Rain or shine, Whiteman is out each day mowing and edging graves, preparing the ground for any upcoming funerals – and, most importantly, talking to mourners. “You’ve got to give people plenty of time, don’t rush them . You get to deal with them for years and years. Some of them I’ve met have gone into homes, and you miss them, so you ring up and check on them. “When you have a funeral on, everything comes to a stand still. You’ve got to allow those people that time and that moment. If you’re backfilling [the grave], you wait until the family’s gone,” he said.
NZCCC | Scoop InfoPages scoop.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scoop.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The New Zealand Cemeteries and Crematoria Collective (NZCCC) recognised industry champions last week at the New Zealand Cemeteries and Crematoria Awards dinner. NZCCC awarded Whangārei District Council’s Maunu Cemetery with the 2021 New Zealand .