Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®

Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and the Doyenne of Death®, is a pioneering death educator who uses humor, television and film clips, and outside-the-box activities to teach about death and encourage end-of-life planning. A doyenne is a woman considered senior in a group who knows a lot about a particular subject.

This Wednesday, October 13, Gail is speaking at the Prime Time 50+ EXPO, taking place at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 1000 Woodward Place NE, Albuquerque, NM. The FREE event takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In addition to her speaking session, there are free health screenings, entertainment, food and more than 75 displays of products and services of interest to seniors and their families.

Gail’s expo presentation at 11:00 a.m. is “Not Planning to Die with The Kominsky Method.” This talk provides a sneak peek at the presentation she is making as part of the fifth annual Before I Die New Mexico Festival.

“Bette Davis owned a needlepoint pillow that read “Getting old ain’t for sissies.” Boy, isn’t that the truth,” said Rubin. “Aging holds challenges for all of us: physical declines, family, friends, and pets dying, and unrelenting changes, many not for the better. But we can still laugh about aging and learn how to better live during the days we still have.”

The Kominsky Method is an award-winning Netflix TV series that allows us to laugh in the face of death and learn lessons that will make our lives better. You’ll learn about reconciling with aging, planning ahead for funerals and end-of-life issues, and how we can make the most of life, even when faced with loss. This short video compilation introduces the main characters.

About the Before I Die NM Festival

Gail Rubin is the coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival. It offers in-person events in Albuquerque and online events taking place October 30 to November 2, 2021. Festival topics include estate planning, financial planning, obituary writing, downsizing, grief, funerals through history, the “woo-woo” side of death, and other fascinating subjects.

Gail is also an award-winning speaker and author. Her books include A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die. She “knocked ‘em dead” with her TEDxABQ talk, “A Good Goodbye.” Albuquerque Business First named her one of their Women of Influence in 2019.

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Recent Trends in Funeral News

Over the past few weeks, these funeral news stories have appeared. They focus on COVID-19 pandemic deaths, unclaimed bodies, hospice care access, bucket lists, and why we treasure certain items.

Idaho morgues are running out of space for bodies as covid-19 deaths mount

As covid-19 deaths reach record highs in the state of 1.8 million, hard-hit areas are struggling to keep pace with the surge in victims. Some hospitals, funeral homes and coroners say they’ve been pushed to the limit. Some morticians have even started embalming bodies that wouldn’t normally need the procedure so they don’t have to refrigerate them, the Idaho Statesman reported. Read the full story here.

‘Don’t get vaccinated’: Fake funeral home is used to promote coronavirus shots

International Death Count: Impact of COVID on Caring for the Dead in All Corners of the Globe

The number of dead multiplied by a locale’s capacity for processing the deceased ultimately poses the only question that matters: How many can we process? How many becomes the arbiter of what final services can possibly be rendered. How many determines when, where, even, in some cases, if the deceased of a particular region may be laid to rest with a traditional service, or embalmed, or properly buried, or even adequately cremated. Read the full story here.

One Thing I Don’t Plan to Do Before I Die Is Make a Bucket List

This New York Times opinion column is by Dr. Kate Bowler, an associate professor at Duke Divinity School, is the author of “No Cure for Being Human,” from which this essay is adapted. She has Stage Four colon cancer at the age of 35 and a slim chance of survival. Read the full essay here.

Why your belongings hold so much meaning, and how to decide what to grab in an emergency

Whether escaping emergency situations or downsizing or decluttering, many of us have been overwhelmed by dealing with our material possessions. Though sometimes derided by others as “just things” or “stuff,” especially in a time when minimalism seems to be growing more popular, many of our belongings hold such special meaning that it’s deeply painful to part with them, intentionally or otherwise. Why do we cling to physical objects? How can we ease the pain of losing them? And how can we prioritize which items matter in an emergency? Here’s what the experts say. Read the full story here.

