Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death
Today, the End of Life Conversations podcast published an interview with Gail Rubin, the Doyenne of Death. It’s a 30 minute episode with hosts Rev. Annalouiza Armendariz and Rev. Wakil David Matthews, MA. Among the topics they discussed:
- Her creative approaches, including the use of humor and film clips, to engage people in conversations about death.
- Her personal experiences with loss and the challenges she faces in her work, advocating for pre-need funeral planning and the need for open discussions about mortality.
- Her experiences with medical aid in dying, the role of death doulas, and the importance of planning for end-of-life decisions.
- And her personal journey through grief and loss, and the need to mourn, and the significance of mourning well.
About the Podcast Hosts
Rev. Wakil David Matthews, MA, is an interfaith minister ordained through the Sufi Ruhaniat International Order, a universalist and ecumenical Sufi organization. He has dedicated himself to working with those who are engaged with end-of-life work, as well as those who are engaged in social activism. He works with folks from any spiritual or religious background or who identify as spiritual but not religious. His sanctuary and place of worship is the forest!
Reverent Mother Annalouiza Armendariz’s role as an Interfaith Chaplain stems from a deep commitment to life and death honed since childhood. She started honoring the deceased early, burying pets and wild animals, countering her parents’ advice to discard them. This early practice, along with coping with personal losses and environmental changes, shaped her understanding of grief and the significance of acknowledging both life and sorrow.
About Gail Rubin, CT
Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death, helps get end-of-life and funeral planning conversations started with a light touch on a serious subject. As an award-winning speaker, she uses humor and funny film clips to attract people to topics many would rather avoid: taking care of advance medical directives, estate planning and funeral planning. She’s the host of the Mortality Movies TV series and her own podcast, The Doyenne of Death.