Meet Our Team

Tom Dooley | Owner & Director

Tom has 20 years funeral industry experience including holding the position of General Manager of NSW’s largest funeral business where he was responsible for the operation of over 70 funeral homes.

Prior to the funeral industry, Tom held senior management positions within the hospitality and events industry where he was responsible for the staging of some of the largest and best known sporting and entertainment events throughout Australia.

Since 2002 Tom has owned and operated funeral homes in Victoria and NSW. During this time he has been active within the funeral industry including, holding the positions of State President and National Councillor with the Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA). Tom is active in the Grace business and he is also a highly regarded funeral Celebrant.

Tom does the majority of Grace Funerals public speaking presentations.

Asha Dooley | General Manager

Asha joined the family firm in 2013 following a 10 year management career within the hotel and events industry in the USA, UK and the Middle East.

Asha is responsible for the day to day operations of Grace Funerals where she is actively and closely involved with our client families. Drawing upon her event experience Asha has introduced many innovations to the service offerings at Grace particularly those utilising the latest technology.

Asha has quickly developed a reputation within the Australian funeral industry for her original thinking and in 2015 she won the highly coveted annual AFDA Scholarship for her presentation of “Wow Funerals- the Future of Funerals”. Her prize was a study tour of the USA where she met and interacted with leading funeral professionals while learning of the latest trends.

Asha is active with the funeral industry, she is a currently the President NSW Division of the AFDA; Junior Vice President of the National Council and a National Councilor.

Asha is also sought after for her training skills and she regularly develops and presents webinars and training sessions for other funeral directors and their staff.

Louise Lathouwers | Funeral Director

Louise joined Grace Funerals in September 2016 after a range of roles within the hospitality and events industry.

Based predominately in our Springwood office, Louise says that working with Grace & Blue Mountains Funerals helps her feel connected to her mountains community and that the thanks and appreciation from families is extremely rewarding.

Louise enjoys hearing family stories and using these stories to build individual funeral ceremonies that truly reflect the uniqueness of each life. She particularly loves working with families to create photo slideshow tributes as a wonderful addition to a funeral or memorial service that then become treasured family keepsakes.

Louise cites music as integral to some of the most powerful funeral experiences she has experienced. From playing spectacular classical music “at concert level” to honour a true music lover, or watching grandchildren on the beginning of their musical journey play in loving tribute, to playing that quirky favourite song at the end of a service that gives everyone an unexpected moment of joy.

Away from work, Louise enjoys pottering in the garden with her chickens, the cat and her partner. Entertaining friends and family and enjoying the garden produce make for her favourite kind of day.

Kate Harrison | Funeral Directors Assistant

Kate has been a wonderful addition to the Grace team. As a professional hair stylist she found that she was drawn to the profession.

You will mostly find Kate with a welcoming smile and greeting at a funeral service,  she understands that a funeral can be daunting for the guests and she wants to make you feel at ease.