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 a human rite that deserves tenderness, clarity and companionship. Our focused and personalised services guide you and your family through end-of-life and after-death care. Care that begins before death, continues through every practical decision, and extends long after the funeral concludes.
Life Rites is a team of independent funeral directors, mortality, dementia and end of life doulas, counsellors and celebrants based in Sydney.
Our funeral home in Hurstville allows families feel held and to take the time they need. It is a place where stories are honoured, cultural and spiritual needs are respected, and grief has room to breathe. We have our own, safe on-site mortuary, an intimate ceremonial space and refreshment areas, for you to create the experiences that best suit you and your person. 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:
Doula Services
Funeral Direction
Home Vigil and Cool Plates
Counselling and Community
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.
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 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 and respect.
Authenticity — from first meeting to ceremonies reflect the real person
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.
What Makes Life Rites Different
Our Impact: Stories of Connection, Healing & Care understood through the words of families
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
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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.
We Stand For
Looking for Another Specific Service?
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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.
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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.
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Funeral Direction
We work with a wide-range of people and offer a wide-range of services to help you make the best and most appropriate choices for you and for all involved.