Our business is all about relationships. Our friendly team of fully trained staff share our drive to provide more than just an excellent level of funeral service. The long lasting connections and bonds we form with families and individuals is what provides the real satisfaction in the services we offer.

Our people know that they make a difference to those experiencing the loss of a loved one and going through the funeral journey. From taking care of the initial worries and confusion of what to do to get started, to helping with grief management and care for as long as needed after the funeral, the Morris & Morris team is committed to providing the warmest and most personal service.

Our Funeral Home is operated by a dedicated team of men and women who bring a broad range of experience and qualifications from many different backgrounds and areas of the community. We believe the relationships our staff create with our client families is key to the service we provide.

At Morris & Morris Funerals we have 3 qualified Funeral Directors and 4 qualified Embalmers and our client families can take comfort in the knowledge that these services are all provided within our company, and under the guidance of fully qualified staff and members of the New Zealand Embalmers Association.

Our staff bio's are there for you to learn a little about our people and the important role they play in our company.

Gary Taylor

General Manager, Qualified Embalmer, MBIE

I began my career in the funeral profession in 1982 in the UK for a large funeral company called Francis Chappell & Son in Orpington, Kent. Having completed my training programme after about two and a half years I was promoted to Assistant Manager of the head office branch of Francis Chappell & Son at Orpington. I have also worked for a number of other funeral directors, both large and small in the UK. In 2004 I moved to NZ with my Kiwi-born partner, Teresa, and her two children. I worked part time for Lloyd Morris, the owner and Managing Director of Morris & Morris Ltd, up until he sold the business in November 2006 to Davis Funeral Services Auckland. I was lucky enough to be asked to take on the General Manager's job by the Directors of Davis Funeral Services and continue to enjoy the challenges and rewards that the job brings.

Dale Edwardson

Registered Funeral Director, Nat Cert FD

After moving to Northland over 20 years ago from Dunedin, I have spent most of my time living in the Whangarei area.

My first full time job was working at the Whangarei Base Hospital as a medical nurse. During this time I met my wife Angie who now works for the local health care provider. We have two sons; Cole and Brandon. Over the summer period we spend most of our time camping at the local beaches. We value our family time and also spend a lot of time with our extended family.

I joined the Morris & Morris team in 2001 and have worked full time at Morris & Morris since then. I am a qualified Funeral Director and hold the National Certificate in Funeral Directing, issued by the NZQA. I also hold a practising certificate issued by the FDANZ (Funeral Directors Association of NZ) which is renewable every three years on production of evidence of my ongoing professional development.

Paul Harrison

Qualified Funeral Director, Dip. FD (UK)

I grew up in Wellsford and was educated in Auckland. I am married to Jacqueline and we have three, now adult, children who have all left home. My interests are family, genealogy, growing and showing roses, cricket and travel. I joined the funeral profession in 1990 after a career in banking and gained my Diploma in Funeral Directing from the UK in 1993. I still get immense satisfaction from my career and look forward to meeting and assisting families in a practical way during what can be the hardest times in their lives.

Lorraine Murnane

Funeral Director

Originally from Auckland but with family in Northland, I moved to Whangarei in January 2005. I am married with eight children; enjoy reading, music, baking, crosswords and spending time with my family. I spent five years as a volunteer with Auckland Central Victim Support and I'm 11 papers short of completing a law degree. Prior to joining the team at Morris & Morris in 2007, I spent 2 years with Bereavement Care Services at Middlemore Hospital. BCS is a private company contracted to Middlemore Hospital to manage all deaths in hospital. The funeral profession is a natural progression from my time at Middlemore.

Raewyn Bettison

Funeral Director

I moved to Whangarei over 20 years ago after growing up in Auckland and live on a lifestyle block on the outskirts of Whangarei with my husband. We have an adult son and two grandchildren, who we love to spend time with. We enjoy the lifestyle of Whangarei especially the many beaches which we enjoy as much as our busy lives allow. I joined Morris & Morris in 2007 after many years of thinking funeral directing would be an interesting career that I could enjoy and at the same time use my natural empathy to help families in their time of need. After four years practical experience I have commenced my Diploma of Funeral Directing and expect to be fully qualified by mid 2012. I find funeral directing a very rewarding profession, being able to assist families through one of the most stressful times they will encounter, and guiding them through the funeral process.

