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After poor service from a nationwide funeral provider, David quickly rescued and took control of an unpleasant situation. He then went on to deliver a thoroughly comprehensive; compassionate and professional service. This included providing a worldwide live-stream of the funeral service including drone filming of the funeral procession to the church.  Feedback from those that attended in person and those that watched from afar was extremely positive and complementary. David’s care and attention to detail and sympathetic handling of my family’s requests is much appreciated. My wife’s Tribute Page hosted on David’s website provides a a loving, impactful and lasting memory. My daughter’s quote perfectly describes the service David has provided: “ It was like emerging from a car crash and walking into the sunset.” 

As a family we want to thank you for ensuring that we gave Ken the best send off possible.  From start to finish you have been a calming influence, guiding us so gently with your warmth and compassion and professional dignity helping us with all the unfamiliar decisions we had to make.  You got the order of service just right with the cricketing images.  Recommending the Golf Club was genius and worked so well for everybody.  Liaising with Darren at Yarm Church, Kate at the Golf Club and the Crematorium on our behalf has been much appreciated.  It is lovely to see the local community in Yarm working together in harmony to give the best service possible.  Your team worked with professional dignity and did you proud.  We couldn’t have placed Ken and his funeral arrangements in better hands.  Thank You so much. 

 From the very first moment, he was more than just a professional—he felt like part of the family. His kindness and attentiveness made all the difference, ensuring that every detail was taken care of with dignity and respect.  He was always there whenever I needed him, offering support and guidance with a level of warmth that went far beyond what I could have expected. Whether it was helping with arrangements or simply being a comforting presence, David made a very challenging time so much easier to bear. I can’t recommend him highly enough to anyone going through a loss. He truly made a lasting impact, and my family will always be thankful for his help and care. 

 This comes with heartfelt thanks for the unlimited kindness and compassion you have shown since the passing of my beloved Husband.  You have demonstrated professionalism, care and commitment in your role and delivered it with such kindness.  You have gone above and beyond in supporting me and providing my Husband with the send off he undoubtedly deserved.  I will treasure your kindness forever. 

 None of us truly know how we want to say goodbye to our loved ones. Through the upsets, hurting and pressures of just wanting to do our best for them, there is just so much to consider and to arrange. Having David there to gently and knowledgeably guide us through each and every step is beyond words of gratitude.
You can claim anything you want on websites and flyers but can you truly deliver? This is a man who can and will. Nothing has been too much for David. His communication and keeping us in the loop was exceptional. Visiting our mam in his premises just felt so dignified and that she was with the right person.
On the day, to see his smile and calm just allowed everyone to breathe and allow him and his team to so calmly, professionally and caringly go about their business. To see him walk in front of the cars to the church was beautiful and so touching. We all commented on how cars stopped and people on the street quietly bowed. He united a community at the time when it was needed most.
We truly hope that others read this review and appreciate that these are heartfelt words of thanks and recommendation for David Knowles Funeral Service. X 

Words can not express how highly we recommend David Knowles. As a family, we felt safely guided by him. Throughout the whole planning and implementation of our father's funeral, David was personable, empathetic and extremely professional. He always made himself available and dealt with any requests we made efficiently and promptly. Indeed, on the day of our dearly beloved father's funeral he conducted it on his day off. David was always five steps ahead of us and as such, the whole process ran faultlessly. There were a few technical difficulties our side - all of which were sorted and just disappeared under David's gentle care. By the end, we all felt David had become part of our family. We parted, thanking him with hugs - full of heartfelt appreciation and admiration for the important part he played in the whole journey. He made a difficult time actually a joyous memory for us. David - thank you so very much 

Still in shock, but at the prompting of a kind nurse, I searched for a funeral service a few hours after my mams passing. My mam had wanted a no fuss direct cremation but I couldn't help but feel the providers who advertise everywhere are probably providing an industrial scale conveyor belt operation; cold, heartless, impersonal.

David appeared high on the list in Google search. I liked the simple, clear design of the website. A view of the video thereon introducing himself I knew this was the man who was going to help me. I met him later that day and he is indeed the amiable, kind, gentle man in the video.

I left his office after arranging the simple direct cremation my mam wished for with a massive weight lifted from my shoulders and feeling a good deal less miserable than earlier. The office itself is in a quiet little business park away from the hustle and bustle; stepping outside to nothing but the sound of a breeze and bird song was calming.

David contacted me every step of the way to advise on arrangements and progress; only ever David, no faceless voices in call centres. I never once had to enquire of anything, no chasing, no hassle, no stress.

