Video: Better Place Forests Offers Eco-Friendly Funeral Options

Learn About Better Place Forests

Jessica Wakefield with Better Place Forests

Jessica Wakefield with Better Place Forests

Jessica Wakefield, CFSP, Director of Partnerships, Community & Education with Better Place Forests, talks to Before I Die New Mexico Festival participants about their memorial forests. The company offers eco-friendly memorial options for placement of cremated remains and natural organic reduction compost at conservation forests in California, the Midwest, the Northeast and the Southwest.

The company works with death doulas as well as funeral homes to make arrangements for people to spread cremated remains beneath their own memorial trees in a protected forest. Learn how these dedicated final resting places in nature are taking off with cremation customers and how you can participate.

Introducing Better Place Forests

About the Before I Die New Mexico Festival

How do we as individuals and as a society manage death and dying? Before I Die Festivals start important conversations in an upbeat manner.

We’re all going to die, yet less than 30% of adults do any end-of-life planning. No wills or trusts, no advance medical directives and no pre-need funeral planning. That means 70% of our loved ones will scramble to get information and make expensive decisions while grieving a death.

It’s better to talk about our wishes well before death becomes a grim reality and our loved ones can be informed.

The 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival took place November 1-4 at a different location each day in Albuquerque, NM. The festival features entertaining and educational elements that get people to discuss end-of-life issues and plan ahead. Most sessions are being posted on YouTube. You can view videos of sessions from the current festival as well as past festivals at the video page at BeforeIDieFestivals.com.

Each day of the Festival had a theme:

  • November 1 – Eco-Friendly Funerals
  • November 2 – Hospice 101 and MAID
  • November 3 – Planning for the Inevitable
  • November 4 – Unexpected Deaths

View the full schedule of events to see which sessions and topics were carried on Zoom.
2024 Festival Sponsor logos

Thank You to Before I Die Festival Sponsors

The Before I Die New Mexico Festival is made possible by the support of:

The post Video: Better Place Forests Offers Eco-Friendly Funeral Options first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Video: Learn About Eco-Friendly Funerals with Passages International

Darren Crouch, President and CEO of Passages International, talks to Before I Die New Mexico Festival participants about consumer trends toward making funerals more eco-friendly. Since 1999, Passages has provided biodegradable, sustainable and eco-friendly funeral products to funeral homes in the U.S. and internationally. Passages hosted the first day of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival at their headquarters in Albuquerque, NM.

Watch the video to learn about:

  • Changes in funeral consumer preferences.
  • The growing interest in green burial.
  • The challenges cremation poses and greener cremation alternatives.
  • Fair Trade practices and Green Burial Council certification.
  • Biodegradable urns and scatter tubes.
  • Creating meaningful memorial experiences.
  • Passages’ Etern.Life geotagging program for mapping placements and memorials for cremated remains.
Eco-Friendly Funeral Trends with Darren Crouch, President and CEO of Passages International

About the Before I Die New Mexico Festival

The 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival took place November 1-4 at a different location each day in Albuquerque, NM. The festival features entertaining and educational elements that get people to discuss end-of-life issues and plan ahead. Most sessions are being posted on YouTube and available at the video page on the festival website, www.BeforeIDieFestivals.com. Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death, is the coordinator of the festival.

Each day of the Festival had a theme:

  • November 1 – Eco-Friendly Funerals
  • November 2 – Hospice 101 and MAID (Medical Aid In Dying)
  • November 3 – Planning for the Inevitable
  • November 4 – Unexpected Deaths

View the full schedule of events to see which sessions and topics were carried on Zoom. They will become available as YouTube videos. Video of the 2024 festival preview event, Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews: Death Doula Edition, is also currently available.

2024 Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews: Death Doula Edition!

Thank You to Before I Die Festival Sponsors

The Before I Die New Mexico Festival is made possible by the support of:

2024 Before I Die NM Festival Sponsor logos

The post Video: Learn About Eco-Friendly Funerals with Passages International first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Celebrating the Life of the Remarkable Ruth Rubin

Ruth Rubin was my mother. As a Certified Funeral Celebrant, I was honored to write her obituary and create this graveside service for her. Here is my script for the service, so you can see the elements of Recognize, Remember, Reaffirm and Release that comprise every good funeral or memorial service.

Music (Adonai Li)

Welcome. We just listened to Adonai Li, the High Holiday rendition of the last stanza of the song Adon Olam. The translation is “God is near, I have no fear.” Most of you here in person at King David Memorial Park know me, I’m Gail Rubin, Ruth Rubin’s daughter. I’m also a Certified Funeral Celebrant, honored to escort my mother to her final resting place and celebrate her life.

