When I visited Steven Stewart Funeral Directors’ new offices in Newport, Fife, recently, Rhys Small suggested that I also speak to his colleague Lynn Smith. So I drove over last week to the main office in Cupar and chatted with Lynn, the newest member of the team.
I started by asking my usual opener of how Lynn entered this world of funerals. And like so many of the people I ask, Lynn replied that she had always had a fascination for all things related to death. Some people might find that “morbid” but, in my experience, it often gives people a sharper appreciation of life.
But in Lynn’s case there was a twist. Although she had the funeral fascination, she was advised by someone connected to the profession “not to try to become a funeral director”. Because, they told her, “as a woman, you’ll never get ahead”.
So after leaving school, Lynn first went into retail management and then took a job in a GP practice, rising to practice manager. But her interest in the funeral world never really left. So when a job came up at Brewsterwells Crematorium, near St Andrews, Lynn applied. It was a great introduction to this world, especially as Brewsterwells was brand new and Lynn joined right at the start.
One open door sometimes leads to another. Earlier this year, Lynn was asked by Steven Stewart if she’d like to become a funeral director. It was the opportunity to follow the career she’d always wanted.
In a small independent company like Steven’s, everyone gets to do a bit of everything. Just days into the job Lynn was driving a hearse! It means that each day is incredibly varied.
And Lynn has brought her creative skills to “bear” in the team! Specifically, she makes handcrafted memorial bears. These beautifully made small bears are not just a comfort in themselves at a time of loss. Each one comes with a little tin heart that can hold some of a loved one’s ashes. They are a unique and highly personal memorial for the bereaved.
Lynn explained that she had always been highly creative and interested in craft. She had also loved to collect bears. Now she gets to combine these skills and interests with her passion for her chosen profession.
Thank you Lynn for sharing your story, proving that you certainly did get ahead in this business, and for showing me your beautiful memorial bears.
Michael Hannah, December 2024
CONTACT
Steven Stewart Funeral Directors Ltd
01334 655 323
www.stevenstewartfunerals.co.uk