The cremation was held at Kirkleatham, which as David said, is a beautiful tranquil place.

Without reservation I recommend David, I'm positive he will care for your loved ones with the dignity and respect they deserve. 

My father died after September 2023.
I want to write this review as I feel compelled to share my experiences as I believe that I was extremely fortunate to have had the care and services from David Knowles, I honestly don’t think I would have coped if it were not for him. I am aware that I asked a lot from him as I couldn’t cope with my loss at such a raw and heart breaking time, but nothing, absolutely nothing was too much. He guided me and my mother through the hardest time of our lives, he took on every aspect of dad’s care from collection to walking in front of the hearse with uttermost respect shown throughout. I don’t write reviews very often but I feel this is one that could help someone in their time of need and I know how lucky and fortunate I was to have found him. 

 The care and professionalism shown by David during a very difficult time for our family was second to none. Flying back from California to say goodbye to my Grandma meant I put David in a bit of a time crunch to get things organised before I has to return to America for work. Not only was David able to organise everything we requested at short notice, but also in a manner that always put our needs first. Saying goodbye to a loved one is always going to be difficult and stressful but David will help you and your family with the utmost dignity, professionalism and kindness. 

David took the time to listen to what was important when he carried out the funerals of both my grandparents. Weren’t just another number like other funeral company’s. He cared and helped us every step of the way. He showed so much empathy and made us all feel at ease  at the most difficult time. I don’t know how we got through the day but David was there to help. I couldn’t think of anyone I would recommend more to carry out a funeral for your loved ones. 

As a Vicar I have had the pleasure of working with David many times. We’ve been used to the highest standards of FDs in my patch, and David’s care, compassion, cheerfulness and efficiency has been much appreciated and valued by our families. If you want someone to lighten your load and your heart at a sad time, then David Knowles is your man. I wish him every success in his new business. 

David has been amazing helping my family through the sudden loss of my husband, I would highly recommend his services, he is such a caring and compassionate man 

David organised my husband’s funeral last week. We found David professional, kind, caring and empathetic. We would highly recommend David and the personal service he provided us as a family. Nothing was too much trouble.

David is a confident and trustworthy funeral director . He was there for all my worries both before during and after the funeral. I can’t thank him enough for guiding me through this painful time.   

I attended the funeral of a dear family friend which was organised by David and his team. Such a professional, dignified, personal and beautiful service delivered by someone who couldn’t do enough for the family and got them through one of the most difficult days of their lives. Highly recommended.  

David organised my husband’s funeral with care compassion respect I am so glad we chose to use his service. Nothing was to much trouble his attention to detail made all the difference. David was not happy until you were. I would also like to mention Caroline Brown who gave the reading again with care and compassion. I would have no hesitation to recommend David . Thank you again from myself and family. 

  David handled the arrangements for my wife's funeral with a standard of professionalism, care, compassion and attention to detail which could not be faulted. I would not hesitate to recommend his services.  

I would highly recommend David Knowles. David showed genuine care and compassion when looking after our family. He was there for all of us 24/7 and looked after our Dad with dignity and respect. The beautiful flowers in the chapel which were personalised to our Dad were also a symbol of the care he provided. Thank you David. 

 When my wife passed away, David Knowles handled her direct cremation with exceptional professionalism, courtesy, and care. Throughout the process, David was incredibly empathetic and supportive, making a difficult time more manageable. He ensured everything was handled smoothly and respectfully, always keeping me informed and addressing any concerns I had promptly. His attention to detail and compassionate approach were deeply appreciated, and he went above and beyond to ensure my wife's final journey was dignified. I am profoundly grateful for David's support to my family and highly recommend his services to anyone in need.  

 I lost my dad roughly a month ago - David and his team treated my dad with the utmost care and respect. They kept myself and my family updated every step of the way and made a real effort to help all of us understand how the process would work with almost daily updates. David and his team were incredibly kind and thoughtful and went above and beyond to support us. David made what was a very stressful time somewhat easier by guiding me and my family through the process. I cannot fault the service and support that we received.  

David was great. Provided a full service and made a very difficult time much easier to deal with. I cant thank him enough. 

The little things mean everything.

Thank you David Knowles for everything you did for us.  You made a bitter time much sweeter with your care and compassion. Your team was amazing and nothing was too much trouble.  The first part of my grief was to give my husband the most beautiful send off possible, and you made that happen.

More than a funeral director.