Ex-secondary school teacher swaps education for funeralcare

Tristan Stubbs decided to step back from teaching in 2018 to dedicate more time to his wife and newborn daughter. 

During his time away from marking papers and preparing lessons, he realised he lacked the sense of fulfilment his partner had been getting from teaching. 

He then decided to quit teaching and, while trying to find his new calling, found a newspaper advert for the role of a funeral bearer based in Cannington. 

The opportunity seemed a good fit for a short-term stint that would allow Tristan to continue figuring out his next career step whilst also providing for his family.

He said: “I had always loved working with people, and driving around seemed enjoyable enough, so I thought - why not?

“I thought it would be no more than a couple of months, during which I could figure out what I wanted to do in life.”

Tristan swapped the classroom for a funeral home. Picture: Co-op (Image: Co-op)

He started working f as a funeral bearer in December 2018 and started a new role as a funeral director at Co-op Funeralcare just four months later.

Tristan had been in his role for roughly a year before the start of the pandemic and says the experience proved as rewarding as it was challenging.

“Shortly after I became funeral director, the Covid-19 pandemic began, leading to me witnessing a considerable number of funerals taking place in a very short period of time,” he said. 

“While it was heart-breaking having to sit down with bereaved families and discuss who would be allowed to attend the funeral service of their loved ones, Covid-19 has led to us establishing wonderful relationships with members of our local communities.

“We have received several heartfelt messages from families we’ve helped, thanking us for making sure their loved ones were getting personalised send-offs that reflected their spirit and lifestyle, despite the difficulties caused by several lockdowns and governmental restrictions.”