David Walker comes from a long lineage of funeral directors, having grown up immersed in the industry alongside his father and grandfather. In 1996, he and Melissa took their first step into funeral service ownership with the purchase of Bernard Laverty Funerals, marking the beginning of Walker Funeral Group. With decades of hands-on experience, David has led the company’s steady expansion, acquiring and preserving some of Australia’s most historic funeral homes.

Under his leadership, Walker Funeral Group has grown into a trusted name, known for its compassionate service and deep community connections. David remains committed to upholding the traditions and values that have defined his family’s approach to funeral care while embracing modern innovations to better serve families in their time of need.

Melissa Walker’s journey into the funeral profession began after her marriage to David, bringing with her a background in English education and floral design. Her empathetic nature and attention to detail have played a vital role in shaping the Walker Funeral Group’s personalised approach to service. She has been instrumental in ensuring that each funeral reflects the individuality and wishes of the families they serve.

Beyond her leadership in the business, Melissa continues to uphold the company’s commitment to dignity and care, drawing on her creative and compassionate strengths. She plays a key role in maintaining the warmth and professionalism that define Walker Funeral Group, helping families navigate loss with grace and support.

Roshan Strange has a Bachelor of Commerce, Majoring in Accounting as well as being a member of CPA Australia. In the last 24 years Roshan has worked in a number of different finance sector roles. In addition to holding the position of Chief Financial Officer for the Walker Funeral Group Roshan runs her own small boutique accounting firm in which she offers her clients a number of different services.

Holly Venters has a Bachelor of Business Degree, Majoring in Accounting and Marketing from the University of Technology, Sydney. Holly has worked in the Finance sector for the last 19 years, her last role prior to becoming Chief Financial Officer of the Walker Funeral Group was the Group Commercial Manager of an ASX Listed underground coal contracting entity, where she had been employed for 9 years. That entity had at its peak 650 employees, 4 legal entities and revenue of $160 million.

Michael started his industry career in 2003 and is a passionate people manager with over 16 years of experience. During his time with the Walker Funeral Group, Michael has been employed across all levels of business beginning as a Funeral Director and moving through employments as Arranger, Branch Manager, Group HR Manager / New South Wales General Manager and now the company’s Chief Operations Officer.

Cody fell in to the funeral industry by sheer accident when offered a casual position. 10 years later after a long winded history starting his journey as a funeral director, Cody then graduated to a funeral arranger and is now the regional manager of our successful and thriving business. Initially aspiring to join the Australian Federal Police with the degree that he had studied, Cody took great pleasure and responsibility in servicing the same community that he hails from, which has been the driving factor keeping him in the funeral industry.

Dom grew up in regional NSW before commencing boarding school in Sydney. Following graduation Dom commenced a role in the Walker Funeral Group as a Funeral Assistant. Over the years he has progressed through different positions in different funeral businesses within the group before moving into management roles. In 2024 Dom relocated to South East QLD to take on the role of South East QLD Manager. He enjoys the diverse demographic and geographic challenges of operating funeral homes and crematoria in the region. In his ‘downtime’ he is finalising a Bachelor of Applied Finance at Macquarie University.

Born in Dalby, QLD, I grew up in a musical family—my parents still perform and my sister teaches music. I started playing drums at 13 and moved to the Gold Coast after school to pursue music full-time. I toured across Australia, the UK, Europe, and Japan, then relocated to Los Angeles in 2001 where I spent 15 years recording and touring. I returned to Australia in 2016 for a new challenge and joined the funeral industry. After roles in Brisbane, Northern NSW and Melbourne, I moved to Far North QLD in 2022 to take on a management role. Life in FNQ has been an amazing experience, very challenging but extremely rewarding