‘doing this job is the best move i ever made’
WHEN David Lee began working for Co-op Funeralcare four years ago, he had been looking to make a major change in his career.
As an operations manager for the Prison Service, in charge of the day-to-day running of a prison in Nottinghamshire, David was taking incredible stress home with him, and knew it was time to do something else.
The father-of-two had always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and work in the funeral industry.
“We make people’s loved ones’ days as special as they can possibly be. You only get one shot at a funeral.”
“My dad worked for Co-op Funeralcare in Nottingham and, growing up, I saw the passion he had for it,” David says. “Going into this field is the best move I ever made. When I started as a funeral arranger I was suffering with PTSD from working in the prison industry, but this job has helped me a lot.
“My son Fraser, aged nine, used to say to people: ‘Daddy’s in prison.’ Now he says: ‘Daddy sends people to heaven in a big car.’ I know which I prefer!
“When I started at Co-op I was the person the family would see when they passed their loved one into our care.
“Now, as a funeral director, I do everything from start to finish – and every single funeral is different. We make people’s loved ones’ days as special as they can possibly be. You only get one shot at a funeral.”
David has helped to organise many personalised funerals for clients, including a Dad’s Army-themed one, and another where the ceremonial crew all wore Hawaiian shirts and that featured a beach-themed coffin.
“During lockdown we also did a funeral for someone who was really into Spitfire aircraft,” he recalls. “We organised a bespoke coffin with pictures of planes, and placed a leather flying jacket on top. Restrictions have been constantly changing, but we’ve been able to meet special requests.”