THE BAROSSA MAG | 37
Honourable undertaking
WORDS BY ALICIA LÜDI-SCHUTZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETE THORNTON
It is said there are only two certainties in life.
Tanunda’ s Clayton Scott pays his taxes like any law abiding citizen but as one of only two‘ Master’ Funeral Directors in the state, he is also in the unique position where death is his living.
Walking into the Nuriootpa funeral parlour which bears his name, you are warmly greeted by a tall, snappily dressed figure.
It’ s then you realise this is someone people spend most of their lives avoiding as far as professions go.
Yet Clayton has the calming, reassuring presence you would expect from an undertaker, even the rich timbre of his voice suits his role to perfection.
One has to wonder though, why does anyone choose to dedicate his life to such a career where tears and sadness are the norm?
Clayton smiles at the question he knew was coming, it seems there’ s an interesting story about to unfold.
“ I grew up in a hotel environment, the Kent Town Hotel,” he says.
“ My father was a publican, he was born in a pub; my mother and her father were publicans and my father’ s father was a publican.
“ That was my life growing up. Day starts, go to school and you come home and go upstairs so you are not in the pub environment.”
Clayton describes an idyllic childhood at“ the top of Rundle Street”.
Back in those days, hotel hours were“ six o’ clock open and eight o’ clock close” and Clayton’ s grandmother, whom he affectionately called“ Narnie”, played an important role in he and his brother’ s upbringing.
“ My grandmother was our carer... she lived at the hotel too. Then she got ill and was taken to hospital and she never came out,” recalls Clayton.
“ I never saw her again. She was gone.”
As a 10 year old, Clayton barely understood the concept of dying and his“ children should not be seen” upbringing in the hotel also rang true for Narnie’ s funeral, so he was not allowed to attend.
“ That didn’ t dwell very well with me... Why couldn’ t we go? What happens?
“ I was very inquisitive and that’ s when the interest started.”