About Us
Gentle, Thoughtful & Inclusive
Heart & Soul Funerals is an award winning and independent funeral service based in Buckfastleigh and Totnes, in South Devon. We believe each funeral should be exactly suited to the life, character and values of the person who has died, and that the close circle of the person be able to do what they need during this period, to help the grieving process.
We prioritise choice, transparency and excellent care. Where it feels right, we welcome the active involvement of families and friends with the care of a person whilst they're with us - we're led by what you want and need.
We work across and within Devon, Totnes, Ivybridge, Buckfastleigh, Ashburton, South Brent, Kingsbridge, South Hams, Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth, South Devon, Central Devon.
We're LGBTQIA friendly, a member of the National Society Of Allied And Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) and recommended by the Good Funeral Guide and the Natural Death Centre.
Our Story
Our long-term commitment to improving funerals
Jane Morrell set up her funeral company in 1999, because she thought funerals could be tailored to reflect the life, personality and beliefs of each individual person. Also that their close circle of family and friends could be more involved in making it a special and healing occasion. At that time, most funerals took place in church or at the crematorium, mainly led by clergy or humanists.
Joined by her husband Simon Smith in 2003, they widened their passion for improving funerals, by training more than 600 funeral celebrants across the UK and beyond, and providing more than 400 courses for funeral directors in how to make funerals a more personal experience. The company was originally called Green Fuse, changed to Heart And Soul Funerals in 2012.
Jane and Simon's book, We Need To Talk About The Funeral – 101 Ways To Celebrate And Commemorate A Life, provides useful and practical guidance for navigating all decisions and choices surrounding a funeral. You can access it here, and dip in and out of sections, as is useful for you.
Jane and Simon have now largely retired and passed their work on to another married couple, Birte who joined us in 2018 and has worked in funerals for 15 years, and Paul who joined in 2021.
Our Team