The Forgotten Dead: Alone in Death

Tens of thousands die each year in the United States and no one claims their bodies. Conservative estimates are that 1 percent of all deaths result in an unclaimed body, which would mean that last year, when 3.4 million Americans died, there were 34,000 bodies left for local governments to bury. But many coroners and others who handle these bodies say the national figure could be as high as 3 percent, which would bring the unclaimed count to more than 100,000. Read the full story here.

Hospice Care Must Be a Choice Everyone Can Access

This opinion piece by Dr. Gina Piscitello shows the benefits of hospice services. It’s a blessing to allow patients to go home and be with their families and die in the comfort of their own homes. Read the full essay.

Stories compiled by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®.

The post More Funeral News Stories first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Before I Die Festival Expands Nationally

The Before I Die Festival concept excites and educates adults about end-of-life preparation, funeral planning and facing our mortality. Funeral homes and cemeteries nationwide can now share virtual sessions of the Before I Die NM Festival in their markets. It’s being held for the fifth consecutive year in Albuquerque and online, October 30 to November 2, 2021.

“Sharing Before I Die NM Festival events allows the public to visit funeral homes and cemeteries without having to experience a death of a loved one,” said Doyenne of Death® Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and coordinator of the festival. “The Festival incorporates outside-the-box activities to start important conversations and get people to take action.”

Before I Die NM Festival topics include downsizing, body donation, obituary writing, estate planning, financial planning, grief, the “woo-woo” side of death, funny film clips for funeral planning and more. An Albuquerque-based talk about Abraham Lincoln’s impact on modern embalming and U.S. funeral services will include a virtual visit to Lincoln’s Tomb in Springfield, IL.

GatheringUs, specialists in facilitating in-person and virtual memorial services, hosts and coordinates the national feed of virtual events.  The full schedule of events and registration links are available at https://beforeidienm.com/5th-annual-before-i-die-nm-festival-schedule/.

Funeral homes and cemeteries can host Festival virtual events in their facilities and conduct their own behind-the-scenes tours. Businesses that promote Festival events in their markets will receive local attendee registration information for follow-up contacts.

Most events are accessible by a registration donation. Videos of in-person sessions and virtual online sessions will be posted to the Before I Die Festival YouTube Channel after the festival.

The Festival won the 2018 ICCFA KIP Award for Best Event. To offer the virtual sessions of the Festival in your market, contact Gail Rubin at 505-265-7215 or email Gail@AGoodGoodbye.com. To learn more about the 2021 Before I Die NM Festival, visit www.BeforeIDieNM.com.

Before I Die Festival Sponsors

These companies and organizations make the Before I Die NM Festival possible.

• A Good Goodbye – Gail Rubin puts the “fun” in funeral planning. AGoodGoodbye.com
• Beloved – providing custom personalized obituaries and eulogies. Beloved-Press.com
• Compassion & Choices – offering care and choice at the end of life. CompassionAndChoices.org
• Daniels Family Funerals & Cremations, Fairview Memorial Park, Gabaldon Mortuary, Sandia Memory Gardens and Vista Verde Memorial Park in Albuquerque.
• EstatePros LLC – offering professional dispersal of personal possessions due to a move, illness, or death. EstateProsNM.com
• Final Exit Network – educating about and defending the right to choose at end-of-life. FinalExitNetwork.org
• French Funerals & Cremations and Sunset Memorial Park in Albuquerque.
• GatheringUs – providing in-person and virtual memorial services and online memorial pages. GatheringUs.com
• Keeper – providing hybrid & virtual memorial services and keeping memories alive with online tributes to preserve, celebrate and share life legacies. MyKeeper.com
• Morris Hall PLLC – estate planning attorneys in New Mexico and Arizona. MorrisTrust.com
• Remembering A Life – your guide to honoring a life well lived, from planning a tribute to mourning a loved one. RememberingALife.com
• Retirement Extender® – investment management services with a personalized strategy recommendation based on your needs and objectives. RetirementExtender.com

A portion of the sponsorship proceeds and registration donations from the Before I Die NM Festival will be donated to 501(c)(3) charitable partner, Historic Fairview Cemetery www.HistoricFairviewCemeteryABQ.org. Established in Albuquerque in 1881, the cemetery is the final resting place of 12,000 individuals. Their lives reflect the history of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the United States of America.