(Reading from the “Rabbi’s Manual” by the Central Conference of American Rabbis) In nature’s ebb and flow, God’s eternal law abides. When tears dim our vision and grief clouds our understanding, we often lose sight of God’s eternal plan. Yet we know that growth and decay, life and death, all reveal the divine purpose. God, who is our support in the struggles of life, is also our hope in death. We have set God before us and shall not despair. In God’s hands are the souls of the living and the spirits of all flesh. Under divine protection we abide, and by God’s love we are comforted. Oh Life of our life, Soul of our soul, cause your light to shine into our hearts, and fill our spirit with abiding trust in you.

Ruth Rubin

Ruth Rubin

Ruth Nancy Rubin, a kind, sweet, strong woman, exhaled her last breath on October 31, 2024. She lived and loved for 95 years.

She was born in Rochester New York October 16, 1929, to Phil and Min Bubes, three minutes before her twin brother Syd. Brother Larry came along a few years later. The family moved to New Jersey and then to the Washington, D.C. area, where Ruth graduated from Montgomery Blair High School and the University of Maryland College Park.

During college, brother Syd introduced Ruth to his friend Sheldon Rubin. The couple hit it off from the moment they met, launching a lifetime of love and adventure. They married on June 19, 1954. First came love, then came marriage, then came offspring in a baby carriage: Mitch (spouse Spencer), Gail (spouse David, deceased), Lee (previous spouse Maria), and Glen (spouse Pat), in that order. Granddaughter Dianne (spouse Geoffrey) came along, and she had great-grandson Max in 2022. Ruth and Shelly enjoyed 69 years of marriage until death parted them when he died at the age of 93 in August 2023.

After college and before the family came along, Ruth Rubin taught elementary school for two years in Baltimore and Silver Spring. She became a stay-at-home mom who was incredibly active: a troop leader in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, a member of Shaare Tefila synagogue’s sisterhood and a life member of Hadassah, starting with the Kadima Chapter in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. She and Shelly managed real estate properties together, cleaning out houses and bringing home unusual items left by tenants, such as an old wagon wheel, oriental carpets, and anything nautical.

She was a wonderful cook and “hostess with the mostest.” She made the fluffiest matzoh balls, the best brisket, and kugel to die for. She hosted holiday gatherings and parties throughout the year while making it look easy. Family gatherings with the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins took place regularly either at the Rubin, Cohen or Bubes households: Passover, Thanksgiving, Hannukah, New Years, Super Bowls, birthdays, bar and bat mitzvahs. She loved pickles and reminisced about the wonderful sauerkraut her Bubbe in Rochester made.

She managed the family camping trips. An epic 1970 cross country trip from Washington, D.C. to California and back had her managing four kids ranging from age 15 to 9 in a pop up Starcraft camper named Frodo. Every summer there was a week at Ocean City or Rehoboth Beach. The family would go boating on the Chesapeake and camping in the mountains of Maryland and Virginia. With husband Shelly they went on many trips to exotic, far flung places. The family would reunite for milestone anniversary celebrations, including cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, and along the Mississippi River from Memphis to New Orleans.

Ruth Rubin loved nurturing plants and had a large collection of potted flora that transferred to each home they lived in: Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Leisure World, Delray Beach, FL, and Albuquerque, NM. She also loved butterflies, which offer a metaphor for transformation from the physical world to the spiritual.

Everyone I’ve spoken to about Mom and Dad commented how caring and supportive, sweet and funny they both were. Mom and Dad were prolific card senders, for birthdays, anniversaries and holidays.

While she had a sweet disposition, she was also a tough cookie. She faced multiple health challenges throughout her life, and still wanted to live on, even when persistent pneumonia became just too much to overcome. She had three hospitalizations since July. When she was admitted to the hospital on October 17, the day after her 95th birthday, this time she was in the Intensive Care Unit. The doctors recommended hospice, and she spent 11 days on in-patient hospice care at Delray Medical Center. October 31, the day she passed, is noted in numerous cultures as the day when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds is the thinnest. Halloween will now always have a special meaning for us.

If there are people here in person or online who would like to share some thoughts, the floor is open. Unmute yourself before speaking. We have friends from Symphony at Delray, the assisted living facility where Mom and Dad lived since 2021, and family and friends from near and far online. (comments from friends and family about Ruth Rubin)

I don’t know where she got her Jewish education, but she was able to follow along reading the Hebrew in the prayer books at services. She made sure all the kids got a good Jewish education, with Sunday school, weekday Hebrew school, bar and bat mitzvahs, and confirmation. She made me a life member of Hadassah, just like her.

Lee, who lives in Delray Beach and was incredibly supportive of the folks in their final years, sent me a voice recording of Mom during the Jewish New Year. She was having breathing difficulties as she recited the Priestly Blessing: “May God bless you and keep you. May God’s countenance shine upon you. May God lift you up and give you peace.”

Please join me in the recitation of the 23rd Psalm.

