Return to Sender Caskets (2025)

04/09/2025

🌊🏞 Tide, time, and the stillness of lakes… every life flows to its own rhythm. 🏞🌊
For those whose lives were shaped by wai ~ the waters of Aotearoa, from tidal shores to alpine lakes ~ we’re proud to showcase the Beachcomber Casket in five of New Zealand’s most breathtaking lakefront locations:

📍 Lake Matheson ~ mirror of memories
📍 Lake Tekapo ~ crystalline calm
📍 Lake Pūkaki ~ pure and expansive
📍 Lake Wakatipu ~ deep and mysterious
📍 Lake Wanaka ~ majestic and serene

🪵 With its soft, denim-like finish and rope handles that recall weathered jetties and sun-bleached driftwood, the Beachcomber has long offered a farewell that feels deeply personal for those drawn to the water’s edge ~ whether ocean, river or lake.

Crafted from sustainably sourced New Zealand pine, this casket reflects a gentle return to the whenua, honouring a life lived in harmony with nature ~ with 💚🖤💚 Aroha. Wairua. Whenua. Wai. The Beachcomber is more than a casket. It’s a tribute to those whose journeys began and ended by the water ~ peaceful, grounded, and entirely their own.

Return to Sender caskets offer more than a vessel ~ they offer a legacy. A deeply personal farewell, carried by the waters that shaped your story.

🕔 When the time comes, how would you like your story to meet the water?

💬 Share your memories below, or visit us to explore the Beachcomber Casket ~ farewells shaped by nature and love.

03/09/2025

🌊 Beachcomber Casket - For those who lived with salt in their hair and sand between their toes, the Beachcomber casket offers a calming, coastal-inspired farewell🌊

03/09/2025

⚰️🌲 🇳🇿 Our Archetype Caskets ~ In Pine & Silver Beech (Tawhai)⚰️🌲

Our caskets reflect a shift in how we think about parting, towards simplicity, integrity, and the quiet power of natural materials.

Each piece is handcrafted in Aotearoa using locally sourced timber and finished with care to highlight the unique grain and tone of the wood.

🇳🇿🌲 New Zealand Pine 🇳🇿🌲
Crafted from untreated, sustainably sourced New Zealand pine, this casket reinterprets the traditional form with clean lines, honest timber, and no unnecessary ornamentation. A light wax finish enhances its natural grain, making each one visually distinct. Families are invited to write messages directly onto the wood. Names, thoughts, farewells. A casket that becomes part of the story, not separate from it.

🇳🇿🌳 Silver Beech 🇳🇿 🌳
Our modern take on the traditional casket shape is also available in Southland Silver Beech. This locally sourced hardwood displays natural variation, from soft blush tones to rich, earthy browns. The distinctive grain ensures no two caskets are alike. A subtle wax polish brings out the timber’s quiet elegance. No fabric lining is needed, as the interior is a statement in its own right.

The gently curved rail handles on both styles are steam bent to follow the form. Beyond their elegance, they provide practical support for more than six pallbearers. A quiet innovation in both design and function.

📍 Designed and made in New Zealand
🌿 For those who value form, function, and meaning

03/09/2025

⚰️🌲 Our Casket Crafted from Pure New Zealand Pine ⚰️🌲

Our casket reflects a shift in how we think about parting, towards simplicity, integrity and the quiet power of natural materials.

Crafted in Aotearoa from untreated, locally sourced New Zealand pine, it reinterprets the traditional casket form with clean lines, honest timber and no unnecessary ornamentation. A light wax finish enhances the natural grain making each piece visually distinct.

The gently curved rail handles are steam bent to follow the form. Beyond their elegance they offer practical support for more than six pallbearers, a quiet innovation in both design and function.

There is no fabric lining. The interior stands as it is, unadorned but never unfinished.
Families are invited to write directly onto the wood. Names. Messages. Farewells. A casket that becomes part of the story, not separate from it.

📍 Designed and made in New Zealand
🌿 For those who value form, function and meaning

01/09/2025

🇫🇷 The French Oak Kowhai: A Natural Tribute with Timeless Elegance

Bonjour, Gidday, Kia ora, Hello, Salut!
❤️🤍💙 Every life leaves a unique mark. Every farewell deserves to reflect it ❤️🤍💙

Crafted from Solid New Zealand Pine and finished in a soft French Oak wash, the French Oak Kowhai casket offers a calm, natural elegance for a truly personal goodbye.

The grain of each casket tells its own quiet story. No two are the same, just like the people we love❣️

🖤 Accented with black detailing and available with optional solid pine handles, thumbscrews & a nameplate, this design brings together simplicity, strength & grace 🖤

Now available with a matching urn, the French Oak Kowhai Collection gives families the opportunity to create a beautiful, cohesive tribute that honours both presence and memory.

