Our Team
Experienced & caring Funeral Directors in Hamilton
Finding the right support during a difficult time can make all the difference. The team of funeral directors in Hamilton at Pellow & Hill brings decades of combined experience, compassion, and professionalism to help families navigate these moments with care and understanding.
As proud Hamilton locals, the team is deeply connected to the community and honoured to support families in celebrating and remembering their loved ones. With a commitment to the same trusted values upheld by Pellows and James R Hill for over six decades, the team continues to provide care that is warm, respectful, and personalised.
Meet our team of funeral directors in Hamilton
Our trusted team is here to listen, guide, and support, ensuring every detail of the farewell reflects the wishes and needs of each family.
Whether it is through a small gesture or planning every aspect of the service, the team works tirelessly to provide families with peace of mind and a truly meaningful experience. Every team member embodies the values of Pellow & Hill: making a positive impact, pursuing the best outcomes with determination, celebrating life with pride and passion, delivering exceptional service, and ensuring a respectful, caring environment. Let our dedicated funeral directors in Hamilton help you create a farewell that honours your loved one with dignity and care.
“I’m honoured to work alongside such a dedicated team and to support families when they need it most. I’m passionate about finding meaningful ways for us to give back and stay connected to the community we serve.”
Get to know me
Coffee or Tea? Coffee – I just can’t possibly start the day without one!
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? Horses, horses horses! And if that’s not an option, I really enjoy road cycling or bush walking. In a previous life (a long long time ago), I did synchronised Ice figure skating and represented NZ at the World Champs in Croatia.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Teleportation, especially with the current fuel crisis.. I could also achieve a significant amount more, if I didn’t have to sit in a car waiting to arrive at my destination.
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning Person – I can’t stay awake to save myself and sleeping in after 7am is just a waste of a day!
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? Jake Bailey – What Cancer Taught Me. I could barely put it down! “None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be gracious, and be grateful for the opportunities you have.” – Jake Bailey
What’s your go-to karaoke song? Billy Joel – My Life
What was your very first job? A local newspaper run with my sister.. what I DIDN’T know.. is that while I was working hard.. she was dumping her lot in a bush down the street.. until she got caught! Haha!
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? Probably Ricky Gervais… he is HILARIOUS.. I love his views on life, and I love a bit of British humour. I would be laughing till my cheeks hurt.
What has this work taught you about life? To never end the day on an argument, time doesn’t wait and it isn’t promised.
“I’ve always loved Hamilton, so I’m happy to be able to join the Pellows team once more. Looking after families is at the core of everything we do as funeral directors. It’s important to us to be there for people as they say goodbye to loved ones, and that we do everything we can to make that process as smooth and respectful as possible”.
Get to know me
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
If you had a free Sunday, how would you spend it? Depends…What time of year?? Summer.. curl up with a good book.. winter.. spread out with a good book!
Best place to recharge in New Zealand: on a massage table
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Most definitely a morning person!
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? Song of Achillies by Madeline Miller
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? Does paying off the mortgage count??
What’s your go-to karaoke song? Considering that I am completely tone deaf and cannot carry a tune in a bucket….I’m pretty sure that with enough Dutch courage I could pull off an unforgettable rendition of “It’s all coming back to me now”
What was your very first job? Helping out at the family furniture store….washing windows, dusting displays etc.
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? My parents and my sisters…..because I miss them.
When you were six years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? I‘m pretty sure I wanted to be a chef
Ideal Holiday? An all-inclusive resort somewhere tropical.
CJ has been involved in the funeral industry since 2002. CJ spent 14 years as a sexton at Hamilton park cemetery before joining the Pellows team to increase his knowledge and experience of the funeral industry. CJ is an extremely keen outdoorsman and enjoys hunting fishing camping and gardening in his spare time.
Get to know me
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? Mucking around in the shed, pulling things apart and putting them back together
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Telekenesis (the ability to move things with your mind)
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night Owl
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? The Embalming Manual
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? I’d probably put it straight in the bank and watch the interest grow… not exactly thrilling, but at least it makes cents.
What was your very first job? Lollipop Man (Stop – Go Sign)
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? Scarlett Johansson — for the conversation, of course… purely the conversation.
When you were six years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? Palaeontologist
Ideal Holiday? I would love to go and see Chernobyl
Nikki commenced her career as a Funeral Director in the UK before moving to New Zealand 10 years ago. More recently she has been raising her 2 children before coming to join the Pellows team. Outside of work Nikki is involved with her children’s extra-curricular activities and also enjoys horse riding and all things equestrian.
Get to know me
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Knowing the whereabouts of my cellphone and car keys at all times
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night owl
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? The Resus Room podcast
What was your very first job? I worked on the deli counter at a local supermarket.
If you could swap roles with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and why? CJ – to see if being Ginger really is as bad as it seems
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? My Dad – he died nearly 30 years ago and we’d have a lot to catch up on
When you were six years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? Probably something equestrian related!
