At Gentle Touch Funeral Services, we offer families full access to our modern, well-equipped facilities. Our intimate chapel, which accommodates up to 35 guests, features comfortable seating, state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, and live-streaming services for those unable to attend in person. We provide both a spacious private viewing room and a more intimate viewing room, along with a dedicated casket display room. We also provide catering services, following the service, ensuring that families have everything they need during this important time.
As a family-owned, locally-operated funeral provider with over 20 years of experience, we take great pride in serving our community. We are the only Hastings-based company with an on-site qualified embalmer, funeral director, and registered celebrant, ensuring the highest level of professionalism and care. We are proud members of Celebrants New Zealand and the New Zealand Embalmers Association. Both of which require us to adhere to a strict code of ethics and engage in ongoing training to stay up-to-date with modern practices. At Gentle Touch Funeral Services, we offer a range of services, including direct cremations, private family services, and full family services. We also make pre-planning and pre-paying easy and convenient, with options to make arrangements at our funeral home, in the comfort of your own home, or online.
.
In 2006, I was given the opportunity to join Gentle Touch Funeral Services. Since then, the company has grown to provide the Hastings area with a funeral home that upholds the highest standards of service, offering truly personalised care to every family we serve. Having lived here my entire life, I deeply appreciate the community I am proud to call home. It is both humbling and rewarding to help families through some of the most difficult times of their lives, and this experience continually reminds me of the importance of life itself.
I am passionate about offering the same level of care and support to families that I would expect if I were in their situation. I believe every individual is unique, and our services reflect that commitment to personal care.
Outside of work, my wife and I enjoy going on new adventures together. We are also fortunate to have a beautiful daughter and two granddaughters who live nearby, and we treasure the time we spend creating lasting memories with them. In addition to family and exploration, I thoroughly enjoy a round of golf at one of our gorgeous local courses.
Above all, I am committed to honesty and treating others with the same respect and kindness I would want for myself. This philosophy extends to my role as a funeral director, where I have dedicated over 15 years to helping families in their time of need. I believe it is vital to care for a person’s loved one with dignity and compassion, as though they were one of my own.
I relocated from sunny Nelson to the beautiful Hawke's Bay five years ago, where my husband and I have made East Clive our home, along with our two energetic and wonderful children.
Before settling into family life, I spent nearly nine years as a trainer for Air New Zealand, where I worked with flight attendants from all walks of life. I loved connecting with people, hearing their stories, and, of course, traveling. However, after stepping away from my flying career to focus on motherhood, I quickly realized that I missed interacting with others. This led me to pursue my passion for event planning and catering, and nine years ago, I became a registered New Zealand Celebrant.
With over 15 years of experience in public speaking, my true calling lies in working with people and supporting their well-being. Today, I focus my energy on being a celebrant and director for weddings and funeral services, where I have the honour of helping families create meaningful, personalised ceremonies. I take pride in listening carefully to each family’s needs and crafting services that truly reflect the personality and wishes of their loved ones. Being able to offer comfort and ease during such a challenging time is deeply fulfilling, and I am truly grateful to play a role in celebrating life and honouring the memories of those we hold dear.
I am surrounded by my loving family situated in a semi-rural setting here in Hawkes Bay. I enjoy the outdoors, gardening, and flower arranging. I was educated at Puketapu School and Hukarere Maori Girls College. I then studied and graduated with a Diploma in Travel & Tourism which enabled me to join the Airline industry. I was able to travel around the world, meeting all walks of life and a lot of fabulous people along the way. I am very down-to-earth, approachable, and easy to talk to. I am humbled to be able to help people through one of the most difficult times of their lives and to be a part of the great team here at Gentle Touch Funerals.
Kia Ora, my name is Brooke. I am the friendly face who will greet you as you come through the door. I have a creative flair and passion for uniqueness, which I implement into my work. I have deep empathy for families going through the toughest times and am honoured to be able to support them. In my downtime, I am a loving partner and mother to two crazy beautiful twins. We enjoy the simple things in life and spending time together adventuring the Bay. I am honoured to work alongside the Gentle Touch team, who share my passion for giving our loved ones the celebration of life they deserve.
We are here to help you 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
