The Family Plot Blog
Chptr Brings Life-Affirming Obituaries to Local Broadcast TV Stations
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Rehan Choudry, founder and CEO of Chptr. We discussed how his company provides a unique communications service of value for families and funeral homes. What is Chptr and what services do you provide? Chptr is a B2B platform that connects community storytelling with local broadcast media. We specialize in creating, distributing, and broadcasting memorials and death notices. Our platform helps funeral...
Video: Better Place Forests Offers Eco-Friendly Funeral Options
Learn About 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...
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...
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...
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 is a noted psychic who has spoken at previous Before I Die Festivals. She is speaking...
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! Watch the video The death doula panelists and...
Discussing How To Achieve a Good Death on the Doyenne of Death Podcast
On 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. Author and end-of-life...
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. The Before I Die New Mexico Festival...
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. The festival offers outside-the-box activities and nationally recognized speakers at locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with online...
2024 Deathcare Superconference: Building Bridges in the Deathcare Landscape Set to Unite Industry Professionals in Seattle
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...
New TV Series ‘Mortality Movies’ Takes Death Education to a New Level
'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,...
Hineni Online Information about Jewish Funerals and Mourning Traditions
Jewish funerals are different from the funerals of other faith traditions. In this Q&A with David Zinner, Chair of the Jewish Association for Death Education (JADE), he explains a new online tool to help people understand Jewish traditions around death, mourning and Jewish funerals. What is Hineni and who created it? The Hineni tool is designed to give succinct information about Jewish death practices. The word, Hineni, is the...
What is MAID – Medical Aid in Dying? A Report from UNM’s Conference
MAID, which stands for Medical Aid in Dying, is a legal option in New Mexico. The University of New Mexico medical school recently held the first state level conference to help educate clinicians on this option. No other state that has MAID laws has had its own conference on medical aid in dying. In many ways, New Mexico is exceptional in its implementation of MAID. Here are some notes from that conference. An Overview of MAID Lonny Shavelson,...
Death and Humor on The Doyenne of Death Podcast, Part Three
Death and Humor: Laughing in the Face of Death In this episode of The Doyenne of Death® Podcast, host Gail Rubin continues her conversation with speaker and author Greg Bennick about the pioneering work of Ernest Becker, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death. In part three of this conversation, Gail and Greg discuss death and humor, helping us to address the double bind of our existence. Listen to Part Three of the...
Discussing Self Esteem and Death with Greg Bennick, Part Two
On Self Esteem and Immortality In this episode of The Doyenne of Death® Podcast, host Gail Rubin continues her conversation with speaker and author Greg Bennick about the pioneering work of Ernest Becker, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death. In part two of this conversation, Gail and Greg discuss self esteem, Becker's work related to the Terror Management Theory, the "Pearls Before Swine" cartoons of Stephan Pastis,...
The Not Just a Widow Guidebook on The Doyenne of Death Podcast
Not Just a Widow! In this episode of the Doyenne of Death Podcast, host Gail Rubin talks with Patty Desiderio and Doug Robinson, co-authors of The Not Just a Widow Guidebook - a widow's guide to surviving her new reality and transforming into her new self. Patty and her husband Basil were married for decades before he died from cancer and heart issues. When he died in the middle of the night on February 21, 2011, she knew, as so many widows...
Doyenne of Death Podcast: Greg Bennick on Ernest Becker, Part One
The Doyenne of Death Podcast Returns! After a hiatus of a year, The Doyenne of Death Podcast is back in production. In this episode, host Gail Rubin talks with speaker and author Greg Bennick about the pioneering work of Ernest Becker, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death. In part one of this conversation, Gail and Greg discuss how he learned about Becker's mind-blowing theories about human cognition of our own...
Navigating Loss: A Widow’s First Year Journey Through Grief and Healing
First Death Anniversary Grief When my husband David Bleicher died on April 28, 2023, I knew I'd be in for a year of grief, change and emotional turmoil. His sudden departure due to medical complications after what should have been a routine surgery left me grappling with a range of emotions and uncertainties. But in the midst of grief, I found ways to navigate the journey towards healing and resilience. Here are a few lessons I've learned over...
Step Right Up: Video Explores Circus Cemetery Showmen’s Rest in Hugo, OK
Roll up, roll up, ladies and gentlemen, to the circus cemetery! Welcome to the greatest show on earth... well, at least in eternal rest. Nestled in the charming town of Hugo, Oklahoma, lies a section of the Mount Olivet Cemetery that's truly one-of-a-kind – the Showmen's Rest. Prepare to be dazzled as we take a whimsical stroll through this unique final resting place! What makes the Showmen's Rest so special, you ask? Well, grab your popcorn...
Pioneering Death Educator Gail Rubin Receives ADEC Community Educator Award
Albuquerque-based death educator Gail Rubin, CT, was recognized by the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) with their prestigious Community Educator Award at the organization’s annual conference in Houston on April 11, 2024. ADEC’s Community Educator Award honors an individual in a non-academic setting with expertise in the field of thanatology, the study of death, dying and bereavement. The award recognizes excellence in...
Two New Podcasts with The Doyenne of Death
New Podcast Interviews with Gail Rubin Check out these new podcast interviews with Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death. The Money Without Math Podcast, hosted by Karen Coyne, CFP, explores how money intersects with the many aspects of our lives. The Heart of Hospice Podcast, hosted by Helen Bauer, BSN, RN, CHPN, tackles a wide range of topics related to hospice and end of life issues. MONEY WITHOUT MATH PODCAST Let's...