Ideal Holiday? The Maldives
With over a decade of experience in customer service, Dillon transitioned to a more fulfilling role as a Funeral Director at Pellows, bringing a compassionate touch and deep empathy to his work. Having moved from Auckland to Hamilton, Dillon balances his professional life with his cherished role as a husband and father of four. His commitment to providing thoughtful, personalized care ensures that every family receives the support and respect they need during difficult times.
Get to know me
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? Music- I don’t play any instruments, but I was a DJ.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Super-human strength if I was a good guy. Speed if I was the bad.
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Night Owl easily, hence the yawning all day.
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to?Book: Green eggs and ham. Podcast- The Dom Harvey podcast- Frank Bunce was his guest.
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? The 1998 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 that I’ve had on my watchlist for a while.
What’s your go-to karaoke song? I don’t sing (for good reason!). But I could probably do Ice Ice Baby, by Vanilla Ice.
What was your very first job? Casual stock-take worker at Farmers, on Queen Street, Auckland. I was still in High School and was killing it on $8 an hour.
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? Michael Jackson easily. He was a musical genius, plus I reckon he was gonna uncover a lot more stuff about Hollywood. (Ive been down a rabbit hole – yes).
With over four years of experience as a dedicated funeral director, Shane has been a pillar of compassion and support for families in Hamilton. His commitment to putting people first ensures that every service is handled with care, respect, and dignity. When families need guidance during life’s most difficult moments, Shane is there to provide comfort and professionalism every step of the way.
Get to know me
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? Watching rugby league and motorcycle riding
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? To move things with my mind
Are you a morning person or a night owl? I don’t like to waste the day so I’ll take some of each thanks
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? Motorcycle Smarts – David Mixson
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? Yamaha MT-07
What’s your go-to karaoke song? Creep – Radiohead
What was your very first job? A paper run in Wanganui
Ideal Holiday? Motorcycle tour around Scotland
“I have always valued being of service to the community and in the light of losing my mother some years ago, I too wanted to help families in their hour of need. This has become a new found passion for me”.
Get to know me
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? Watching the rugby or rugby league, does this count?
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Time Travel
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Definitely night owl
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? The Morning Shift!, Lesssspuuuushhh
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? Lamborghini – for 6 months only
What was your very first job? Clerk at Video Ezy
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? My Mum, just one more conversation with my Mum, would make my year.
Ideal Holiday? 365 days in the Cook Islands
“Every day, I work to ensure that families feel supported and respected as they navigate their grief. My goal is to craft meaningful experiences that celebrate the memories of loved ones, providing a comforting space for reflection and connection”.
Get to know me
Coffee or Tea? Definitely coffee. A good coffee is the best way to start the day, especially before a busy day supporting families.
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? I’ve always had a bit of an interest in technology – anything from new gadgets to the latest bits and pieces coming out. I enjoy playing around with new tech and figuring out how it all works. Outside of that, I like keeping things pretty simple – spending time with family and mates and having a good laugh.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I’d go with the ability to rewind time. It’d come in handy to make sure everything’s absolutely spot on – both at work and in life. Plus, it’d save me from the odd “should’ve said that differently” moment too.
Are you a morning person or a night owl? More of a morning person. I like getting into the day early, getting organised, and firing on all cylinders makes everything run a bit smoother.
What is the last book you read or podcast you listened to? I tend to lean more towards podcasts, especially anything around tech or interesting real-life stories. It’s a good way to keep learning something new while still winding down a bit.
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? First thing would be making sure my family is looked after, that’s the priority. After that… I won’t lie, there’d probably be a few new gadgets involved. Then I’d look at doing a bit of travel and making some good memories.
What was your very first job? My first job was actually through a temp agency, which was a great way to get thrown in the deep end. It gave me a wide range of experiences pretty quickly and taught me how to adapt, get on with different people, and just get stuck in wherever needed.
If you could go to dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? I’d choose someone who’s lived a full life and has a good sense of humour. Someone you could learn from but also have a decent laugh with. Those are usually the best conversations.
Ideal Holiday? Somewhere warm, relaxed, and not too over the top. Good food, good company, and a chance to switch off properly. Maybe with a bit of tech-free time… although I’d probably still sneak a gadget or two along.
“I feel it’s a privileged position and it humbles me on most day watching our funeral directors connect with our families and the trust that the families put in us to hold and guide them to the funeral that the family are choosing to have”.
Get to know me
Coffee or Tea? Tea
What is your go-to hobby or passion outside of work? Spending time in nature, gardening
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? To be able to Teleport to wherever I choose
Are you a morning person or a night owl? Morning Person
Last book or podcast you read/listened to? We need to talk with Kerry Katona
If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy? Campervan
What was your very first job? Shop Assistant
If you swapped roles with anyone in the company for a day, what would it be? Embalmer
Ideal Holiday? 6 Months in Egypt exploring
Helping you through every step
Compassionate guidance is always available from our experienced funeral directors in Hamilton.
Whether you need help planning a service, have questions, or simply need support, the trusted team is here 24/7 to provide personalised care with professionalism and empathy, ensuring every farewell is meaningful and respectful.