Every Jewish funeral includes the prayer El Malei Rachamim, Source of Compassion. Let us listen to this rendition of the prayer (Bluetooth to speaker)

The Hebrew translates to: “God full of mercy who dwells on high, provide a true rest on the wings of the Divine Presence amongst the holy and pure ones who shine as brightly as the brilliance of the sky to the soul of Ruth Rubin, who has gone on to eternity. The Garden of Eden will be her resting place. We beseech the Merciful One to shade her forever with divine wings, and to bind her soul up in the bonds of life. Adonai is her heritage, and may she rest peacefully. And let us say, Amen.”

Recite Mourner’s Kaddish

Lower the casket

(Reading from the “Rabbi’s Manual” by the Central Conference of American Rabbis) Early or late, all must answer the summons to return to the Source of being, for we lose our hold on life when our time has come, as the leaf falls from the bough when its day is done. The deeds of the righteous enrich us all, as the fallen leaf enriches the soil beneath. The dust returns to the earth, the spirit lives on with God.

Throwing dirt on the casket is a mitzvah, as you are helping to bury the dead. There’s a tradition of avoiding passing the shovel, as pain should not pass from hand to hand. Place the shovel/trowel back in the dirt for the next person to pick up.

Ruth Rubin memorial candle and cardsYou are invited to visit with the family at an AirBNB house in Silver Spring where we are staying. It’s on Bonifant Road, right around the corner from the house we lived in on Sandy Ridge Road. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, come visit. Ask any of the siblings for the address.

Sometimes, when wrapping up a conversation, Mom would say, “Okay, back on your heads.” It’s the punchline to a joke.

An evil man dies and goes to hell. The Devil shows him three options for eternal damnation. Behind door number one is a flaming rock ravine where souls are tortured by demons with pitchforks. Behind door number two, in a raging ocean, souls chained to rocks are constantly beaten by huge waves. Behind door number three, people are standing around drinking coffee, up to their knees in shit. Compared to the other options, this doesn’t seem so bad, so he chooses door number three. As soon as he chooses, a demon announces, “Okay, coffee break’s over. Back on your heads.” So, back on your heads.

A recent Pearls Before Swine cartoon featured the Wise Ass on the Hill, who came down to deliver a message that just wouldn’t wait. “There is no past. There is no future. There is only the present moment. And we don’t know how many of them we have left. So hug your loved ones and do everything you can to celebrate the moment that you’re in.”

Thank you for joining us to honor and celebrate the life of Ruth Rubin. Please keep her and the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Ruth Rubin Family Video and Photos

60 Years of Love and Knishes

The post Celebrating the Life of the Remarkable Ruth Rubin first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Remarkable Speakers at the 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival

Three of the speakers at the 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival are coming to Albuquerque from out of town. These remarkable women are Tammy J. Holmes, Kathy B. Dempsey and Dr. Kimberly Harms. Their presentations will knock your socks off! Here’s some information about each of them and their talks.

Tammy Holmes, Saturday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. MT

Tammy Holmes

Tammy Holmes

Tammy is a noted psychic who has spoken at previous Before I Die Festivals. She is speaking on Grief Insights from Beyond the Veil, bringing an uplifting message from our departed loved ones on what they want us to know about grieving losses.

Throughout her speaking career, Tammy has manifested her desire to make a difference in the lives she encounters, by touching each person she meets with joy and love. She has an amazing ability to connect others to their inner and outer worlds — their oneness and their God-self, allowing them to expand their consciousness to love more fully, thereby creating lives of spiritual abundance and hope. Her words will penetrate your soul and welcome you into your personal spiritual journey.

Tammy Holmes has learned so much about life, not just the day-to-day lessons of how to survive, but deeper, life-changing lessons that continue to allow her to evolve spiritually. Those lessons are conveyed through her speaking and spiritual readings. Tammy’s book, Remembering One, Once Again, embodies these lessons, and are evident in the topics of her various speaking engagements. Tammy is always attuned to her audience and delivers inspiring, meaningful words specific to those in attendance. Spirit guides her talks, allowing each member in attendance to take away something that guides him or her along a positive, ever-evolving life-path.

Learn more about Tammy at her website, www.TammyJHolmes.com.

REGISTER FOR THE FESTIVAL HERE

Kathy B. Dempsey, Sunday, November 3 at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. MT

Kathy Dempsey

Kathy Dempsey

Kathy is an award winning author, keynote speaker, and recognized change expert. She also became certified as a death doula. She will speak on Sunday on the 1:00 p.m. panel discussion, Shed Before You’re Dead, about downsizing; and at 2:00 p.m. she is speaking on Would You Hold a Living Funeral For Yourself? On Monday, November 4, she and Dr. Kimberly Harms will present the interactive learning session, Your Clock is Ticking: Are You Ready? Participants will learn about unexpected death and how to prepare for it as time runs out for individuals in the audience.

Kathy’s ‘signature story’ is her transformation as an ER/trauma nurse who became the first health care worker in America to be diagnosed positive for AIDS as a result of workplace exposure. She received national attention as a result of this life-altering hospital-based event that ‘made her a poster child’ for the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The diagnosis, a death sentence in the mid-80s, was confirmed with multiple positive tests. Months later, all tests returned negative. A miracle or medical error? No one is able to explain. The three months that Kathy lived with that traumatic diagnosis was a life-altering experience.

