Event manager Janice Millis (50) and Central Otago district councillor Lynley Claridge (54), both of Alexandra, are the directors of Affinity Funerals.
The new funeral directors will cover Central Otago and Wanaka and the business has a funeral home based in Alexandra.
Two husband-and-wife teams are involved - Janice and Stu Millis and Lynley and John Claridge.
Mrs Millis will work in the business full-time, with the support of the others when needed.
Mrs Claridge intends keeping her present role as practice manager for an accounting firm, but will be on-call for Affinity outside office hours, as the funeral business is a 24-hour, seven-day operation.
The women concede it is an unusual time to be starting a new venture, but they believe there is a need for people to have another choice when it comes to directing funerals.
"We'll offer a family-oriented approach and think we can help people to `normalise' the occasion - to farewell their loved one and make it a celebration of the deceased person's life," Mrs Millis said.
Mrs Claridge said the death of seven close family members had prompted her to think about setting up such a business.
"Going to those funerals and being involved in the planning made me see that death is part of life, and that you can take away good feelings and good experiences from such a sad occasion," Mrs Claridge saidMrs Millis began her training in the industry while working in Australia last year, driven by a desire to help people through the funeral process.
When she returned to Alexandra to live, Mrs Claridge approached her to discuss going into business together.
"We're both mothers and, indeed, grandmothers, and I think that helps.
The female way of caring and nurturing, and everything that encompasses, can bring a different dimension to helping bereaved people, " Mrs Millis said.
They offer the complete service, including co-ordinating and arranging the funeral and attending to all administration and legal requirements.
Families can choose the venue they want.
Both women say they are "community minded" and have been grateful for the support they have received in the past four months while setting up the business.
Mrs Millis's background includes event and project managing.
She also worked for seasonal work co-operative Seasonal Solutions and earlier served a stint as advertising manager for the Lakes District and Central Otago News.
When approached yesterday by the Otago Daily Times and asked about the arrival of competition, Central Otago funeral director Jim Harborow, of Harborow and Co Ltd, declined to comment.
His business has been in operation for 19 years.
