Kings unveils informal coastal funeral space

KINGS Funerals’ new beach house-style space for informal funeral gatherings will officially open in Torquay today (Thursday, March 11).

The venue at 45 Geelong Road has been established in response to increasing interest in informal, non-denominational funeral gatherings that focus on celebrating the life of the person who has died.

“We’re noticing an increasing trend away from formal, traditional funerals,” Kings Funerals general manager Beth King said.

“Many Geelong and Surf Coast residents now prefer a funeral that is more relaxed, and that truly honours the life and personality of the deceased person.”

Kings’ senior operations manager and Torquay local Briohny Fitzgerald has witnessed many a memorial paddle-out past the break.

“We’ve realised that a space that matches the passion we all have for sun, sea and sand is hugely important,” she said.

“Traditional funeral homes can often feel sterile and unfamiliar, and even scary. In Torquay, and in all our venues, we work on creating a space where people feel comfortable and relaxed.

“This means people are far more likely to feel like connecting and sharing stories, which is of course key to the grieving process.”

In the new Torquay space, everything from colourful paintings of local beaches to the soaps, scents and catering, comes from familiar Surf Coast businesses. Chairs can also be arranged in circular or cabaret style seating formations, if traditional theatre seating doesn’t feel right.

Melanie Renton will hold a memorial for her father David in the Torquay space on March 25 following a paddle-out past the break at Ocean Grove.

David, who passed away in August 2020, was a 54-year member of the Ocean Grove SLSC and had the patrol tower at the club named after him almost exactly a year ago.

The Renton family held a funeral with Kings last year, which included a drive past David’s favourite spots as people waved from socially distanced locations, but this month’s memorial will be a full celebration of his life.

Melanie said Kings’ Torquay space was a fitting spot to pay tribute to her father’s long involvement with the ocean and the coast.

“He was always giving, never wanting, he was always there, he never complained; nothing was too much. He was a wonderful carer to Mum, an amazing father and my best friend,” she said.

Kings Funerals is passionate about doing away with the stigma and fear surrounding funerals and death in general.

“Many people go through life not thinking about death at all, and not wanting to engage with it,” Ms King said.

“We avoid the euphemism of ‘passed’ or ‘passed away’, as it can be hard to grieve without acknowledging the reality of death. We aim to help create a funeral gathering that is an authentic tribute to the person who has died, allowing those who loved them to support each other as they start to accept this new reality.”