Gateway Funeral Services

23/07/2026

When the cost of a burial continues to rise, it's families who feel the impact most.

RNZ has highlighted growing concerns about increasing burial costs in Tauranga, echoing what many funeral directors across New Zealand are feeling.

The recent Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand member survey found that many funeral directors are seeing council fees rise significantly, making it harder for families to afford a dignified farewell at one of the most difficult times in their lives.

This is about starting an important conversation on how we can ensure every New Zealander has access to affordable, dignified burial and cremation services.

Thank you to RNZ for covering this important issue.

Burial costs in Tauranga have skyrocketed "disproportionately high", with industry leaders saying it is forcing families into difficult choices.

17/07/2026

Why planning ahead is the greatest gift you can leave your family. 🤍

In a moving piece for The Guardian, journalist Stephanie Wood shares the reality of spending 12 days at her father's bedside during his final days.

While the experience was heartbreaking, she highlights one immense comfort: her father had an advanced care plan and preplanned his funeral years prior.

Because he made his wishes clear, his family didn't have to argue over medical decisions or guess what he would have wanted. They could simply focus on being there for him, holding his hand, and surrounding him with love.

Sadly, a recent study shows that less than 20% of New Zealander have done any form of advance planning, and even fewer have legally documented it. Without a plan, families are often left making agonising choices during an already stressful time.

At Gateway Funeral Services, we believe that talking about the end of life isn't about giving up - it's about ensuring your wishes are respected and protecting the people you love from difficult guesswork.

Take a moment to read Stephanie’s powerful reflection, and let it be the start of an important conversation with your own family.

📖 Read the full article here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jul/17/twelve-days-nursing-my-father-in-the-dying-room-taught-me-the-value-of-planning-for-death

Dying is difficult, a nurse told me. It might have been even more appalling had Dad not been clear about his wishes. Yet most of us remain deeply reluctant to outline how we want the end to go

14/07/2026

We take pride in helping our clients through difficult times.

As a testament to our excellence, we received this testimonial from Bill "Amber, thank you and team for your outstanding service and support farewelling Dad. You made sure everything ran as planned, no fuss and a great celebration of Dad. You are a star!
Best regards"

If you would like to leave your own review for us - we love hearing from you: https://tinyurl.com/3kaekbtm

10/07/2026

✨ Mānawatia a Matariki | Celebrating Matariki ✨

As the Matariki cluster rises, it brings a time for us to pause, reflect, and remember. In Māori tradition, this is the time we look to the stars and honor the kāhui whetū - the loved ones we have lost over the past year.

To all the families we have walked alongside this year, and to everyone in our community missing someone special, we remember them with you. May their light continue to shine brightly in your hearts.

As you gather with whānau to share food, stories, and memories, we wish you a peaceful and connected Matariki.

“Kua whetūrangitia koe” — You have now become a star. 🌟

🤍 From our family to yours, we wish you a blessed new year.

08/07/2026

"A funeral isn’t really for the person who has died."

It’s a generous instinct to want to "avoid being a burden" or skip a ceremony entirely. But a funeral is truly for the people left behind. It is how our loved ones find a way to stand together, remember properly, and say goodbye out loud.

When you set things up in advance with our Now For Them prepayment plan, you give your family exactly what they need: a moment that’s already taken care of, so they can focus entirely on supporting each other.

Reach out to Gateway Funeral Services to learn more www.gatewayfuneral.co.nz/planning/

06/07/2026

Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about our own funeral. But taking just an hour to sort it out now is one of the kindest things you can do for the people you love.

We are proud to introduce Now For Them - a funeral prepayment plan run established by the Funeral Directors Association. It allows you to set up an account in your name and contribute money towards your funeral costs, giving your family complete peace of mind.

Get in touch with the team at Gateway Funeral Services today to see how easy it is to take care of tomorrow, today: www.gatewayfuneral.co.nz



https://vimeo.com/1199240945?fl=pl&fe=sh

This is "Now For Them - FDANZ" by Funeral Directors Association on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

10/06/2026

As you may have seen in the news recently, the Whakatāne Crematorium is undergoing an important environmental upgrade and will be closed for the next five weeks.

While this temporary closure means a few logisitical changes for our Eastern Bay families, the team at Gateway Funeral Services is fully prepared and here to guide you through.

Our funeral directors have been working hard behind the scenes to minimise the impact on families during this time:

🔹 Keeping Costs Fair: We are using the Rotorua facility as our primary option to keep cremation fees as close to local prices as possible. We are doing everything we can to mitigate extra travel expenses for you.

🔹 Managing the Details: Because booking slots in Rotorua will be busier, we are taking care of all the scheduling and paperwork to ensure a smooth, stress-free process.

🔹 Returning Your Loved Ones: We will coordinate the safe, respectful return of ashes back to the Eastern Bay so you don’t have to worry about the travel.

This upgrade will bring wonderful long-term environmental benefits to our community, and we appreciate your patience during the short-term transition.

If you have any questions or need to speak with us, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here for you, 24/7. 🤍

📞 073086102
🌐 www.gatewayfuneral.co.nz

https://www.easternbayapp.co.nz/news/articles/6a28cf993325f10001e73523

24/04/2026

For the fallen, for the brave, and for the families who waited at home. We remember them.

Lest we forget.

23/04/2026

There is no better feeling than knowing we’ve made a difference. Stories like this are exactly why we are so passionate about serving our community.

"We are so grateful for your kindness and guidance during this time.
The options you made available, made such a huge difference in being able to say goodbye to my dad with a mix of both cultures. The last night being the most healing for me personally, I appreciate everything you and your team have done.
Forever grateful."

22/04/2026

Music can carry a memory like nothing else. What song will always remind you of someone special?

We have created a little Spotify playlist to help with choosing a funeral song. It’s not just about what song or songs fit a situation, but it’s about a fitting song that means something to you or your loved one.

Check it out here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3E7IBxrhbLUazMzuHbJKpq?si=sfUiGoyWQ2SxoCv-kxa7pA&pi=f5VTIjrkTgqIc

Playlist · Brad Shaw · 25 items