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The Kominsky Method

The Kominsky Method shows how to age with humor. The award-winning Netflix TV series stars Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky, an aging acting coach, and Alan Arkin as Norman Newlander, his long-time agent and friend. The series pokes fun at a range of aging issues: fear of death, funeral planning, diseases that can kill you, the growing multitude of medications and supplements we take, and yes, even estate planning.

The Kominsky Method was produced from 2018 to 2021 and continues to stream on Netflix. It’s just starting to become available on DVDs.

Bette Davis often gets credit for the saying, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” The increasingly bumpy road into old age calls for the humor deployed in this series to help smooth the ride and encourage baby boomers to plan ahead for end-of-life issues.

In the first season, Norman’s wife dies of cancer and Sandy supports his friend through her death, honoring her wishes for funeral planning, and convincing Norman that he has a reason to continue living. Sandy has his own issues to contend with: avoiding the topic of death, contending with prostate issues, dating and relationships, and paying back taxes to the IRS.

How to Age with Humor

You can get a sense of the humor in this collection of clips from the series:

Other End-of-Life Issues

In later episodes, Norman continues to process his grief and explores dating as a senior. Sandy experiences the challenges of being the executor of an estate. Sandy’s ex-wife comes back into his life, with lessons for those who need to make advance medical directives (which is every adult). All of these tough topics are tackled with a light touch that makes them easier to discuss after watching this series.

In 2019, when Michael Douglas won a Golden Globe award for his role as Sandy Kominsky, he proclaimed, “Alter Kakers rule!” The Yiddish phrase translates to old guys, or old farts. It was a salute to his then-102-year-old father, the renowned actor Kirk Douglas. The elder Douglas died February 5, 2020. His later years had their challenges, including barely surviving a helicopter crash in 1991 and a stroke in 1996.

Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®

Gail Rubin, who has a license to use film clips in her presentations, will present “Not Planning to Die with The Kominsky Method” during the Before I Die New Mexico Festival. The Festival will take place in Albuquerque, NM and online October 30 to November 2, 2021. Depending on pandemic conditions, in-person Festival events may become online sessions.

The Before I Die Festival concept brings together entertaining and educational elements to start conversations. Events are designed to prompt baby boomers and their millennial children to start conversations, learn what you need to know before you go, and plan ahead for end-of-life issues. Learn more and register at www.BeforeIDieNM.com.

Funeral homes, cemeteries, estate planning attorneys and other related organizations can partner to host Festival events in their markets at no cost. It’s a great way to connect with your community and get end-of-life planning conversations started! Call Gail Rubin at 505-265-7215 to discuss opportunities.

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Funeral News Round Up

Here are some news stories about funeral developments, a great new Mitch Albom column about COVID and saying goodbye to loved ones, the Before I Die New Mexico Festival schedule announcement, and green burial news.

Maine Considers Open Air Cremation

Cremating dead bodies on open-air funeral pyres may soon be legal in Maine. A bill in the state legislature would allow designated sites in the state to conduct open air cremations—a funeral ritual that dates back thousands of years but has largely disappeared from the modern-day United States. READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Mitch Albom Column on Saying Goodbye

Trying to time your last words to a dying loved one is a tricky business. I have learned a valuable lesson in this. Don’t wait. READ THE FULL COLUMN

Before I Die NM Festival Schedule Announced

The fifth annual Before I Die New Mexico Festival will include online and in-person events in Albuquerque (depending on pandemic conditions). Events for 2021 are scheduled from October 30, Create a Great Funeral Day, to November 2, All Souls Day. As in years past, the Before I Die New Mexico Festival will include:

• Panel discussions and speakers related to end-of-life issues;
• Behind-the-scenes tours of funeral homes and cemeteries;
• Entertaining sessions with film clips and live performances;
• Death Cafe discussions;

And much more! READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Green Burial News

Gail Rubin will host the kick off to the 2021 Green Burial Council Conference Green Life, Death and Future on Thursday, October 21 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mountain Time. This is a two-hour, drop-in evening on Zoom for everyone who is “green burial curious.” The event is free, but registration is required.

