As time progressed, Bruce began his own funeral director business in 1941 at 281 Pacific Highway Crows Nest, Sydney trading as Bruce Maurer Funerals.
MAURER FAMILY FUNERALS HISTORY
A DIGNIFIED & RESPECTFUL HISTORY CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY
The Maurer family started in funerals when Bruce Maurer commenced working with Labour Funerals in Bankstown, Sydney in 1938.
In 1959 Ken, Bruce’s son, joined with his father and here began a tradition, a tradition of service and commitment to offer families a respectful and dignified funeral service.
Together they made a name for themselves and Bruce was awarded the BEM for his services to the returned “diggers” of WW2.
Many funerals were conducted over Sydney, with some very interesting people being buried.
In 1974 Bruce Maurer Funerals was sold to a multinational company, and as a result Ken commenced his own business in 1976, trading as Kenneth Maurer Funerals.
Ken and Antoinette acquired Whelan & Glacken Funerals, which was located at 263 Miller Street North Sydney.
For the next 20 years the Maurer family built up a reputation within the community to provide care and support at a time in need.
In the early ’80s Ken and Antoinette opened another office and chapel at 574 Pacific Highway Chatswood, and by the early 90s were conducting over 1100 funerals a year, with the later acquisition of Ernest Andrews Funerals and Alan Walsh Funerals, two names synonymous to Chatswood for many years.
Ken’s eldest son Nicholas joined the family business in 1988, and so began three generations of funeral directors, well established within the community for over 50 years. Now, Nicholas and Fiona’s eldest daughter, Bella, has joined the family business making it a fourth generation family business.
1994 saw yet another change, with the sale of Kenneth Maurer Funerals to Stewarts Funerals, an American company, based in New Orleans.
The family gradually left the company in 1997, and in 2000 commenced trading as Maurer Family Funerals, which is located at their original site at 574 Pacific Highway Chatswood.
In 1995 Ken was elected President of the Australian Funeral Directors Association by his piers and held this till 1997.
In 2018 Nick was elected NSW/ACT President of the Australian Funeral Directors Association.