Kathy speaks about shedding, the continual process of letting go of the old and taking on the new. Throughout life we go through a lot of attachments and detachments, not just the physical ones like birth and death, but also emotional ones. Your ability to deal with life’s detachments is about obtaining peace and happiness. As Kathy says, “Shedding what no longer serves you isn’t a loss; it’s making room for transformation.” Her most popular book, Shed or You’re Dead®: 31 Unconventional Strategies for Growth and Change, is the recipient of a Writer’s Digest International Book Award.

Learn more about Kathy at her website, www.KeepShedding.com.

REGISTER FOR THE FESTIVAL HERE

Kimberly Harms, DDS, Sunday, November 3 at 9:00 a.m. MT

Kimberly Harms DDS

Kimberly Harms, DDS

Dr. Kimberly Harms, an award winning bestselling author and international speaker with 30 years of experience, is committed to challenging societal norms surrounding death and end-of-life planning. Her book, Are You Ready? How to Build a Legacy to Die For, is designed to ensure our loved ones are emotionally secure once we leave this mortal plane of existence.

Her talk on Sunday, Let’s Get Ready! Everything You Need to Know Before You Go, explores the need to go beyond traditional estate planning and get our affairs in order emotionally. She is joining with Kathy Dempsey on Monday, November 4 to conduct the interactive learning session, Your Clock is Ticking: Are You Ready?

Her life story includes heart-breaking losses. She recognized the unfortunate truth that calamity and catastrophe are an unavoidable part of life. Those affected by loss are left in shock and grief, left wondering how they can cope with the world. Her hope is to give audiences the skills necessary to prepare them for a healing path to joy and peace no matter what life brings.

Learn more about Kimberly at her website, www.DrKimberlyHarms.com.

View the full schedule for the 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival here. These sessions will be available on Zoom to those who register.

REGISTER FOR THE FESTIVAL HERE

Thank you to our 2024 Festival Sponsors:

2024 Festival Sponsor logos

 

The post Remarkable Speakers at the 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Video: Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews Death Doula Edition

The Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews: Death Doula Edition is a panel discussion with three Albuquerque area death doulas dishing the dirt on what they do. This was a preview event for the seventh annual Before I Die New Mexico Festival, November 1 to 4, 2024. Thanks to Tractor Brewing Wells Park location for hosting the event!

Death Doulas Millennial Morticians panel

L to R: Death Doulas Danielle Slupesky, Kelly Saindon, Brooke Nutting and Nikki Neuen.

Watch the video

2024 Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews: Death Doula Edition!

The death doula panelists and emcee:

Watch the video to learn:

  • What is a death doula?
  • How do you get certified to be a death doula?
  • How do death doulas work with hospices and funeral homes?
  • What do you do for the dying person and their families?
  • What’s the most unusual death or memorial service you’ve witnessed?

This event was a preview for the 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival, taking place November 1-4 at a different location each day in Albuquerque, NM. The festival has entertaining and educational elements that get people to discuss end-of-life issues and plan ahead. Most sessions will be available online as hybrid events, with audiences participating both in-person and via Zoom.

Each day has a theme: November 1 – Eco-Friendly Funerals; November 2 – Hospice 101 and MAID; November 3 – Planning for the Inevitable; November 4 – Unexpected Deaths. Each evening, watch a Mortality Movie related to each day’s theme and stick around for a lively discussion! The festival is coordinated by GailRubin, host of the Mortality Movies TV series.

View the schedule and register online at: https://beforeidiefestivals.com/2024-before-i-die-nm-festival-event-schedule/

Thank you to our 2024 Festival Sponsors:

2024 Festival Sponsor logos

The post Video: Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews Death Doula Edition first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Discussing How To Achieve a Good Death on the Doyenne of Death Podcast

Achieving a Good Death book coverOn the latest episode of The Doyenne of Death Podcast, host Gail Rubin interviews author Chris Palmer on his latest book, Achieving a Good Death: A Practical Guide to the End of Life. Learn what you need to know before you go! Download and listen to the episode here.

Among the topics discussed are advanced care planning, funeral planning, hospice and communicating with loved ones what your end-of-life wishes might be.

Chris Palmer, author

Chris Palmer, author

Author and end-of-life activist Chris Palmer explains how a good death is achievable in his new book, Achieving a Good Death: A Practical Guide to the End of Life.There is an art to dying well that can be taught and learned. While death is inevitable, dying badly is not. The book was published by Bloomsbury on October 1, 2024.

Chris is an end-of-life activist and a trained hospice volunteer. He frequently gives presentations and workshops to community groups on aging, death, and dying issues. He founded and leads an aging, death, and dying group and serves on the board of several nonprofits focused on end-of-life issues, including the Funeral Consumers Alliance, Montgomery Hospice, Final Exit Network, and the Hemlock Society.