With humor and honesty, Gail and her guests will tell personal stories about choosing sustainable deathcare. She will show some fun videos of green burial, as it has been portrayed in television programs. Fellow conference speakers Dr. Basil Eldadah and Joél Simone Anthony, aka The Grave Woman, will join to share their stories. Gail will invite event attendees to tell their stories, too. If you’ve already decided on green burial, this may be the perfect evening to share with your family and friends to help them understand your wishes.

READ THIS SLATE STORY about green burial featuring Basil Eldadah.

Learn more about Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®.

The post News Stories: Open Air Cremation in Maine and More first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

The Next Death Cafe is Moving Outdoors!

With the rising numbers of cases of COVID-19 due to the Delta virus variant, in-person Death Cafe events are moving from Manzano Del Sol, a retirement community, outdoors to Historic Fairview Cemetery. How appropriate to discuss death among the tombstones.

The ABQ Death Cafe offers a relaxed, confidential and safe setting to discuss death, drink tea (or your favorite beverage) and eat delicious cake or cookies. We also provide options for those avoiding gluten and added sugar. To RSVP for any of the Death Cafe events, join the ABQ Death Cafe Meetup Group here.

This Sunday, August 29, the Albuquerque Death Cafe will take place at Historic Fairview Cemetery, located at 700 Yale Blvd. SE. Please bring a folding chair to sit upon. Drinks and snacks will be provided. We will set up in the shade near the Galles mausoleum. If it rains, we will cut the Death Cafe conversation short.

Gail Rubin and Death Cafe mascot Lola in Historic Fairview Cemetery, Albuquerque.

Directions to find us in the cemetery: Enter through the gates of Fairview Memorial Park, near the intersection with Caesar Chavez Blvd. Drive straight ahead toward the cemetery office. At the intersection, turn left and head north into Historic Fairview Cemetery. It’s just to the left of the wall that says Congregation Albert Cemetery.

Once inside Historic Fairview Cemetery, you’ll be on Entrada Lane. Turn left on to Freedom Road. At Elks Rest Lane, turn left and continue on to Masonic Road. You’ll see Gail Rubin’s white Subaru Outback near the Galles mausoleum. If you need to call, her cell phone number is 505-363-7514.

CLICK HERE for a map of Historic Fairview Cemetery with these road names.

RSVP for this event through this Meetup link.

The post In Person ABQ Death Cafe Moves to Historic Fairview Cemetery first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Psychic Tammy Holmes Visits Historic Fairview Cemetery

Tammy Holmes, renowned psychic, visited Historic Fairview Cemetery, established in 1881 in Albuquerque, NM. She was immediately contacted by Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms, who is buried in a family plot with her second husband, Albert G. Simms, and her son, John Medill McCormick, who died in 1938 at the age of 21. Tammy shares information about each, and shares Ruth’s uplifting message to us all.

About Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms – by Historian Susan Schwartz

Ruth was born into the privileged family of Republican Senator Mark Hanna and Charlotte Rhodes Hanna of Ohio. As a youth, she was educated at elite private schools but elected not to attend college. Instead, she became her father’s private secretary in D.C. She married Joseph Medill McCormick, son of Chicago Tribune family, in 1903. The couple lived in Illinois where he was the paper’s editor for eight years. Ruth was President of Rockford’s Consolidated Newspapers, Inc. The couple raised three children; one of whom needed a special type of milk. Unable to purchase the milk and appalled by the unsanitary conditions of Illinois dairies, Ruth opened her own dairy near Byron, Illinois.

Ruth was appointed director of the Republican Women’s National Executive Committee in 1918 She was the first elected national committeewoman from Illinois in 1924. After her husband’s death in 1925, Ruth continued her political career and won the election in 1928 to the US House of Representatives and served one term. Being defeated in the 1930 election for the U.S. Senate, Ruth returned to her newspaper interest.

