When Terry Longley left the Police in 1961, he decided to open a Hastings funeral home to serve the Hawke’s Bay region. As a police officer, he discovered he had a natural ability to connect with families who had suffered a loss in a car accident. It was one of his greatest gifts, which in turn led him to a career in funeral directing.
Eager to learn and master his new profession, Terry was self taught with the use of a book he’d acquired. Twenty five years later, his son, Shann, joined him to form Terry Longley & Son Funeral Services based in Havelock North.
Together, they forged the philosophy that is the cornerstone of our funeral home: to provide families with a dignified, caring and professional service in their time of need.
As the funeral home grew, it required more staff and larger premises. In 2007, the home relocated to its current site on Cooper Street in Havelock North. It now has a purpose-built facility, with rooms, lounges
and a chapel to accommodate different funeral services. It also has a state of the art mortuary.
In 2008, Shann’s wife Monique joined the business in an administration and management role, as well as becoming a qualified funeral director.
In 2014, Terry Longley Jnr joined the business and was able to implement new technology and insight to further adapt to a constantly changing community. He also became a qualified funeral director in 2017.
In 2024 Shann & Monique Longley announced their retirement after nearly 40 years in the funeral sector, their Son Terry takes on the new role as General Manager and will continue to lead the team into the future, providing our community with quality care and setting the highest standards for funeral homes Hawke’s Bay.
Terry Longley & Son is now part of Propel Funeral Partners. Propel is one of the largest providers of funeral related services in New Zealand and Australia and is publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Terry Longley Jnr will continue to oversee operations as the General Manager.
