you in discussing the next steps in relation to the ashes. There are a number of options as they can be scattered, interred in a range of locations, or divided into portions and placed in urns. We can assist in sending ashes to other destinations in New Zealand and overseas.
You may have noticed the wording ‘followed by private cremation’ in funeral notices. This refers to the time when the hearse moves off from the funeral service accompanied by either the funeral director only, or invited family and friends. The choice of whether you wish to travel to the crematorium is always up to you; however in New Zealand it is not generally possible to watch a cremation.
Caskets and Urns
Your funeral director will assist you when choosing a casket from our selection. Families may view our selection of caskets in person at our main office in Levin.
We provide a variety of caskets including solid timber or particleboard/MDF. There are many options when considering the finish of the caskets, such as: solid rimu, macrocarpa, mahogany, or pine, rosewood finish, or veneers. Caskets have either a flat or a raised lid, and can also be painted in any colour you choose.
As part of the process of planning a cremation with you, your funeral director will discuss the options available for keeping, scattering interring cremated remains (commonly referred to as ashes). Attendance of family and friends at the interment of ashes is welcomed and encouraged. We can also assist with the scattering of ashes or the transportation of them to other places.
Our urns are similar to the casket range and can be made of solid wood or painted. Alternatively you may choose from our selection of scatter tubes or cremation jewellery.
Service Venue
Where the funeral service is held is an important aspect of funeral planning.
You may choose to use one of our chapels in Levin or Shannon, or if the person who has died was a member of a religious denomination, often the service is held in their local church.
A funeral service can also be held in the family home or any other setting that has significance for the person who has died and their family.
When arranging a large funeral, families sometimes choose another venue appropriate to the large number of people likely to attend.
A catering lounge for a ‘cup of tea’ is also seen as an important feature when selecting a venue. A funeral director will be happy to discuss suitable options for you to consider.
Floral Tributes & Casket Sprays
We can arrange any flowers you would like ie. casket spray, natural spray, vegetable spray, posy bowl.
Our flowers are supplied by local florists in Levin. If you have a preferred florist, flower type, or colour, please advise us when making arrangements. One of our directors, Liz, is a member of New Zealand professional florists and can assist you with your requests.
Death & Acknowledgement Newspaper Notices
We can assist you with putting together a newspaper notice for the loss of a loved one. We also can help with Acknowledgement and Memorial notices in the weeks and years afterwards.
Notices can be submitted to any newspaper in New Zealand. Our local newspapers usually include the Horowhenua Chronicle, Dominion Post, and Manawatu Standard.
Music, Visual Tributes & Livestreaming
If you have certain pieces of music you would like played at your farewell, we can download and organise for this to be played in certain areas of the service.
We also create our own photo tributes, which is a great way of remembering those photographic memories that may be sitting in boxes at home.
We have portable speaker systems, projectors and screens that we use for any off site locations.
If you would like your farewell recorded, we have professional videographers that can assist us in creating a recorded memory for you. If you are holding your farewell in one of our Chapels, this is included in the One Room live streaming service that we offer. This service provides the option for those with internet access to watch the funeral service live. This One Room recording is also available to view for 3 months after the service.
Memorial Books
We can provide a memorial book for your service for people to sign their attendance. This book is a great keepsake with images, newspaper notices, and funeral details alongside those names of people who attended the farewell.
We have a selection of different hard covers to choose from that range from farm landscape to flowers and beach scenes