While serving in the House, she met Congressman Albert G. Simms from New Mexico and they married in 1932. It was the first time two concurrent House Members married.

A native of Arkansas, Albert Simms moved to Monterrey, Mexico in 1906 at the age of 24 and worked as an accountant. He moved to Silver City, NM in 1912, the year New Mexico became a state. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1915 and practiced law in ABQ until 1919. He was a member of the city council and the Bernalillo County Commissioners. He was president of Albuquerque National Bank and a mortgage company. He served in the NM House of Representatives 1925-1927 and was elected to the US Congress as a Republican 1929-1931. He met Ruth while they served in Congress. In addition to being a banker, farmer and rancher, he and Ruth made Albuquerque Academy possible with a gift of more than 12,000 acres of undeveloped land and 7,500 shares of Albuquerque National Bank (now Bank of America) stock.

They purchased an 800-acre ranch in Albuquerque’s north valley which became their home, dairy, farm, cultural, and education center named Las Poblanos. Ruth commissioned architect John Gaw Meem to renovate the house and build La Quinta as a cultural center for the community. Ruth’s Hanna McCormick Simms’s concern for superior education and culture is active today. She founded Manzano Day School, still operating, and Sandia School for Girls, known today as coeducational Sandia Preparatory School.

On June 25, 1938, Ruth’s son, John Medill McCormick (age 21) went hiking with another young man, Richard Whitmer (age 20) in the Sandia Mountains. The boys appeared to have been climbing a cliff and fell from the top. The story though not confirmed is that they were struck by lightning and fell from a 2,000 foot cliff. Also, part of the story is that Congresswoman McCormick had the boulder brought down from the mountains because it was where they found her son’s lifeless body.

Additional information about Ruth Hanna McCormick Simms is available at WomensHistory.org and this page at the House of Representatives website. 

About Renowned Psychic Tammy Holmes

Tammy has been featured in People Magazine, on television and radio. She has been instrumental in helping local police in Missing Person cases. Always seeking to contribute to those in need, Tammy has been called to assist in circumstances where no answers could be found by traditional means. Tammy Holmes is a Credible and Reputable Member of the “Best Psychic Directory” and has been Investigated and Vetted as a Legitimate Psychic Medium. She is a Spiritual Life Coach, an author, teacher and public speaker. She writes and speaks about ways to live more joyful and peaceful lives, where you become the co-creator of your own life. Learn more information about Tammy Holmes at her website, www.TammyJHolmes.com.

Before I Die New Mexico Festival

Tammy Holmes is a featured speaker at the fifth annual Before I Die New Mexico Festival, taking place October 30 to November 2, 2021. She will speak on “The Woo-Woo Side of Death” on Tuesday, November 2 at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time in a virtual session online. Learn more about the Festival, which benefits Historic Fairview Cemetery, at www.BeforeIDieNM.com.

Festival Coordinator and Historic Fairview Cemetery president Gail Rubin interviewed Tammy Holmes. Tammy did additional readings about several people buried in the cemetery. Look for more videos to come!

The post Video: Psychic Reading at Historic Fairview Cemetery first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Operating a Back Hoe – Not as Easy as You’d Think

Ever operated a back hoe in a cemetery? I recently attended ICCFA University, the summer continuing education event of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association. Since I’m the president of Historic Fairview Cemetery in Albuquerque, NM, among other roles, I attended the College of Land Management & Grounds Operations on a scholarship. I call it cemetery summer camp. What a great learning experience!

One morning was spent learning to safely operate a back hoe, training both the spotters giving directions and operators working the controls. Gino Merendino, Dean of the College of Land Management & Grounds Operations, is “Chief Gardener” at Merendino Cemetery Care. In this video, he provides an overview of the hand signals used to communicate between the spotter and the back hoe operator. I also interviewed Chad Eubanks, General Manager of Arlington Memorial Gardens in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The cemetery hosted this practice session in an undeveloped area and gave the students a tour of the grounds.

