The family of a woman whose body was snatched from a hearse just an hour before she was meant to be buried have 15 years later found closure in the unveiling of her headstone.

On March 1, 2008, Ivy May Ngahooro passed away after a long battle with cancer, aged 76.

At the time, the Herald reported her family had got into a dispute over where she should be buried, and this led to her daughter Joanne and other family members taking her coffin as she was loaded into the back of a hearse at Seddon Park Funeral Home in Hamilton.

Those family members had plans to bury Ngahooro at Hikairo Marae near Taumarunui in line with their tikanga, but in the end, a court injunction ordered her body to be released back to the funeral home.

Ngahooro, who had 10 children, went on to be buried at Hamilton Park Cemetery - which she had chosen in her will - but up until June this year, she laid in an unmarked grave.

Ivy May Ngahooro.

Ngahooro’s granddaughter Ariana told the Herald she was notified by Joanne and her daughter earlier this year that her nana did not have a headstone after they could not find her plot without being informed of who she was lying in between.

Ariana said despite what had occurred in 2008, they would still not know Ngahooro’s grave was unmarked if it weren’t for Joanne.

She went on to learn that family did not have the capacity to put a headstone in.

 “It was quite a sensitive topic to approach with the rest of the family because it brought up a lot of feelings for them all,” said Ariana.

Ivy Ngahooro's son Andrew is now able to find his mum in the cemetery and sit with her. Photo / Mike Scott

Ariana was determined to get a headstone laid for her nana, though, and went on to track down the executor of her will, Ngahooro’s niece Trish Scoble, in an effort to make the process easier.

Scoble was on board with the idea, and so Ariana’s mum got straight on to designing the headstone.

Just as the headstone was about to be ready to be laid, Ariana came across the Facebook profile of one of Ngahooro’s sons, Andrew, who still lived in Hamilton.

“By coincidence, we found him,” said Ariana.

“He was Nana’s youngest son, and he was very, very close with her.

“He walked to the hospital every day to see her when she was sick.”

After 15 years, a headstone was unveiled for Ivy May Ngahooro. Photo / Mike Scott

Ngahooro’s headstone was unveiled on June 25, and with the newfound connection, Ariana and her family were able to ask Andrew to lead the proceedings.

“It was quite emotional, especially seeing how happy it made some of her sons and daughters,” said Ariana.

“I think it’s brought a sense of closure for a lot of people and a sense of peace.”

Andrew, his carer and one of Ngahooro’s daughters were at the unveiling with Ariana and other family members on a video call.

Now, once a month, Andrew makes his way down to the cemetery to sit and have lunch with his mum.

Asked if there was still a rift in the family, Ariana said she was not certain where everybody stood, but did know her nana would have wanted everyone to move on.