🌿 Thoughtfully made. Naturally New Zealand.

📥 Enquire with us to learn more or to view the full collection.
💬 What small detail made your loved one truly one of a kind? We’d love to hear what resonates with you.

01/09/2025

🌊⏳ Tide & time wait for no one... but you can choose how your story meets the tide 🌊🕔For those whose lives were shaped by the rhythm of the sea, from the calm of the shore to the strength of the open ocean, the Beachcomber & Tasman caskets offer coastal farewells that feel deeply personal & profoundly fitting.
🌊 The Beachcomber honours your connection to the ocean, with its soft denim-like finish echoing sun-bleached driftwood & rustic rope handles recalling weathered jetties & quiet beach walks. The Tasman complements this with a unique coastal-inspired design, providing meaningful options for those who lived with salt in their hair & sand at their doorstep.
Crafted from sustainably sourced New Zealand pine, these caskets offer thoughtful farewells shaped by nature & love, allowing your final journey to flow gently back to the earth.
When the time comes, choosing a farewell that reflects your story & connection to the sea is a deeply personal way to honour a life lived fully.
🕔 How would you like your story to meet the tide? 🌊
Share your thoughts below or visit us to explore the Beachcomber & Tasman caskets ~ farewells shaped by nature & love 💚🖤💚.

31/08/2025

🌊⏳ Tide & time wait for no one... but you can choose how your story meets the tide 🌊🕔For those whose lives were shaped by the rhythm of the sea, from the calm of the shore to the strength of the open ocean, the Beachcomber & Tasman caskets offer coastal farewells that feel deeply personal & profoundly fitting.
🌊 The Beachcomber honours your connection to the ocean, with its soft denim-like finish echoing sun-bleached driftwood & rustic rope handles recalling weathered jetties & quiet beach walks. The Tasman complements this with a unique coastal-inspired design, providing meaningful options for those who lived with salt in their hair & sand at their doorstep.
Crafted from sustainably sourced New Zealand pine, these caskets offer thoughtful farewells shaped by nature & love, allowing your final journey to flow gently back to the earth.
When the time comes, choosing a farewell that reflects your story & connection to the sea is a deeply personal way to honour a life lived fully.
🕔 How would you like your story to meet the tide? 🌊
Share your thoughts below or visit us to explore the Beachcomber & Tasman caskets ~ farewells shaped by nature & love 💚🖤💚.

27/08/2025

🌿 A Final Melody, A Living Legacy 🎻

On 18 May 1912, the town of Colne, Lancashire came to a standstill. Shops closed. Nearly 40,000 people lined the streets. Not for royalty. Not for returning soldiers. But for a musician.

Wallace Hartley, bandleader aboard the Titanic, became known not just for what he played but when he played. As the great ship tilted into the freezing Atlantic, Hartley and his fellow musicians stood calmly and played. They offered comfort through music while lifeboats were lowered and panic swept the decks.
Their final song? Survivors remembered “Nearer, My God, to Thee”, a hymn, a prayer, a farewell. 🎶
When Hartley’s body was recovered by the crew of the Mackay-Bennett, a violin case was still strapped to him. Inside was his beloved instrument, a gift from his fiancée, Maria Robinson, engraved with words of love. Though water-damaged, it endured. A powerful symbol of grace, courage and composure in the face of disaster.

His funeral drew more people than the town had ever seen. Not because he was famous, but because he was brave. 🕊️

At Return to Sender, we believe the way we say goodbye matters. Our caskets are crafted with that same spirit of dignity and care. We use sustainably sourced timber, natural finishes and thoughtful design to create something gentle on the earth. 🌏

For every casket marked with our Trees for Survival emblem, a native tree is planted in memory of the one who has passed. 🌱

🌿 Our Voyage Casket contains no metal components and is the perfect choice for natural burials. Crafted from untreated, solid pine timber, it reflects simplicity and respect.

Why this story speaks to us:
Like Wallace Hartley’s violin, our caskets are vessels of love.
They are natural, meaningful and made with intention.
Just as that violin travelled home to tell a story of courage, every Return to Sender casket becomes a symbol. Of peace. Of honour. Of legacy.
Return to Sender
Crafting meaningful farewells. Creating living legacies.
🌿 www.returntosender.co.nz

27/08/2025

🌳 Ever seen a gravestone like this? It’s not your usual weeping willow...

Instead of the classic willow tree that symbolises mourning, this early 1800s headstone in Hampden, Massachusetts shows a tree that’s been cut down. It’s a striking and emotional symbol of a life cut short. The stone marks the resting place of Jonathan Chaffe, who died in 1818.

We love how gravestone art tells stories. It’s not just through words, but through powerful symbols like this one. Every detail carved into the stone speaks of grief, memory, and the reality of mortality.