About ICCFA University

ICCFA University is held for five days each July. Undergraduate students enroll in one of the University’s seven colleges and spend the entire five days learning about that area of the profession. Students who complete four colleges become ICCFAU graduates, but attending four years is not required for enrollment. Some students enroll for one or two years, attending just those colleges that are most relevant to their jobs. But many students do choose to go on to study for four years or more as a way of broadening the scope of their knowledge.

The topics covered in the ICCFA University College of Land Management & Grounds Operations classes included:

• Exceptional Cemetery Maintenance – Experience the Difference!
• Creating a Committal Service that Everybody Talks About
• Using Job Hazard Analysis for OSHA Compliance
• Applying Technology to Cemetery Operations
• Cemetery Sustainable Practices
• Creative Cemetery Use
• Healing Grief
• Arlington National Cemetery: Restoring Honor
• Transforming Death Care Education
• Modern Cemetery Development
• Cremation: Changing the Face of Traditional Memorialization
• OSHA and Graveside Safety
• Cemetery Liability Issues
• Internal Relationships

About Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist

Gail Rubin, CT, puts the “fun” in funeral planning while connecting organizations with potential customers. The Doyenne of Death®, she was one of the first people to host a Death Cafe in the United States and is a leading advocate for planning ahead. An award-winning TEDx speaker, she’s the author of three books on end-of-life issues, including A GOOD GOODBYE: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.

She is also coordinating the fifth annual Before I Die New Mexico Festival, October 30 to November 2, 2021. Two of the four days will feature in-person events in Albuquerque, pandemic conditions permitting. A host of events are being scheduled. Join the email list at the website to be kept apprised of developments!

The post How to Operate a Back Hoe in a Cemetery first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Talking Cremation with J.P. DiTroia

J.P. Di Troia knows cremation. He is President of U.S. Columbarium and Fresh Pond Crematory in Middle Village, Queens, NY and has worked there since 1967. Fresh Pond Crematory was first built in 1884. It’s the oldest continually operating crematory in the United States. He recently spoke with Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death®, pioneering death educator and the coordinator of the Before I Die NM Festival.

These two short video conversations cover the rising cremation rate and related issues. The first video includes a short history of cremation in the United States; the challenge of arranging funerals in the New York City area during the peak of the pandemic in spring of 2020; the importance of giving cremated remains a permanent final resting place; the need to honor stillborn babies and other babies that die; and the Missing In America Project, which takes the unclaimed cremated remains of veterans and gives them a permanent placement in veterans’ cemeteries.

Interview One

Interview Two

In the second part of the conversation, J.P. talks about the FEMA funeral assistance funds available for families with loved ones who died of COVID-19 and how to apply for reimbursement of up to $9,000; reiterating the importance of giving cremated remains a permanent final resting place, either by burial, placement in a columbarium niche, or scattering (keepsakes of part of the remains are always an option); the 9/11 Memorial they are creating at Fresh Pond; and why it’s a good idea to have a gathering or wake, so you don’t have to re-live a loss with multiple people over the course of days and weeks.

Visit Fresh Pond’s Facebook Page

Learn more about Fresh Pond Crematory, see photos and videos and read articles at their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/freshpondcrematory/

Cremation Urns, Jewelry and Keepsakes

Need a cremation urn, cremation jewelry, or keepsake urns? Check out A Good Goodbye’s Urn Store. At this online shopping site, you’ll find a wide selection of quality products, the same ones that funeral homes purchase. You can place your order through the secure site, or call 888-317-3099 and speak with a live person.

There are urns of brass, wood, ceramics, marble, and biodegradable options. The jewelry includes options in gold, sterling silver, stainless steel, and glass. There are lovely handmade urns and jewelry, and fingerprint jewelry that can preserve the unique patterns of people and pets in silver or gold. The site also features The Life Chest, beautiful memento storage boxes in a range of styles.

