Celebrant, Reyad Hage
Reyad Hage is an experienced funeral director, funeral care provider, and funeral celebrant with over 16 years of experience in the industry. He has dedicated his career to helping families navigate the difficult process of saying goodbye to their loved ones with dignity, compassion, and respect.
Reyad’s passion for funeral service began when he was asked to help a friend who owned a funeral home. From that moment on, he knew that he wanted to dedicate his life to helping others in their time of need.
Throughout his career, Reyad has worked with families from all walks of life and has gained a reputation for his caring and empathetic approach to funeral service. He is skilled in all aspects of funeral care, from preparing and presenting the deceased to guiding families through the planning process and ensuring that every detail is taken care of.
As a funeral celebrant, Reyad has a deep respect for the diverse cultures, religions, and traditions of the families he serves. He is able to create meaningful and personalised funeral services that honour the life and legacy of the deceased and provide comfort and closure to the bereaved.
Reyad is committed to continuing his education and staying up to date on the latest developments in funeral service. He attends industry conferences and seminars regularly to expand his knowledge and skills.
In his personal life, Reyad enjoys spending time with his family and giving back to his community. He volunteers with several local organisation and is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of those around him.
Reyad’s years of experience, dedication, and compassion make him an outstanding funeral professional who is committed to providing exceptional service to every family he serves.
Celebrant, Tammy Bowdern
Welcome to my profile. My name is Tammy Bowdern, and I have worked in the Funeral Industry as a Funeral Director, and a Funeral Celebrant for 24 years.
I have always been interested with the traditions of our very multicultural country and have been fascinated with cemeteries from an early age. To me, they tell a story, and I find them to be a place of peace.
I have a strong connection to country through my Indigenous bloodline. My Great Grandfather was from Bundjalung country and in my spare time I am an Indigenous artist.
When I meet with you and your family, please know that I take that responsibility very seriously. I am there to listen, to help you facilitate the farewell of your precious family member, or a very close friend. I will listen to how you wish to say farewell, guide you through the process, share ideas and represent you and your loved one on the day you say goodbye. There are so many ways to say farewell. I have been known to wear an opposing football teams colours, that are different to mine, on the day, because it is all about you, your loved one and your family.
I will always represent you with respect, compassion and honour.
Celebrant, Peter McCarthy
My name is Peter McCarthy. Brisbane born & bred, I am the 4th of 5 children.
After 20 years in Ministry & Pastoral Care, I felt called to specialize in the area of loss & grief, primarily as a Funeral Celebrant from 2011. I don’t consider what I do as a ‘job’ or ‘work’, but rather as ‘ministry’. It is a real privilege to be with families at such a significant & life-changing time in their lives. To sit with them around their kitchen table & hear stories of their loved ones, is a privilege I never take for granted. I bring my skillset & extensive experience to that table which is invaluable especially when a loved one’s death is sudden, unexpected or particularly traumatic e.g. suicide, misadventure, motor vehicle crash, etc.
Everyone has a story, & one of my tasks is to hear the story of a family’s loved one, & to empower the family to tell that story authentically & creatively. I make suggestions & give options to families & encourage them to think outside the square so that the celebration of their loved one’s life is fitting & appropriate, & at the same time helpful in the grieving process.
Celebrant, Rebecca Kesby
Rebecca Kesby is a compassionate and experienced funeral celebrant with 10 years’ experience in the Funeral Industry who provides personalised, thoughtful ceremonies that honour the life and legacy of your loved one. With a deep understanding of the importance of creating a meaningful farewell, Rebecca takes the time to listen to your stories, values, and wishes, crafting a ceremony that reflects the unique essence of the individual. Whether you seek a traditional service, or something in between, Rebecca’s gentle guidance and warmth ensure that every detail is handled with care and respect.
Rebecca is committed to supporting families through their
grief journey, offering comfort and a sense of peace during such a challenging time. Her professional yet empathetic approach makes her an ideal partner in planning a heartfelt tribute, allowing you to focus on remembrance and connection.
With Rebecca Kesby as your Funeral Celebrant, you can trust that the ceremony will be a meaningful reflection of love, memory, and life well-lived.
Testimonials
“Rebecca was recommended to us to officiate at our Dad’s funeral. We never regretted choosing her. She was extremely helpful to us and ensured dad had the service he wanted. I cannot recommend her services highly enough. She is professional, articulate and empathetic to what is quite an emotional time”.
I have worked in the Funeral industry since 2000 and have served many families in their time of need in Brisbane Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast and surrounds…
Saying farewell to our loved ones is perhaps the most important event in life in regard to family coming together and paying their respects. We only have one opportunity to say farewell and do it well.
Listening and communicating has always been one of my strengths, and I have the ability to build strong connections and relationships with people. I have had extensive experience and understanding of Indigenous and cultural events and will always ensure services are conducted in accordance with traditions, customs and rituals.
If you are planning a funeral, memorial service or giving a loved one their final farewell, I can, in conjunction with the funeral director, guide you, support you and deliver a service befitting the occasion.
When it comes to those special needs at the time of the most important moments in life, talk to me… I will dedicate my time, expertise and guidance to provide you with an event to remember.
Testimonials
Dear Rod
I would like to thank you for your presentation and help for Bill’s funeral. I appreciated the way in which you stood back and let the boys pour out their emotions, and in doing so it helped me.