He has written ten books —proceeds from all his books fund scholarships for American University (AU) students. Chris Palmer served 14 years on AU’s full-time faculty as Distinguished Film Producer in Residence. He holds advanced degrees from Harvard and University College London. Before becoming involved in end-of-life issues, he spent forty years as a wildlife and conservation filmmaker. To learn more about Chris, visit www.ChrisPalmerOnline.

Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death and Certified Thanatologist, hosts the podcast. She also hosts the TV series, Mortality Movies. An award-winning speaker and author, she is also the coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival. The Association for Death Education and Counseling recognized Gail’s work with their 2024 Community Educator Award.

The post Discussing How To Achieve a Good Death on the Doyenne of Death Podcast first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival Video and Schedule

Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death and coordinator of the 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival, has a message for you about the upcoming events, available online as well as in-person in Albuquerque. In-person preview events take place October 24 and 26, and the online sessions will be available November 1-4. The full schedule of events follows.

2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival Promo

The Before I Die New Mexico Festival will take place at different locations each day in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The festival has entertaining and educational elements that get people to discuss end-of-life issues and plan ahead. Most sessions will be available online as hybrid events, with audiences participating both in-person and via Zoom.

View the schedule and register online at: https://beforeidiefestivals.com/2024-before-i-die-nm-festival-event-schedule/

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Location: Tractor Brewing Wells Park, 1800 4th Street NW, ABQ, NM 87102

Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews: Death Doula Edition

6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Free event! Buy a drink and ask questions of death doulas Brooke Nutting, Danielle Slupesky and Kelly Saindon, Licensed Spiritual Counselor, during this evening at Tractor Brewing Wells Park location. Stick around for the film Just Buried, a comedic look at how the owner and staff of a funeral home in a small town stays in business.

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Death is Not a Dirty Word Resource Fair: Location: Unity Spiritual Center, 9800 Candelaria Rd. NE, ABQ NM 87112

9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Albuquerque is blessed with incredible resources to support end-of-life planning and care. Come meet your local resources, from home funerals to green burial, sacred space to legal documents, and everything in between. Free, refreshments provided.

Murder and Mayhem Cemetery Tour: Location: Historic Fairview Cemetery, 700 Yale Blvd. SE, ABQ, NM 87109

1:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Murder and Mayhem Tour (Register for the festival at the $80 level)

Wear your walking shoes for this fascinating tour of Historic Fairview Cemetery! Meet some of the “permanent residents” who died because of murder or mayhem. This is a fundraiser for the nonprofit organization supporting the cemetery, founded in 1881.

Death Over Dinner Event: Location: Provided upon registration

6:30 p.m. Join Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death and Before I Die Festival Coordinator, for an intimate dinner and discussion (register for the festival at $100 level).

REGISTER HERE

Friday, November 1, 2024

Theme: Eco-Friendly Funerals: Location: Passages International Headquarters, 4516 Anaheim Ave. NE, ABQ, NM 87113

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Check in/coffee

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Welcome by Darren Crouch, president of Passages International and the Green Burial Council, discussion of eco-friendly funerals and Etern.Life geo tag program. (viewable on Zoom)

10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. A representative of Better Place Forests talks about their innovative memorial forests that provide a natural alternative to cemeteries. (viewable on Zoom)

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tour of Passages International headquarters, lunch with Death Café discussion.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Panel discussion: Desert, Forest, Sea, Etc. – Eco-Friendly Disposition Options, panelists TBA (viewable on Zoom)

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Demonstration of shrouding process. (viewable on Zoom)

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Bamboo and Jute Casket Assembly Contest. (viewable on Zoom)

November 1 Evening Event: Mortality Movies Showing and Discussion

Location: Death Doula Professionals, 1724 Moon Street NE, ABQ, NM 87112

6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Watch a film related to the day’s theme of environmental issues and death and stick around for an insightful conversation. Attendees to vote on the choice of the 1973 classic Soylent Green or the 2014 documentary, A Will for the Woods.

Saturday, November 2, 2024

Theme: Hospice 101: Location: Bosque Trails Hospice, 303 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Suite 104, ABQ, NM 87108 (use the entrance through the gate on Copper Avenue at San Mateo.)

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Check in/coffee

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Hospice 101 and Medical Aid In Dying (MAID) with staff of Bosque Trails Hospice. (viewable on Zoom)

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Hospice experiences with Gail Rubin and other speakers. (viewable on Zoom)

Noon – 1:00 p.m. Lunch with discussion/Barbara Karnes New Rules of Hospice video.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Grief Insights from Beyond the Veil with noted psychic Tammy Holmes. (viewable on Zoom)

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Veterans’ Care and Funeral Benefits with Bosque Trails Social Workers. (viewable on Zoom)

3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Five Wishes workshop – introduction to the Five Wishes form and opportunity to fill out the document. (viewable on Zoom)

REGISTER HERE

November 2 Evening Event: Mortality Movies Showing and Discussion

Location: Death Doula Professionals, 1724 Moon Street NE, ABQ, NM 87112

6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Watch a film related to the day’s theme of hospice and stick around for an insightful conversation. Attendees to vote on the choice of the 2007 film Two Weeks or the 2024 film His Three Daughters.

