About Us

Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors’ three sites have evolved from a history of funeral directing in the Hutt Valley that dates back to 1852, when Joseph Hall began a wheelwright and undertaking business in Lower Hutt.

The firm, known as W Hall Ltd, continued in the Hall family ownership for the following 94 years, carrying out some of the more memorable funerals in the Hutt Valley. When grandson Bill Hall retired in 1946, and with no further Hall family members to take over, it was sold to Ted Gee and Robert Hickton and became known as Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors.

Gee & Hickton later expanded to Upper Hutt and today the entire business supports a large team of people with extensive experience in all aspects of funeral services.

Our three locations have available modern and comfortable chapel and reception facilities, and we are very well known for our distinctive fleet of cars and hearses. This includes a classic 1970 Rolls Royce Phantom VI which in its earlier life transported the Royal Family on their first visit to New Zealand.

Gee & Hickton has a reputation for professional and caring service from their funeral directors and support staff who are passionate about going the extra mile to ensure families can have peace of mind at what can be a very stressful time. As members of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) we are pledged to uphold the highest professional standards.

Gee & Hickton is an InvoCare New Zealand Ltd funeral home. InvoCare New Zealand Ltd is the largest provider of funeral services within New Zealand, with a comprehensive network of more than 20 funeral firms and associated businesses. By joining together we are able to share professional development and industry knowledge, and set higher standards in the funeral profession nationwide. To ensure we continue to set higher standards, phone calls are recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.

Professional Development Visits – Testimonials

We welcome visits from all allied professions, community groups, etc for tours of the funeral home. To arrange a visit please make contact via email.

“Hi Gavin,

I was waiting to return to Dunedin before responding as I wanted to write more formally to you. In short – the visit was outstanding. This was by far and away the best funeral home visit I have been on.

Andrew addressed, prepared and anticipated much of what we were going to teach the interns in the classroom later in the day. He set our work up superbly.

The way your staff treated us was humbling. You might have heard that one of the interns became faint in the embalming room. He needed to leave and made his way to the chapel. By the time I joined him in the chapel two of your staff were attending to him but in a fashion that was dignified and sensitive. Ed was just chatting to him about things and not focusing on what just happened. It speaks volumes that the intern was able to return to the embalming room shortly afterwards.

We did not expect morning tea!! And yet there it was (amazing) and maybe 4+ staff were in the room “working the room” engaging with the interns. They modeled to our interns how to be hospitable and engaged with people. Outstanding.

Andrew’s explanations and responses to the interns was heart-felt, intellectually stimulating and pastoral. As one intern said – the mystery of what happens “out the back” was taken away and he also prepared them for their own work and took away some of the anxiety and fear they had.

I have since said to my colleagues on the teaching team – it is a pity we can’t have all our block courses in this area as I would have them here just to have them come to your place alone.

Gavin – there is NOTHING I can think of that I would change. We are deeply in your debt.

I noted Shelley had a pin-up of “Mr April” from the 2015 Fire Service calendar on her locker. I’ve known “Mr April” since he was born – I’m arranging a personalised signed photo for Shelley from “Mike.” I’m trying to repay you and your staff in any way I can – hence reaching out to “hunk of the month.” 🙂

“Thank you” just doesn’t seem adequate – but thank you so much!!

I will still write formally to you and your team upon my return to Dunedin

Regards”