The online store is run by UPD Urns, a respected company with a long track record of providing cremation products to funeral homes. The public can now browse and directly buy the same products carried by funeral homes. The FTC Funeral Rule allows the public to bring their own cremation containers to a funeral home, which must accept it without charging a fee.

You can choose your products and place your order online through the secure site, which accepts payment by Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express and PayPal. If you prefer, call 888-317-3099 and speak with a live person.

Visit the Memorial Store now!

The post Videos: Discussing Cremation and COVID-19 first appeared on A Good Goodbye.

Festival Features In-Person and Online Events October 30-November 2, 2021

The Before I Die NM Festival, being held for the fifth consecutive year in New Mexico, breaks new ground with a combination of in-person/online series of events Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, 2021. The Before I Die Festival concept brings together entertaining and educational elements to start conversations. Events are designed to prompt Baby Boomers and their Millennial children to plan ahead for end-of-life issues.

Festival in-person events will take place in Albuquerque, pandemic restrictions permitting. Funeral homes and cemeteries in other cities and states may hold one-day events with their attendees joining online virtual events through Zoom.

“The pandemic brought mortality to top-of-mind awareness. The Before I Die Festival helps us to plan ahead for end-of-life issues, while putting the ‘fun’ in funeral planning,” said Gail Rubin, CT, pioneering death educator and coordinator of the festival.

Festival event topics include estate planning, financial planning, obituary writing, downsizing, grief, funerals through history, the “woo-woo” side of death, and other issues. Special events include:

• Visit Historic Fairview Cemetery, established in Albuquerque in 1881, for a special tour.
• Daily Death Cafe conversations about mortality issues and questions, in-person and online.
• Behind the Scenes Tours of funeral homes and cemeteries.
• Lively Panel Discussions by end-of-life experts, both in-person and online. “Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews” returns to Tractor Brewing’s Wells Park location Nov. 1!
• Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos celebration and workshop to prepare for the holiday.

All events, in-person and online, are accessible for a small donation. Videos of in-person sessions and virtual online sessions will be posted to the Before I Die Festival YouTube Channel after the festival. Register through this PayPal form below.

Festival Sponsors

These companies and organizations make the Before I Die NM Festival possible.

• A Good Goodbye – Gail Rubin puts the “fun” in funeral planning. AGoodGoodbye.com
• Compassion & Choices – offering care and choice at the end of life. CompassionAndChoices.org
• Daniels Family Funerals & Cremations, Fairview Memorial Park, Gabaldon Mortuary, Sandia Memory Gardens and Vista Verde Memorial Park in Albuquerque.
• EstatePros LLC – offering professional dispersal of personal possessions due to a move, illness, or death. EstateProsNM.com
• Final Exit Network – educating about and defending the right to choose at end-of-life. FinalExitNetwork.org
• French Funerals & Cremations and Sunset Memorial Park in Albuquerque.
• GatheringUs – providing in-person and virtual memorial services and online memorial pages. GatheringUs.com
• Keeper – providing hybrid & virtual memorial services and keeping memories alive with online tributes to preserve, celebrate and share life legacies. MyKeeper.com
• Morris Hall PLLC – estate planning attorneys in New Mexico and Arizona. MorrisTrust.com
• Remembering A Life – your guide to honoring a life well lived, from planning a tribute to mourning a loved one. RememberingALife.com
• Retirement Extender® – investment management services with a personalized strategy recommendation based on your needs and objectives. RetirementExtender.com

A portion of the sponsorship proceeds and ticket sales from the Before I Die NM Festival will be donated to 501(c)(3) charitable partner, Historic Fairview Cemetery, established in Albuquerque in 1881. The cemetery is the final resting place of 12,000 individuals, with remarkable stories reflecting the history of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the United States of America. The website is www.HistoricFairviewCemeteryABQ.org.

The festival is coordinated by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and the Doyenne of Death®. Festival sponsorship opportunities are still available by calling Gail Rubin at 505-265-7215.

The post Announcing the 5th Annual Before I Die NM Festival first appeared on A Good Goodbye.