Thoughts of a funeral arranger

Donivon Esterhuizen does not have an ordinary job. He is a funeral arranging officer for Doves Randburg, in Strijdom Park. Esterhuizen arranges funerals and cremations, and registers deaths with the Department of Home Affairs.

Part of his work is arranging caterers, ministers and tomb stones. Why does he do this?

“It doesn’t matter who comes, the pain that people feel is the same,” Esterhuizen explains.

“There is so much to do [to organise a funeral] and people need help. This is where the process of healing starts. They need someone sympathetic, they need guidance and a dignified farewell.”

He says that he fulfills this role, and his reward comes when people say thank you.

According to Esterhuizen, every family is unique, bearing different cultures, religions and wishes of how the funeral must proceed.

Esterhuizen does his utmost to arrange the best funerals he can, and he says that the worst part of his job is when he fails.

“Once a family asked for 20 chairs and we only provided eight at the cemetery,” he confesses with a tone of regret.

The saddest part of his job, Esterhuizen says, is overseeing funerals of people who do not have families.

Once Esterhuizen arranged a funeral attended by only four people, including the minister. Doves Randburg has a Wall of Remembrance, where families can place the ashes of loved ones inside, and fit plaques against it. These can remain at the wall for several years. Esterhuizen is quite proud of the wall, and its power to bring healing.

Details: Doves Randburg 011 792 1404.