No one knows exactly who carved it. Some believe the carver may have come from nearby Longmeadow, but nothing’s confirmed. What is clear is that they left behind something unforgettable.

At Return to Sender, we’re inspired by the long history of death care and the many ways people have honoured life over time. It’s a reminder that how we say goodbye matters, not just now, but for those who come after us.

We also believe symbols carry deep meaning and help us honour life and memory. That’s why we’ve created a collection of handcrafted ornaments, including native ferns, Celtic crosses and nature-inspired crosses. Each piece is designed to hold special significance in your own space or ceremony.

Explore our range here: https://www.returntosender.co.nz/category/mattresses-accessories/ornaments/crosses
and find a meaningful symbol to remember and celebrate the lives that matter 💚🖤💚

What’s the most moving gravestone or symbol you’ve seen? We’d love to hear your story 👇

26/08/2025

🕊 Return to Sender Caskets | Stories That Rest in Peace 🕊

Some love stories do not end with death, they transcend it.

In July of 1921, Thomas Jefferson Souder and his wife Mary Ellen East Souder passed away just two days apart in Hurst, Texas. Married for nearly 60 years, the couple had built their life on pioneer soil, raising a family and helping shape the early fabric of Tarrant County.

Grief-stricken and unable to go on without his beloved, Thomas died 48 hours after Mary. Their children, honoring a lifetime of devotion, commissioned a custom double casket, a rare and deeply symbolic gesture of enduring partnership. The couple was laid to rest side by side, just as they had lived.

The image of their shared casket made the front page of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, drawing thousands to pay their respects. A century later, the photograph still circulates as a powerful testament to love, mortality, and human connection.

At Return to Sender Caskets, we reflect on these stories not just as history, but as reminders of why we do what we do. The vessel we are buried in should speak to the life we've lived, and the relationships that shaped it.

📚 A final resting place can also be a lasting tribute.
We believe every story deserves that level of care 💚🖤💚

26/08/2025

📰 Article of Interest: A Life Remembered Through Play ~ The Monopoly Headstone of Kerry Shane Sheckles 🎲

In Sullivan, Indiana, a uniquely crafted headstone stands quietly in a cemetery. It is not a solemn marker, but rather a vibrant celebration of life. Designed in the form of a classic Monopoly board, this memorial honours Kerry Shane Sheckles (11.09.1973 to 04.02.2005), an avid Monopoly enthusiast affectionately known as “The Candy Kid” – a nickname given by his grandparents, G’ma and G’pa McCracken.

Instead of traditional inscriptions, the headstone creatively replaces property spaces with meaningful references from Sheckles’s life: places he loved, personal experiences, and even the cars and bikes he once owned. It is a moving example of how memorial design can evolve from static tradition into dynamic storytelling, blending nostalgia, personality, and artistry.

At Return to Sender Caskets, we believe that a meaningful farewell should reflect the individual, not just the ritual. This headstone serves as a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to honouring a life. Creativity can be an extraordinary form of remembrance.

📍 Located in Sullivan, Indiana
📸 Photo Credit: Nicole Wall

🔍 Kia ora, Aotearoa ~ if your life were mapped out like the NZ Monopoly board, which street, town, or whenua would appear in your story?
Would it be Kaikōura Station, Ōamaru, Thames Street, or somewhere only your whānau would understand?
We’d love to hear in the comments.👇

26/08/2025

🌊⏳ Tide & time wait for no one... but you can choose how your story meets the tide 🌊🕔
For those whose lives were shaped by the rhythm of the sea, from the calm of the shore to the strength of the open ocean, the Beachcomber & Tasman caskets offer coastal farewells that feel deeply personal & profoundly fitting.
🌊 The Beachcomber honours your connection to the ocean, with its soft denim-like finish echoing sun-bleached driftwood & rustic rope handles recalling weathered jetties & quiet beach walks. The Tasman complements this with a unique coastal-inspired design, providing meaningful options for those who lived with salt in their hair & sand at their doorstep.
Crafted from sustainably sourced New Zealand pine, these caskets offer thoughtful farewells shaped by nature & love, allowing your final journey to flow gently back to the earth.
When the time comes, choosing a farewell that reflects your story & connection to the sea is a deeply personal way to honour a life lived fully.
🕔 How would you like your story to meet the tide? 🌊
Share your thoughts below or visit us to explore the Beachcomber & Tasman caskets ~ farewells shaped by nature & love 💚🖤💚.

Monday	07:30 - 16:00
Tuesday	07:30 - 16:00
Wednesday	07:30 - 16:00
Thursday	07:30 - 16:00
Friday	07:30 - 16:00

Return to Sender Caskets

04/09/2025

03/09/2025

03/09/2025

03/09/2025

01/09/2025

01/09/2025

31/08/2025

27/08/2025

27/08/2025

26/08/2025

26/08/2025

26/08/2025

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