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Theme: Planning for the Inevitable: Location: Death Doula Professionals, 1724 Moon Street NE, ABQ, NM 87112

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Check in/coffee

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. “Let’s Get Ready! Everything You Need to Know Before You Go” with Dr. Kimberly Harms. Her talk explores the need to go beyond traditional estate planning and get our affairs in order emotionally. Acquire actionable steps for developing an Emotional Insurance Plan, and learn practical strategies for fostering forgiveness, reconciliation, and emotional healing within personal relationships. Her latest book is “Are You Ready? How to Build a Legacy to Die For.” (viewable on Zoom)

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Chris Palmer, author of the new book, Achieving a Good Death: A Practical Guide to the End of Life, will discuss the elements needed to achieve a gentle, dignified, and peaceful death (presenting via Zoom).

11:30 – 1:00 p.m. Death Café conversation over lunch – an opportunity to discuss mortality concerns, openly and honestly.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. “Shed Before You’re Dead” Downsizing panel discussion with Kathy B. Dempsey, RN, MED, CSP, Dr. Kimberly Harms, and Miriam Ortiz Y Pino with More Than Organized on the benefits of culling our massive amounts of stuff and ways to do it. (viewable on Zoom)

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. “Would You Hold a Living Funeral for Yourself?” with Kathy Dempsey, who is also a death doula who has helped clients hold their own funerals while they are still alive. (viewable on Zoom)

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Book signing with Kathy Dempsey and Kimberly Harms.

REGISTER HERE

November 3 Evening Event: Mortality Movies Showing and Discussion

Location: Death Doula Professionals, 1724 Moon Street NE, ABQ, NM 87112

6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Watch a film related to the day’s theme of discussing and planning for end-of-life issues and stick around for an insightful conversation. Attendees to vote on the choice of the 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude or the 2007 film The Bucket List.

Monday, November 4, 2024

Theme: Unexpected Deaths: Location: South Valley Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 2008 Larrazolo Rd. SW, ABQ, NM 87105 (located just off of Atrisco Drive SW)

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Check in/coffee

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.  Indigent cremation and burial in Bernalillo County, Diane Chavez, Operations Manager for General Services, Bernalillo County. (viewable on Zoom)

10:30 a.m. – noon The Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI) in New Mexico, Lauren Dvorscak, Deputy Chief of OMI. (viewable on Zoom)

Noon to 1:00 p.m. Lunch and Death Café

1:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. “Your Clock is Ticking: Are You Ready?” In this highly interactive session with Kathy Dempsey and Dr. Kimberly Harms, learn about unexpected death and how to prepare for it, as time runs out for individuals in the audience. (viewable on Zoom)

3:00 – 3:50 p.m. Panel on Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) with Sherry Burns, Deborah Dugan, and Leah Becker from End of Life Options New Mexico (viewable on Zoom)

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. “Peace of Mind” with Karla Barela Lucero, Advance Planning Consultant, French Funerals and Cremations (viewable on Zoom)

REGISTER HERE

November 4 Evening Event: Mortality Movies Showing and Discussion

Location: Death Doula Professionals, 1724 Moon Street NE, ABQ, NM 87112

6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Watch a film related to the day’s theme of unexpected deaths and stick around for an insightful conversation. Attendees to vote on the choice of the 1991 film My Girl or the 2006 film The Queen.

Choose your registration level:

  • $20 – Provides online Zoom access and for in-person attendees, a goodie bag with A Good Goodbye DVD set.
  • $40 – Includes a copy of the book, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die.
  • $60 – Includes a T-shirt from A Good Goodbye (Sizes M-L-XL-XXL)
  • $80 – Includes registration for the Murder and Mayhem Cemetery Tour October 26.
  • $100 – Includes Death Over Dinner event on October 26.

Register online for all events at: https://beforeidiefestivals.com/product/before-i-die-nm-festival-registration/

The Before I Die New Mexico Festival is made possible by the support of:

2024 Festival Sponsor logos

The post 2024 Before I Die New Mexico Festival Video and Schedule first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Cheerfully Discuss Death at the Before I Die New Mexico Festival!

The seventh annual Before I Die New Mexico Festival will take place in Albuquerque from November 1-4, 2024, with preview events on October 24 and 26. With entertaining and educational elements to discuss and plan for end-of-life issues, this festival is a must-attend event for your 100% guaranteed mortality.

Before I Die NM Festival square artThe festival offers outside-the-box activities and nationally recognized speakers at locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with online Zoom access options. Highlights include:

  • Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews: Death Doula Edition at Tractor Brewing (Oct. 24),
  • Death is Not a Dirty Word Resource Fair (Oct. 26),
  • Murder and Mayhem Tour of Historic Fairview Cemetery (Oct. 26) and
  • Mortality Movies each night of the festival (Nov. 1-4).

