About Life Rites Funerals
Walking With You Through Death, Dying, and Grief
At Life Rites Funerals, every aspect of our work is rooted in a simple truth: death is not only an ending — it is a human rite that deserves tenderness, clarity and companionship.
Our boutique funeral home in Hurstville was created so families may feel held, not hurried. It is a place where stories are honoured, cultural and spiritual needs are respected, and grief has room to breathe.
Life Rites is a team of independent funeral directors, end of life doulas, counsellors and celebrants based in Sydney. Our focused and personalised end-of-life services guide you and your family through end-of-life and after-death care. At our funeral home in Hurstville we have our own, safe on-site mortuary. We also hold an intimate ceremonial space for you to create the experiences that best suit you and your person.
From the diagnosis of life-changing illness to a funeral that truly reflects your person and your values, we offer a full range of creative and practical services to support you. These include:
Across Sydney and the Sutherland Shire, Life Rites offers something rare in Australia today: truly holistic continuity of care — the kind of support that begins before death, continues through every practical decision, and extends long after the funeral concludes.
Principles and Origin
Life Rites developed our practice and principles from the innovative work of Victoria Spence who knew there was a better and more just way to care for our dead and for those who love them.
We believe that how we care for our dead reveals much about who we are as individuals and as society.
We aim to bridge the gaps in a disjointed and industrialised funeral industry through a continuity of care, ceremony and storytelling.
Read more about the origins of Life Rites, and founder Victoria Spence…
Our Story: A Different Kind of Funeral Home
Life Rites Funerals was founded by Victoria Spence, a leading funeral director, celebrant, counsellor and mortality doula with more than twenty years of experience in death care. Her work across palliative care, community education, ritual design and end-of-life advocacy revealed a growing need: families were seeking more than an efficient service — they needed personal, conscious, and culturally attuned care.
From this vision, Life Rites grew into a community hub for end-of-life support.
The team’s approach is shaped by:
Deep listening — hearing who the person was, what mattered to them, and what the family needs to feel supported.
Respect for personal values, beliefs and identities — including LGBTQIA+ families, multi-faith communities, culturally specific rites, and family-led rituals.
A commitment to transparency — honest guidance, clear costs, and a supportive, unrushed process.
Families often describe Life Rites as “a light in the darkness of grief” — a place where dignity and humanity shape every step.
Our Mission, Vision & Values
Mission
To support individuals and families through death, dying and bereavement with compassion, practical guidance, and meaningful ceremony. We honour all cultures, beliefs and life choices, creating funerals and farewells that feel true to the person being remembered.
Vision
A community where conscious dying is supported, personal funeral choices are respected, and families feel empowered rather than overwhelmed during life’s most difficult transitions.
Values
Compassion — every family is held with warmth, gentleness and respect.
Authenticity — ceremonies reflect the real person, not a template.
Cultural Care — we honour diverse identities, faiths, relationships and traditions.
Choice & Autonomy — we support families to participate in care and decision-making wherever meaningful.
Community — education, grief circles, and public programs create connection and awareness.
We stand for:
Self-Determination and Equity
Collaboration and Innovation
Transparency and Sustainability
What Makes Life Rites Different
1. Holistic Continuity of Care — Before, During & After Death
Most funeral homes engage with families only after someone dies. Life Rites offers support much earlier through End-of-Life Doula Services — practical and emotional care for those living with serious illness or nearing the end of life.
This may include:
Gentle bedside support
Family conversations
Guidance on legacy, planning and personal wishes
Preparing for a home vigil or natural burial
Emotional care for partners, children and extended family
This continuity often becomes a vital source of stability, and many families share that the doula’s presence shaped their grief in profound ways.
2. A Boutique Funeral Home Where All Care Happens On-Site
Located at 118 Durham St, Hurstville, our dedicated premises include:
A warm, light-filled chapel
A private viewing and gathering room
On-site mortuary care
Space for ceremonies, washing and dressing rituals, or family-led participation
Having all care in-house means your person stays with Life Rites from the moment they are taken into our care, and is tended to with dignity by people you have met. Families consistently say this provides overwhelming peace of mind.
3. Home Vigil & Cool Plate Care
For families who wish to care for their loved one at home, Life Rites offers:
Cool plate technology
Support with washing, dressing and ceremonial preparation
Guidance on creating a calm, meaningful space
Visits for friends and family to say goodbye
Stories such as Margaret’s home funeral, where her family kept her at home surrounded by garden blooms and music, illustrate the healing power of staying together in familiar surroundings.
4. Unique Funeral Options Rarely Offered Elsewhere
Green/Natural Burials
Family-led funerals
Site-specific funerals in libraries, community halls, gardens and homes
Faith-based and interfaith ceremonies
Funerals for LGBTQIA+ communities
Care for pre-term loss, babies and children
VAD (Voluntary Assisted Dying) support
Each service reflects the person’s identity, culture and values.
Case studies — including natural burials in native bushland or community-centred ceremonies at Marrickville Library — show how Life Rites adapts each funeral uniquely.
5. Transparent, Flexible Costing
Life Rites uses a clear, itemised costing model to ease financial stress. Families may choose only what they need — nothing is bundled or pushed.
This transparency is frequently mentioned in reviews as something that lifted emotional weight during a vulnerable time.
6. Deep Local Knowledge & Community Connection
Life Rites is part of the cultural fabric of Sydney’s Inner West, South Sydney and the Sutherland Shire.
The team leads:
Grief Circles, run monthly by a qualified therapist
Public talks and workshops on death literacy
Community rituals and ceremonies
Partnerships with palliative care, aged care, and advocacy groups
Participation in the Festival of Death and Dying
These programs position Life Rites not just as a funeral provider, but as a community educator and advocate for conscious end-of-life care.
Our Impact: Stories of Connection, Healing & Care
The impact of Life Rites is best understood through the words of families
A Gentle Invitation
If you are preparing for a death, organising a funeral, or supporting someone through grief, you do not need to navigate it alone.
Life Rites Funerals is here to offer guidance, continuity and care — in whatever way feels right for you and your family.
Explore our services or reach out to our team to begin a conversation grounded in dignity, clarity and compassion.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
An end-of-life or death doula is someone who gives practical and emotional support to people who are living with a terminal illness or end-stage disease. At Life Rites our focus is on a continuity of care, from diagnosis and living with the illness, through to treatment, dying, the death process and ongoing bereavement support. Our end-of-life doulas provide support to individuals, couples, families and communities.
-
It is never too early to call us. Our care and time is available to you 24/7. You can call us if you, or someone you love, receives a life-changing diagnosis. You can engage our care anytime during your, or your loved ones’ treatment, illness or dying journey.
Serving Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Illawarra, including…
Looking for a specific service?
-
End-of-Life Doula Services
We give practical and emotional support to people living with a terminal illness. An end-of-life or death doula provides guidance through what is often a difficult and complex time for everyone involved.
-
Guidance and Counselling
Whether it’s your own death or someone you love, navigating unfamiliar territory can be challenging and unsettling. We offer a range of services that provide sensitive guidance at all stages of the process.
-
Home Vigil and Cool Plate
A Life Rites practitioner will talk you through the set up and use of the cooling beds and how best to support all involved during this time. We can deliver the bed to your home, walk through the preparation of your family member with you and be available to oversee the vigil as needed.