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About Us
Our history
Heaven Funerals has been caring for families in the SEQ region for over nine years. Throughout that time, we have provided quality funeral service to families within all different communities.
We are a family-owned and operated business with over 50 years of combined experience in serving families throughout Australia and New Zealand. Our focus is helping families to ensure that you get to say farewell the way you really want. We do this without you feeling rushed, or placed in some corporate cookie cutter mould. This allows your family to feel unconditionally accepted and experience the highest quality of service, but with real hearts from real people. We promise to take care of you with the utmost professionalism, integrity and care in a time of great need.
We measure our success via the feedback and referrals we receive from the families we take care of.
Talk to our friendly staff
If you have any questions or would like to sit down with one of our friendly funeral directors, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Alternatively, we can arrange a time to come out to your home to make plans.
Come and see us
Heaven Funerals has a centrally located Funeral home in Springwood, Brisbane. This central location gives us easy access to the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Eastern and Northern suburbs and is easily accessible from both the M1 and Logan Motorways.
With our central location, we’re able to respond to you efficiently and effectively.
Please view our premises option to have a tour inside the funeral home.
Meet our team
Our friendly, professional and highly experienced team at Heaven Funerals is here to listen to you and ensure
we provide a tailored service that honours your loved one’s life. We are dedicated to serving you and
your family to ensure that you are able to grieve without having to stress about the little things.
Ross Pokere Snr
Owner/Director/Funeral Director/Embalmer
Ross was raised in a small town called Invercargill, at the bottom of the South Island in New Zealand. Ross began funeral directing in 2007 in Papatoetoe Auckland, moved to Brisbane in 2012 and started Heaven Funerals in 2013.
He graduated high school from The Church College of New Zealand and went on to study at Otago University where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing in 1988.
Funeral directing was an unexpected call made later in life for Ross. He had spent all of his professional life in the building supply industry and turned to Funeral Directing in 2007 with plans to eventually own a Funeral business in Gisbourne, New Zealand. He went on to study Funeral Directing and Embalming at Weltec in Wellington, New Zealand where he received a Diploma in Funeral Services. Ross and Lee moved to Brisbane Australia in 2012 and started the business in late 2013.
Lee Pokere
Owner/Funeral Director
Lee was born and raised on the family farm in Mahia, New Zealand. She started her Bachelors degree in Teaching before having her first child in 1990. Lee spent most of her time raising their growing family and went back to work when the children had all grown.
With Lee’s professional background in education, it was a natural progression for her when she branched out into community social services. Lee received a Bachelor’s degree in Social Services in 2011 whilst working full time, raising a family of teenagers and running the very busy family home.
Lee went on to successfully launch and facilitate Parents As First Teachers (PAFT), a program aimed at helping young mothers. Lee draws from that and her life’s experience to help her serve grieving families.
Ross Pokere Jnr
Funeral Director/ Embalmer
Ross Jnr began his career in the funeral industry when he was a teenager. From cleaning hearses to fitting handles and drapery in coffins. Ross Jnr is now an experienced Funeral Director and Embalmer who has taken care of hundreds of families.
Ross Jnr served a two-year voluntary church mission just as his Mother and Father had done before him. He has a dual Diploma in Business and Management. Ross Jnr has acquired his funeral industry education through experience and mentoring from Ross Snr, and plans to complete his Funeral Industry qualifications in the near future.
Mary & Tamihana
Funeral Directors
Mary and Tamihana originate from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
They have lived in and served families in Brisbane for over 25 years. They are both very well known and respected in their community.
Mary and Tamihana were both born and raised on the East Coast of New Zealand. Mary worked for Hastings City Council prior to moving to Australia where she joined Brisbane City Council over 40 years ago. Mary obtained a Human Services Degree and worked as a social support officer for several years. Mary’s lifelong curiosity about the industry naturally led her to become a funeral director over 25 years ago. Tamihana has a musical background and is great on the guitar amongst many other instruments. His talent brings a lighter feel to what can often be a difficult time for families.
Warren Bennett
Funeral Director/Embalmer
Warren joined Heaven Funerals in 2021 with a background in sales and business development. He grew up assisting in and around the funeral home and mortuary up until starting full-time.
Warren was born in Invercargill, New Zealand and was raised mostly in Auckland. Upon his move to Australia, completed a dual Diploma of Business and Management. Warren has spent most of his working life in sales, marketing and business development and although he only joined the Heaven Funerals team full time in 2021, has spent the last decade and a half watching, learning and assisting Ross Snr during his long time service in the funeral industry.
Warren and his wife, Sofia, have three young boys. They love to travel, music, sport and spending time with family.
Penelope Judge
Funeral Director
Penelope joined Heaven Funerals in 2021 and has an extensive background in international networking and business. Pene offers a wealth of experience and a soft touch when assisting families.
Penelope was raised in Kihikihi in the Waikato region of New Zealand. She has been lifelong friends with Ross and Lee since they met at High School. Penelope’s career started in the Health and Fitness industry when her family started a network of gyms across New Zealand. She progressed from there to become an exclusive distributor of beauty products throughout New Zealand for over ten years. She has over 35 years of experience in the Beauty industry. This skill helps us present your loved one in the best possible way.
No matter what role Penelope has pursued, she has always found herself serving people. She finally feels like she has walked into her passion as a funeral consultant. Penelope is currently studying a Bachelor of Business.
Our Homely Haven
Established in Springwood, a convenient location in Brisbane and right off the Pacific Highway is the Heaven Funerals funeral home. With a homely feel, we are able to offer additional services in the form of a chapel, kitchen, arrangement rooms and an on-site mortuary. Be at peace knowing that your loved one is in a comfortable and homely place where we are able to take care of them from start to finish.