We receive many letters of thanks from a loved one’s family and friends, after their funeral.
Here are just a few, of which we are immensely proud……
We have sadly lost two parents this year and we cannot recommend Waterhouse Funeral Directors highly enough for their kindness and the organisational efficiency they have shown our family for both funerals.
Losing a loved one is one of the most challenging moments in our lives and while dealing with grief it is sometime difficult to think of everything you need to do while arranging ‘final farewells’
Waterhouse were recommended to us by a close friend and from the moment we spoke to David while organising the first funeral (which involved bringing our relative 200 miles to be buried in Burwash) and Tim and Claire for the second funeral (which was held at the Wealden Crematorium) we felt totally supported during every step of the planning and arrangement process.
Both funerals were very different, but were equal in terms of the support and kindness our family received from the Waterhouse team in Burwash.
We cannot speak highly enough of Waterhouse, their kind approach, the way they worked so expertly with the kind Burwash Church Minister, Tom Pelham for the first funeral, and the lovely Celebrant that Waterhouse recommended, Lesley Arnold-Hopkins for the second funeral. Waterhouse also worked closely with The Flower House in Burwash who supplied beautiful fresh flowers for both funerals. Although sad, both funerals were joyous farewells and celebrations of two parents who were very much loved.
Thank-you so much to Clare, David, and Theresa and the team of bearers, it made such a difference to our family have the support of such a wonderful, kind, skilled and highly professional team.
C. Waterhouse & Sons supported our family through the most difficult experience in our lives to date. They somehow managed to guide us through with total professionalism whilst feeling like part of the family, especially on the day. Gentle guidance and patience throughout from start to finish and I cannot ever thank them enough. To know Dad was in their safe hands left us deeply reassured.
Saying good-bye to a loved one is never easy, but Waterhouse & Sons support, advise & guide you throughout. They are professional & caring & their attention to detail, no matter how small, is second to none. I have had 3 close family members pass away in as many years & Waterhouse have conducted each one with sympathy & empathy. They have gone above & beyond to make my families final journey peaceful & dignified. I will never be able to thank them enough for their kindness & professionalism over the last few years.
The team at Waterhouse & Sons have been excellent throughout my Dad’s time with them. He passed away unexpectedly but he had already expressed the wish that we were to contact them to make the funeral arrangements and we’re very glad of his recommendation.
We chose you having read your comprehensive website and liked your compassion and values. Excellent service from Wendy. Very smart and professional pall bearers and David was very kind and charming. It was so refreshing to meet Charles W on the day. He was an outstanding example of a young man in a family business.
We wish to say thank you to you and your team for your support, kindness, empathy and professionalism, in what has been the most difficult of times for us and our family.
Please extend my thanks to all the staff for their help and kindness in dealing with Chris’s funeral. Everybody said it was a lovely send off. Thank you.
I am writing to thank you all for your services in ensuring that Sarah’s funeral ran smoothly. I was particularly impressed with those in attendance on the day for their support, guidance, kindness and arrangement of floral tributes. I also really appreciated my visits to Sarah in your Chapel of Rest. It helped me a lot in the time before her burial. I wish other bereaved people the blessing of your care and professionalism in a time of loss and sorrow.
Dad and I just wanted to express our thanks and gratitude for all your help, support and guidance over the past weeks to make Mum’s funeral such a special occasion.
The funeral was as we wanted, given the current climate. Our friends and family shared our thoughts on how well it was organised and guided. We would particularly like to thank David and his team for their friendly help, support and direction on the day. Especially when Dad & I felt lost at sea with where to be and what to do.
Seeing the single flower on my Mum’s coffin as it was lowered into the grave was so thoughtful. This was something I had thought about doing myself and discussed with my wife; she wasn’t so sure about it. This small gesture meant so much to me. Sadly “Thank you” doesn’t express it enough, but I cannot find the words.
Please pass on our thanks and appreciation to all at Waterhouse that helped make this special occasion.
“Thank you for all your help and support you have given to my family with the sudden death of our mother. It has been lovely having someone we know helping us navigate through this sad time. Being stuck in NZ at this time is not the best when I should be with in the UK at the service. The service sheet looks lovely.
Again our thanks to you”
“The whole team was so helpful in the run-up and very patient in dealing with the complex family situation, especially during the COVID lockdown period. Lots of advice and suggestions too which were gratefully received.
On the day, David and “his gentlemen” were so professional and yet human and warm. They handled themselves and the whole procedure with dignity which provided us with great reassurance that everything would go without a hitch. It meant we could relax and not worry about that side of things.”
“You and your team did a magnificent job last Monday. I am glad I suggested to Nicky that Michael’s coffin should be covered with the union flag. There is something rather depressing with just a wooden coffin. What was really impressive was the music – it was as if King’s College, Chichester Cathedral choir & Huddersfield choral society were actually in the church. the two buglers were superb. I met them before the service and asked if they could play “sunset” which happily they knew. We all hope that life will get back to some sort of normality next year so we can have a memorial service. I know what you did on Monday was a “normal job” for your firm, but it was carried out in a most professional and caring way and the family are extremely grateful.”
“Hi to all the team at C. Waterhouse,
I’ve been blown away with the professionalism and personal touches in the lead up to dads funeral arranged today. Thank you all so much for your generous time, effort and comforting words during our grief.
I’m terrible for names but the lovely chap who supported our visit in the chapel of rest (David?) also ensuring the smooth sailing on the day.
