About Us

Paterson’s Funeral Services has been locally owned and providing complete care to the mid-Canterbury community since 1982. Originally owned by Roger and Pauline Paterson, now in association with Lamb & Hayward, the funeral home remains Canterbury owned and locally operated.

As Mid-Canterbury’s only Funeral Director Assn accredited funeral home, we continually invest in our people and our facilities as we believe complete local care means having the ability to provide all services in a dignified way here in Ashburton for Mid-Canterbury families.

Our People

Funeral Team


Membership of professional organisations

Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand

The Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ), established in 1937, is the largest national association of funeral directors in New Zealand. FDANZ represents the majority of New Zealand funeral directors, who together are responsible for arranging and directing over 80% of all funerals in the country. With FDANZ members you can be assured of receiving expert advice from an authority in the field – from someone whose understanding of the costs, processes and necessary care has been gained from industry experience. Members are subject to a strict Code of Conduct, underpinned by the Code of Ethics to which FDANZ subscribes. Their adherence to these codes gives you both peace of mind and quality assurance.

Refer to www.fdanz.org.nz for further information.

New Zealand Embalmers Association

The New Zealand Embalmers Association (NZEA) is a group of like-minded, professional, qualified embalmers dedicated to the maintenance of the highest standards of professional conduct and ability. Only individuals who hold a recognised qualification in embalming practices are open to membership of NZEA. Membership ensures the strictest adherence to the association’s code of ethics and New Zealand law.

NZEA is committed to providing the most up-to-date technology the world has to offer in mortuary services, so that members can take these skills back to their provinces and offer them to the bereaved families they serve. The association is continuing to pressure the government for the recognition that the profession of embalming should be practised only by suitably qualified people.

Refer to www.nzembalmers.org.nz for further information.

Funeral-Link New Zealand

Funeral-Link was set up following the arrival of an international chain of funeral homes, which started to purchase family-owned businesses. To be a member of Funeral-Link you must be both New Zealand–owned and a member of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand. If a company is a member of Funeral-Link, you know that you are dealing with a locally owned funeral home. Funeral-Link offers its members the assurance that they have a safe place to share ideas for the benefit of each of the participating funeral homes.

Refer to www.funeral-link.co.nz for further information.