Manning Funeral Cottage

27/11/2025

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS NOT A HAPPY TIME FOR ALL.

My cousin died six weeks ago and now there will be an empty setting at the dinner table. His death has prompted me to write this, not seeking sympathy for myself, but more to raise awareness that Christmas and other festive times are not necessarily happy ones for all.

Your neighbour may have experienced a recent bereavement, perhaps their family is living on the other side of the world, maybe they are having health issues or, for whatever reason, they are alone.

Think of ways as to how you could bring a smile to their face. Why not drop in a meal they can pop in the freezer, pick a few flowers from your garden or a couple of potted colour won’t set you back more than $3.00, drop a card in their mailbox,suggest you go for coffee or maybe drop in a muffin for them to enjoy.

Sometimes a visit is all that people need to make them feel better. Our time is free and in this crazy, busy world, sometimes we just need to stop and show we care. It would be wonderful if life was truly festive, but in reality it is not.

25/08/2024

Do you like my new signwriting?

I would really appreciate you sharing my post with your friends so that they know not all funeral directors are part of overseas corporations. It is not easy spreading the word of my work when I am working on my own, so any help is hugely appreciated.

23/08/2024

Today a family asked for my three fur-babies to attend a funeral as the deceased loved dogs, so was nice to have Vinnie, Ollie and Molly at St Aidan’s in Remuera under the watchful eye of a friend. The disappointment was evident on their faces when they were ushered away once the food appeared!

01/07/2024

Manning Funerals Newmarket was flooded in the floods of January 2023.

My contact details remain the same and I continue to care for families Auckland wide.

I am available 24 hours a day on 0272 234 797 should you require my assistance.

Please disregard a notice under the .co.nz site which states that I have closed down as I have not.

19/09/2021

Isn't this a tragedy, but rather a unique ending. In my role as a funeral director I have often had requests by families to be buried in a specific religious section. Wherever we go when we leave this world, I doubt there are sectioned off areas for various groups. We'll never know - until we arrive there!

The graves of a Catholic woman and her Protestant husband, who were not allowed to be buried together. On the Protestant part of this cemetery J.W.C van Gorcum, colonel of the Dutch Cavalry and militia commissioner in Limburg is buried. His wife, lady J.C.P.H van Aefferden is buried in the Catholic part. They were married in 1842, he was a protestant and didn’t belong to the nobility.

This caused quite a commotion in Roermond. After being married for 38 years the colonel died in 1880 and was buried on the protestant part of the cemetery against the wall. His wife died in 1888 and had decided not to be buried in the family tomb but on the other side of the wall, the closest she could get to her husband. Two clasped hands connect the graves across the wall.

25/08/2020

And now for something different at the other end of the spectrum.

25/08/2020

Whilst we all struggle daily with the way COVID impacts on our lives, a visit to the garden to see Mother Nature's work, cannot help but bring some sunshine - whether it be the spring flowers popping up, or the confused roses still blooming from summer.

25/08/2020

Funerals do not have to be extravagant affairs. This is a simple MDF casket in my quaint chapel decorated with flowers picked from my garden.

17/05/2020

I should have asked before, but for those who know me, or who have used my services in the past, please share my post regarding the Australian takeover of the NZ funeral industry. It is important that this message gets out so that people can make informed decisions on choosing "NZ Made". Thank you.

17/05/2020

AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES TAKE OVER THE NEW ZEALAND FUNERAL INDUSTRY

I am pleased to say that the Manning Funeral Cottage is 100% New Zealand owned, but the same cannot be said for the majority of large "family owned" businesses. These businesses range from the leafy suburbs of Remuera, to the bustling suburb of Mt Eden, out west to Henderson, north to Albany and south to Pukekohe. If grieving families knew these once "family owned" businesses were now owned by one of two Australian companies - InvoCare or Propel, would they change their mind about engaging their services? I certainly hope so - but these takeovers are well guarded secrets, allowing families to think it is still the same New Zealand owned company they have used for generations.

In this time of great uncertainty in New Zealand, when the call is being made to support "local", I ask families to carefully consider who should be taking care of their family member.

At the Manning Funeral Cottage, Martha-Louise operates her business caring for people as though they were her own family members, with dignity and respect.

"Over the past month, I have seen many caskets delivered to crematoria, a box totally devoid of anything. No casket has left my cottage without flowers from my garden on it. In the weeks of Level 4, families faced incredibly painful times not being able to see their family member or farewell them. As I delivered my caskets, smothered in flowers from my garden, I thought, how my approach differed from so many. I cared".

Please carefully consider your options when engaging a funeral home. Ask the important questions. If they are part of a large corporation, does this really allow for individual care, or does it come down to the bottom dollar and the profit being sent offshore?

If you would like to speak with Martha-Louise, please call her any time on 09 377 9790 (this will switch through to my mobile) or email her on mla@manningfunerals.net.nz.