Gail Rubin, festival coordinator and The Doyenne of Death®, has been holding Before I Die Festivals in New Mexico since 2017. “While it won’t kill you to discuss death, I’ve had five family members die over the past year and a half. I can tell you from experience planning ahead makes a difficult time much easier to handle, and it saves money, too.”

Each day of the festival features a theme: Eco-Friendly Funerals (Nov. 1), Hospice 101 (Nov. 2), Planning for the Inevitable (Nov. 3), and Unexpected Deaths (Nov. 4). Morning coffee and Death Cafe conversations over lunch are included at each day’s programming. Nationally recognized festival speakers include:

  • Renowned psychic Tammy J. Holmes on “Grief Insights from Beyond the Veil,”
  • Dr. Kimberly Harms on “Let’s Get Ready! Everything You Need to Know Before You Go,” on preparing our emotional estate plans, and,
  • Kathy B. Dempsey on “Shed Before You’re Dead” and “Would You Hold a Living Funeral for Yourself?”

Other Before I Die New Mexico Festival speakers will address topics such as indigent deaths, green funerals, Medical Aid In Dying (MAID) in New Mexico, veterans benefits, The Five Wishes, and other topics. Daytime speaker sessions will be available on Zoom thanks to Keeper Memorials.

Tickets for the festival range from $20 to $100. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit organization Historic Fairview Cemetery, to support the restoration of the grounds and to share the history of Albuquerque through the lives of the people buried there.

For more information about the Before I Die New Mexico Festival, including ticket details, the schedule of events, and featured speakers, please visit: https://beforeidiefestivals.com/2024-before-i-die-nm-festival-event-schedule/

The Before I Die New Mexico Festival is made possible by the support of:

2024 Festival Sponsor logos

For media inquiries, interviews, or press passes, please contact:

Gail Rubin, Festival Coordinator: Gail@AGoodGoodbye.com | Office: 505-265-7215 | Cell: 505-363-7514

The post Cheerfully Discuss Death at the Before I Die New Mexico Festival! first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

2024 Deathcare Superconference: Building Bridges in the Deathcare Landscape Set to Unite Industry Professionals in Seattle

Building Bridges Superconference

Attend the 2024 Deathcare Superconference!

The vibrant city of Seattle will play host to the much-anticipated 2024 Deathcare Superconference, September 27-29, 2024. This gathering is designed to bring together professionals across the deathcare industry, from funeral directors and cemetery managers to grief counselors and cremation specialists. This event promises to be a cornerstone for advancing practices, sharing knowledge, and building lasting relationships within this essential sector.

Sponsors

A Good Goodbye is a co-sponsor of this event, which is being put on by the National Home Funeral Alliance, the National End of Life Doula Alliance, the Funeral Consumers Alliance, and People’s Memorial Association. Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death®, founder of A Good Goodbye and the Before I Die New Mexico Festival, will be attending the event in person.

You can attend either in-person or online. CLICK HERE to learn more and register. Watch parties are being organized in multiple cities, so people can gather to experience the event by zoom. Learn about watch parties here.

Other sponsors include Compassion & Choices, Keeper Memorials / Talk Death, Cremation Association of North America, End of Life Washington, Final Exit Network, Fitting Tribute Funeral Services, LLC, A Good Goodbye, Green Burial Council, Passages International, and Titan Casket.

A Vision for Unity and Growth

This year’s theme, Building Bridges in the Deathcare Landscape, speaks to the conference’s mission to foster collaboration across the diverse fields within the deathcare industry. In an era where the industry is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements, changing societal norms, and increasing demand for personalized services, the conference aims to bridge gaps between traditional practices and modern innovations. Attendees will explore ways to enhance their services, support grieving families, and navigate the complexities of today’s deathcare environment.

The goal of this event is for alternative deathcare and funeral care providers to share resources and have high-level conversations about what we want the future of deathcare to look like, from death doulas to hospice to home funerals to green burials and alternative disposition options to protecting consumer funerary rights.

Keynote Speakers and Sessions

The 2024 Deathcare Superconference will feature an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, each bringing unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Highlights include:

– Dr. Jessica Caldwell, a renowned thanatologist, who will discuss the psychology of grief in the digital age, offering strategies for supporting families through virtual and in-person channels.
– Michael Hansen, CEO of GreenPath Memorial Services, will present on sustainable deathcare practices, emphasizing the importance of eco-friendly options in today’s environmentally-conscious market.
– Samantha Lee, a cultural anthropologist, will lead a session on the diverse cultural perspectives on death and how these can inform more inclusive and respectful deathcare practices.

In addition to keynote presentations, the conference will offer a wide array of workshops, panels, and roundtable discussions. Topics will range from the latest in cremation technology and digital memorialization to legal updates affecting the industry and innovative approaches to end-of-life planning.