Teresa – Your constant communication with us and patience with all the changes has been amazing. And Jackie, who regularly took our calls and met us on the day.
Times like these you really restore faith in humanity offering such a personal service in the high standard you have all set.
From the bottom of my heart I’m truly grateful to you all.”
“I felt I should write to let you know how much I have appreciated the kind professional way that all members of your staff have dealt with Keith’s funeral arrangements. I cannot speak of them highly enough. From the immediate understanding of the shocking suddenness of the death to managing the unexpected number of mourners at the funeral. I was as you can imagine quite overwhelmed on the day and was grateful for the calm reassuring supportive manner of your staff.
I would also like to thank you for matching us with Lesley Arnold-Hopkins as celebrant. She also was kind, thoughtful and intuitive; she pitched the service perfectly.
It is a comfort to know that Keith’s last journey was in safe hands. Again please pass on my thanks to everyone for their kindness and understanding.”
“Thank you so much for all your organisation that helped make Mum’s service go so well.
I know she would of been delighted with the proceedings.
Many thanks.”
“I’m sitting at home after a long day at work nursing a slight hangover thinking that I really wanted to thank you for your very influential part in mum’s ceremony yesterday.
It set the tone for what we all felt was a beautiful day celebrating mum’s life. Everyone there only had lovely things to say about the day.
Like I say, you set the tone along with dad that made the whole process manageable for everyone. I felt very proud to be part of not only the event itself, but for how the whole process was handled.
Much love”
“Please accept my grateful thanks for your very kind and gentle way in organising Jebs funeral on Tuesday. Your pre-funeral care was very much appreciated by Dickie, Peter, Annie and Barbara and you helped them through a most difficult time although they may not have shown their true feeling to you at the time.
With many thanks”
“I am sorry to take so long to write and thank all at C. Waterhouse for their exemplary service for the funeral of my mother. At short notice you and your team (Mandy & Claire included) were very professional and sympathetic in the handling of the service and all matters before and after. We are most grateful and thank you. I would say I would recommend you, but somehow that’s bad karma.
From your own experience you will know that it takes time to recover one’s senses after the death of someone dear to you. What with the latest lock down it has taken longer than expected. Nevertheless we are all feeling positive for the future and have happy memories of Monica.
Thank you all and sorry for the email, but I guess handwritten letters are not the current protocol. Pity as I have such lovely handwriting !
Best regards”
“I am so sorry this has taken me so long to write and say a very big thank you to you and the Waterhouse team. You were all wonderful and I could not have asked for better. You truly eased the pain of a challenging and difficult time. Everyone was so kind and considerate and professional. I immediately knew that we had the right funeral home when I spoke to you from NZ and you proved this over and over again with your calm, professional attention to detail. Charlie was lovely and did so well with the music too. You looked after us all so well and I am just so grateful for that. Thank you and thank you again!
I do hope you get a decent break over Christmas.
A very Happy Christmas to you and the Waterhouse team and wishing you all well for 2021.
With kindest regards”
“I just wanted to express our thanks for everything you did to make Dad’s funeral run so well. I don’t think it could have gone better.
When you have a moment could you send me the Rev. Tom’s address so that I can send him a book I think he might be interested in as a token of our appreciation.
Thank you once again and Kind regards”
“The funeral for Bruce went well today. The team were superb and I enjoyed getting to know David and Charlie a little bit. I think the family would have been really pleased with how things went. I have found working with you really easy and clear – thank you.
I appreciate how much you are all dealing with at the moment (and have been for many months). Thinking of you all”
“Rosemary’s ceremony passed off well yesterday, so a big thank you from Rowan and I to you personally for arranging things so effectively, and to David and his team for their calm and measured approach at Wealden. Rowan was able to phone from Singapore and say a few words which was good.
Thank you also for arranging for Graham to lead the ceremony.”
“Could I ask you to pass on to your whole team my heartfelt thanks for the kindness and clarity offered through the past few weeks arranging Mummy’s service. You have been so patient and accommodating. May I ask you to say a special thank you to David who was so composed and supportive yesterday. It made a real difference to my whole day knowing that he was there in the background; when you’re trying to be strong for everyone else it is very good to know someone has you covered!
Thank you so much.”
“Selma and I would like to thank you and your team for such a well organised and well managed funeral service for Ruth.
Everything went very well today and it was a lovely goodbye to our Mum despite the Covid restrictions.
Please pass on my thanks to David and his team as I failed to thank him after the event, and we really appreciated his compassionate management of the service.”
“I wanted to say thank you to David and his team for directing us so well on the day of Richard’s funeral. David was super helpful in the run-up and on the day, everything was organised perfectly, and their presence on the day was judged perfectly. He and his team are a credit to your business.
Thanks also to you and I think Clare, who I met a couple of times and who printed the photo for us. You were so helpful and patient guiding us through the whole process and it made such a difference to us. Thank you very much.
With best wishes”
“Thank you for presiding over Mum’s funeral yesterday. It was a beautiful and intimate occasion for our Mother, and your expert preparation and management of the day were outstanding and so very much appreciated.
With kindest regards”
“Please thank everybody involved yesterday from your team for dads funeral.
Everything went very well and the men did a grand job.
It was actually the nicest funeral I’ve ever attended and the sea grass coffin was beautiful and so perfect for dad.
Many thanks”