It was special to see his boys and grandsons carrying his coffin to the car and be driven off.
Knowing that there are sad times ahead for me for awhile, I am grateful that I have family and good friends around me. Thank you for all that you have done.
Sincerely
Helen and family
Rod,
On behalf of Ben, Aidan and myself, I wish to convey our deepest gratitude for the way you conducted her service today.
You treated Lucy with so much dignity and respect.
I will always be grateful for your efforts today, the days already past and the days ahead.
May you truly be blessed.
Thank you again.
Regards
Murry McCormick
Celebrant, Sue Davies
I have been a minister with the Salvos since 1995. Along with my husband, Bryce, I have worked in a range of areas including overseeing church congregations, drug and alcohol rehabilitation work and supporting people who are homeless. After 26 years, I took early retirement in 2021 but wanted to continue caring for people, so I established my own funeral celebrant business. Since then, I have had the honour of conducting many services in the Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast areas.
As a dedicated funeral celebrant, I understand the profound significance of saying goodbye to those we love. It is my privilege, and honour, to support families during their most difficult moments, providing a guiding hand in arranging and conducting heartfelt services that reflect the unique lives and legacies of those who have passed on.
I truly love what I do and never underestimate what an honour it is to journey with families. With a deep respect for individual beliefs and traditions, I work closely with families to create meaningful ceremonies that truly celebrate the life of their loved ones. Each service is crafted with love, care and sensitivity, ensuring that it becomes a genuine reflection of the person being remembered.
Together, let us commemorate and cherish the memories of those dear to us in a manner that is both heartfelt and memorable.
Testimonials
Sue, just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful and gentle service yesterday. So many people said how lovely you spoke and I just wanted you to know. You will always be remembered, when we look back over the years, as the wonderful lady that helped us in such a sad time. It will stay in my heart that’s for sure. Thanks again! My children thought your voice was, as they put it, “very soothing” …
A big thank you, Sue, on behalf of my family today. You “got it” just right. A sad day for us but we finish it with smiles, laughs and good memories as it should be.
Thank you for composing a perfect service for Mum. I volunteer in palliative and aged care so go to a number of funerals and very few are as well constructed and delivered as the one you conducted for my Mum so thank you.
Celebrant, Pamela McDonald
My name is Pamela McDonald, and I’m originally from Scotland but have been lucky enough to call Queensland home now for over 27 years.
My career for the last 40 years was as a Registered Nurse specialising in Emergency, Aged Care and Palliative Care.
In 2015, I became a Funeral Celebrant, and since then, I have had the privilege of helping many families in the Brisbane areas, as well as the Sunshine and Gold Coast.
My vast nursing experience has assisted me in my role as a Funeral Celebrant as it has given me the ability to connect and build strong relationships with people, along with the insightfulness, compassion and sincerity required to help families during such a difficult time.
I am instinctively respectful and grateful for the stories and wisdom that people have to share, and my wish for the families I support is to honour, celebrate and show gratitude for their loved ones’ life.
During our conversations, I encourage families to share those insights, as this enables me to create a farewell that reflects and befits your loved one.
I am also available for non-ceremonial or private memorial services.
Celebrant, Anna Heriot
Anna will listen carefully and work with you to create an occasion to celebrate the unique journey of your special someone, personally guiding you through the process to create the ceremony that is right for you.
Her Background and Process
From the traditional rituals of her country childhood, to travel, study and work with many different cultures, Anna skillfully blends traditions with modern life to honour your beloved one. She meets with you, family and friends, to hear what you want and respond with reflections, information and insights that assist you. You and all who grieve with you, can know you have done them proud, honoured their life with all the ups and downs of their living, and sent them on their way well.
When Planning Your Own Funeral
Anna will meet you to create the ceremony together, perhaps including family and friends, and then conduct the ceremony. You can be confident you are ‘leaving the place tidy’, sharing your life stories, and leaving special messages, passing on something of the wisdom of the mysteries of living and dying to comfort those who are left behind and those who are next in line.
If There Is To Be No Formal Funeral
Should your loved one direct that there shall be no funeral, for whatever reason, you can meet with Anna to design and deliver a memorial gathering in a place and at a time that suits you. It may be an anniversary, or the scattering of the ashes in a special place. You can include your children and grandchildren, family and friends, thereby honouring your loved one in your own way and comforting each other as you come to terms with the world without them.
Testimonials
“Anna has a presence that is both calming and guiding. Although we had a firm belief of how we wanted to celebrate Mum’s life, Anna had considerations and suggestions that both complemented and completed the day. Anna made sure that Mum, her family, and friends were not just part of a process.”
“It helped me enormously to be able to focus on Anna and her clear voice and to really listen to the words. I already knew what to expect, and that was calming. Everyone said how well she did and how meaningful it was – just the right amount of ceremony and light-heartedness.”
Anna turned up and made it happen. We needed a leader at that stage and she was the leader. We very much needed a leader, a coordinator to pull it all together. It was healing. A sense of completion brought everything together.”
For assistance in choosing a Funeral Celebrant please call the Swanborough team on 1800 100 411.
You can contact us anytime of the day or night on 1800 100 411
We are looking forward to seeing you.
Our offices are located at:
10/59 Eastern Road,
Browns Plains QLD 4118