Networking and Collaboration Opportunities

One of the key features of the Deathcare Superconference is the opportunity for attendees to network and collaborate. The conference will include several networking events, including a welcome reception, industry-specific roundtables, and a closing gala. These events are designed to facilitate meaningful connections, allowing professionals to share experiences, discuss common challenges, and explore pottial partnerships.

Additionally, the conference will host an exhibition hall showcasing the latest products, services, and technologies in the deathcare industry. From casket manufacturers to software developers, exhibitors will present their offerings, giving attendees the chance to explore new tools and solutions that can enhance their services.

Location and Accessibility

Seattle, known for its stunning natural scenery and rich cultural landscape, is the ideal location for this year’s conference. The event will take place at the Central Library located in the heart of downtown Seattle. The venue is easily accessible, with a variety of accommodations, dining options, and attractions nearby, making it convenient for both local and international attendees.

Registration and Further Information

Registration for the 2024 Deathcare Superconference is now open. For more information, including the full conference agenda, speaker bios, and registration details, visit the official conference website.

As the deathcare industry continues to evolve, the 2024 Deathcare Superconference in Seattle offers an invaluable opportunity for professionals to come together, share knowledge, and build the bridges needed to navigate the future successfully. Whether you’re a seasoned industry veteran or new to the field, this conference promises to provide the insights, connections, and inspiration you need to thrive in this vital sector.

The post 2024 Deathcare Superconference: Building Bridges in the Deathcare Landscape Set to Unite Industry Professionals in Seattle first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

New TV Series ‘Mortality Movies’ Takes Death Education to a New Level

Gail Rubin host of Mortality Movies

Gail Rubin, CT, host of Mortality Movies.

‘Mortality Movies,’ a new television series hosted by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®, delves into death education through curated film and television clips. Each 30-minute episode tackles different themes related to death, funerals, grief, and a host of end-of-life issues.

Each 30-minute episode has a different theme and supporting clips:

  • Discussing Death Won’t Kill You: Patch Adams, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Coco
  • Cultural Landmark Films about Death: The Seventh Seal, Harold and Maude, Defending Your Life
  • Medicine and Mortality: Wit, Checking Out, Critical Care, The Descendants
  • Funeral Planning: The Queen, The Living Wake, Six Feet Under, The Kominsky Method
  • Funeral Shopping: The Loved One, The Kominsky Method, About Schmidt, The Big Lebowski, Six Feet Under
  • Woody Allen on Death: Love and Death, Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters
  • Viking Funerals on Film: Beau Geste, The Vikings, Rocket Gibraltar, Eulogy, First Knight

The series will premiere on Xfinity’s Channel 27 in Albuquerque in early July 2024 and will also be available on YouTube via Gail Rubin’s channel (@GailRubin). Additional episodes on cremation, personalized funerals, estate planning, grief, and other related topics are in production. The program is filmed at Studio 519 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rubin emphasizes the series’ unique approach, saying, “Through ‘Mortality Movies,’ we aim to encourage open discussions about death and empower viewers to plan ahead, ultimately easing the burden on their loved ones after they die.”

After debuting on Channel 27, episodes will become available on YouTube – search for ‘Mortality Movies’ on the @GailRubin channel. Most of the video clips on YouTube will be accessed through links in the description box. The program will also be offered on other cable access channels through PEGMedia (https://app.pegmedia.org/), a clearinghouse for free programming on cable systems across the country.

The experts joining host Gail Rubin to discuss the video and film clips are all based in the Albuquerque area:

  • Danielle Slupesky, Death Doula with Conscious Crossroads End-of-Life Services, offering end-of-life guidance, vigil planning & holding, downsizing and peer grief companionship (DeathDoulaDanielle.com).
  • Jane Westbrook, Death Educator with Generational Solutions, providing eight-week classes on planning ahead for end-of-life issues.
  • Genna Reeves, Ph.D., Grief Coach/Peer Counselor, Certified Grief Educator, Community Liaison, HeartLight Center, and Death Doula with Invictus By Genna: Grief & Loss Services (InvictusByGenna.com).

Mortality Movies Film Clip Contest

Each ‘Mortality Movies’ episode features curated film and video clips related to death in the opening and closing credits. Viewers can participate in a film clip identification contest by emailing Gail@AGoodGoodbye.com with their list of clip sources to win exclusive ‘Mortality Movies’ merchandise. There are 12 sources in the opening credits and five in the closing credits. See if you can identify all the clips in these videos:

Mortality Movies Open

Mortality Movies: Intro Film Clips

Mortality Movies Close

Mortality Movies: Closing Credits

Tune in July 1!

Tune in to the premiere episode of ‘Mortality Movies’ on YouTube on July 1, 2024, on the @GailRubin YouTube channel, and subscribe for updates on each new episode.

The post New TV Series ‘Mortality Movies’ Takes Death Education to a New Level first appeared on A Good Goodbye.