Joannides Funerals

Let Us Lend a Helping Hand

Since 1979, Joannides Funerals has been a family owned and operated funeral home providing professional funeral care to Melbourne’s Greek families.

24/7 At Your Service

The Best Value

The Best Value

Greek Speaking

Joannides Funerals. Since 1979.

 

Our founder, Anthony Joannides, was dedicated to providing compassionate and individual attention to every family who was touched by the loss of a loved one. His business was built on family tradition, dignity, integrity and honesty.

 After his passing in 1991, Anthony Joannides’ daughter – Vriona Joannides – worked in the daily operation of the business and became Melbourne’s first female Greek funeral director. Today, Joannides Funerals continues the proud tradition of being Melbourne’s longest serving Greek funeral home, serving families for more than two generations.

 

We’re With You Every Step of The Way

We know for many families, bereavement is one of the most traumatic events they will be confronted with. Our Funeral Planners will assist you professionally during the arranging of your loved one’s funeral and will support you with compassion through this difficult time. We offer the following services and each can be personalised to your individual needs or requirements.

Burial

We can liaise with your preferred Cemetery to provide options and assist you to select and purchase a cemetery plot, crypt, vault or mausoleum.

 

Cremation

Cremation services that include a funeral can be arranged, providing a broad range of opportunities to commemorate the deceased in a fittingly appropriate manner.

 

Repatriation

We can arrange a repatriation within Australia or Overseas to transfer your loved one to or from Melbourne as part of our repatriation service.

 

Exhumation

We can arrange a repatriation within Australia or Overseas to transfer your loved one to or from Melbourne as part of our repatriation service.

 

Fleet

Our fleet of funeral vehicles, including hearses and mourning cars, are available to comfortably transport family members to and from the funeral service.

 

Our Products

Coffins & Caskets

Coffins and caskets suitable for burials and cremations.

 

Floral Tributes

Traditional and contemporary floral tributes to suite your needs.

 

Tribute Cards

 Tribute cards can be provided by our in-house Tributes Team. They come in different sizes, designs and layouts.

Other Products

Grave markers identify the grave temporarily till the monument is built and candle boxes allow families to have a candle constantly lit for 40 days as is the custom.

Pre-Paid Funerals. Planning Ahead Alleviates Pressure when the Time Comes.

 

A Pre-Paid funeral is a smart way to plan for your funeral. Not only does it guarantee that the complete cost of the funeral will be paid for – regardless of price increases over time – it also alleviates your family from the unnecessary stress of making difficult funeral planning decisions when the time finally comes.

 

What Our Families are Saying

“Thank you Joannides Funerals and in particular Vriona, Michael and Troy for the exceptional and professional service during a sensitive time with the passing of our beloved mother and grandmother. From the beginning of our initial phone call to yourself, Vriona, to the concluding moments of the funeral with the gentle and charming Michael and Troy, the whole process was personable, smoother and you all made a difficult day more bearable. Thank you again Vriona for all your support and daily phone calls. God Bless.”

“Vriona, well done to the beautiful team you have. Georgia. Nicholas & Michael, they are so loving, caring, passionate and professional. Thank you for providing the best possible customer care from the start to the end of the service to everyone.”

“Vriona, you and your team were caring, helpful and professional. Excellent service, Thank you.”

“I found my experience with Joannides Funerals approach in dealing with my family during their time of grief to be a very professional one. They eased some of the pain we were experiencing with their very caring and reassuring approach in handling my brother’s funeral. They were also very thorough in explaining things to us. I highly recommend Joannides Funerals and they will definitely be the ones I turn to if I need them again. Thanks again Nektarios  for all your help! It was very much appreciated!”

Our Team

Our funeral directors are a caring, compassionate and dedicated team of professionals who take pride in our reputation of providing superior quality funeral services and memorial services to all our families

Vriona Joannides

Managing Director

Nektarios Georgaklis

Managing Director

What to do when someone dies

Losing someone close to you can be incredibly difficult, and if you’re responsible for handling funeral arrangements and personal affairs, the experience is often overwhelming.

What you do when someone dies depends on the where the death occurs and sometimes the circumstances of the death. If you’re in doubt, contact Joannides Funerals to seek advice.

You shouldn’t worry about what time you call, because we are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

 

When someone dies at a hospital or nursing home

Many people die in a hospital or nursing home and if this is this case the staff will handle most of the formalities. Also any next of kin will be advised what steps need to be taken.

Most public and some private hospitals will have their own mortuary and the deceased can be kept there until the body is transferred by a funeral director if you choose to appoint one. 

When someone dies at home

If someone you know dies at home it’s important to try to stay calm.

If the person’s death was expected it’s likely that their doctor may have been in touch with you or other close friends or family to discuss what will happen, and you can call the doctor’s surgery to ask them visit as soon as possible. If the deceased doesn’t have a regular GP the police should be called instead. 

A doctor is needed to examine the body to attempt to ascertain the cause of death and write a medical certificate. A funeral cannot be arranged until this certificate has been completed.

If the death is unexpected or you aren’t sure if the person is dead call 000 immediately and ask for an ambulance and explain as best you can what the problem is and describe the circumstances. Once the ambulance crew arrives they will either contact the person’s GP or the police. 

It’s important to know that if the death was unexpected, not clear, is suspicious or the person did not have a regular GP, the police must be called. In some cases the coroner may also be involved to conduct a post mortem to determine the cause of death.

When someone passes away unexpectedly or traumatically

The coroner’s office is responsible for investigating unexplained deaths. Usually, a police officer or medical professional will inform the coroner of what is known as a ‘reportable death’, a death that may require investigation.

After the death is reported to the coroner, they will decide whether or not to investigate. If you feel that the death is reportable but you are not certain that it has been reported, you can do so yourself by contacting your local coroner’s office.

If the coroner is involved in the case of an unexplained death, coronial staff will transfer the deceased from the place of death to the corner’s premises. An autopsy may be required to find out why the person died.

When someone passes away overseas

When someone passes away overseas and you wish to bring the body back to Australia, you need to contact a local funeral directory to assist you. 

It is possible to do some of the transportation organising yourself, but it requires extensive planning. You will need to obtain an overseas death certificate and complete importation papers. For health reasons, the body will need to be embalmed overseas and returned to Australia in an outer coffin or crate suitably prepared for transportation. You may also need to check that the container meets any specific airline requirements. Non-embalmed bodies will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

Given the time constraints involved, it is more common for arrangements to be carried out by funeral directors liaising between Australia and the overseas country involved.

Our Service Areas

We service greater Melbourne and regional Victoria and have offices in Balwyn North and Heidelberg West (both by appointment only). Our staff can be contacted twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week for your convenience.

Balwyn North

Heidelberg West

Let Us Lend a Helping Hand