John Gwillim

Funeral Director

I was born in Auckland and have had a diverse career.I first trained as a Chef at the then Auckland Technical Institute in the late 70s. After 10 years in that profession and travelling overseas, I then trained as an Audio and Video Producer in Melbourne Australia. After returning to NZ, I worked for TVNZ as a news cameraman in Northland before working for the Ministry of Education in Wellington making audio and video programmes for schools. After moving back to Whangarei in 2002 with my wife Tanya and children Hannah and Jack, I started a small video production business and launched Channel North TV with other members of the local production community. During this time I also began video taping funeral services, which then led to me moving over to funeral directing and embalming in 2009. I feel very privileged to be able to help families at times of great loss and enjoy helping them celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

Ann Scott

Receptionist and Office Manager

Born in Whangarei, I completed my schooling in Hikurangi and Whangarei. I'm married to Bruce and we have three children and six grandchildren.

I enjoy being with my family, travelling, reading a good book, or enjoying a glass of wine. I joined Morris & Morris in 1990 as the receptionist and administrator. Over the years I have enjoyed the diverse nature of my work and the many people it brings me in contact with.

Tracey Kelly

Receptionist and Office Administrator

I was born in Dunedin and raised in Whangarei. I have spent several years in Papua New Guinea and Australia, which made me realise how lucky we are in New Zealand with all the natural beauty we have on our doorstep. Now I am raising my three children here and making the most of the local beaches and relaxed lifestyle. I joined the office team at Morris & Morris in 2008 and enjoy the people I come into contact with and being able to help them pay tribute to their loved ones.

Paul Tattersall

Qualified Embalmer, Dip.Emb, MNZEA

Born and educated in Whangarei, I began my career at Morris and Morris in February 2002 after having had an interest in the funeral profession for a number of years. At the time I was working in retail in Whangarei and was fortunate to be offered a fulltime position as a trainee Embalmer/Funeral Director. In the years that have followed I have trained in many aspects of the profession and now spend my time overseeing the smooth operation of the mortuary. I am a qualified Embalmer, hold the National Diploma in Embalming and a current practicing certificate issued by the New Zealand Embalmers Association.

Jerry Brittenden

Qualified Embalmer, MBIE, MNZEA

Born in Wellington in 1951 I entered the funeral profession in 1969 in my home town of Wellington. I later moved to Dargaville to work in a small family funeral business for a time. I then left the funeral profession to take up a job with an aerial topdressing company as a driver. I married Kay in 1980 and shifted to Whangarei and commenced work with Morris and Morris in 1982 as a Funeral Director and Embalmer. By 1994 I had completed my embalming qualifications with the British Institute of Embalmers. We have two children Leanne and Carl, four grandchildren and a dog named Elmo. Both Kay and I love to travel and thoroughly enjoyed our last tour through Europe and the UK. In my spare time I enjoy socializing with friends and a bit of gardening, but not too much!

Anthea Baxter

Qualified Embalmer, MBIE, MNZEA

I have been involved in the funeral profession since 1994, firstly working on a voluntary basis then becoming fully employed in 1996. I completed the embalming qualification in 1999 and have extensive experience in this field. I have trained and supervised numerous Embalmers both nationally and internationally. I moved to Whangarei with my daughter in 2009 to enjoy the lifestyle Northland has to offer. I still enjoy being able to help families by looking after their loved ones, and the trust they place in us means a lot...

Ann-Marie Lynch

Funeral Directors' Aassistant

Born and raised in Auckland, I have basically lived in Whangarei with my partner Michael since 2001. After leaving school I attended university for several years majoring in accounting and psychology. Part way through my studies I did apply for work in the funeral profession but was not successful at that time so carried on with other things. During that time my employment experience has been primarily as a caregiver in rest homes and in the accounts department of a law firm. About six years ago with the encouragement and support of Michael I decided to try again to gain a position in the funeral profession. From this I was fortunate enough to be offered work experience at Morris and Morris Funerals by Gary Taylor (manager). In 2010 I was lucky enough to gain a full-time position in a funeral home and then in April this year (2011) I was privileged to be offered a position as a funeral directors’ assistant at Morris and Morris Funerals. Aside from Michael I also live with our dog, Albert, and our two cats, Eyza and Benson (Ben for short).

Brian Ward

Groundsman/Caretaker

I started with the team at Morris and Morris in early 2006 after retiring from a background in Agriculture. My job here is varied and includes garden upkeep, building maintenance and the preparation of grave sites before services. I am married to Janet and we have three adult children and four grandchildren. In my leisure time I enjoy fishing and anything to do with the great outdoors.