The Family Plot Blog
Funeralocity Helps You Compare Funeral Homes
Ed Michael Reggie, CEO of Funeralocity, explains how they help consumers connect online to local funeral homes.
The Unique Offerings of Wilbert Funeral Services
In this video interview recorded at the National Funeral Directors Association convention and expo, Dennis Welzenbach, President & CEO of Wilbert Funeral Services, provides an overview of the company’s many different products and services.
Christmas Eve Luminarias: A New Mexico Tradition
In this video, Certified Thanatologist Gail Rubin introduces you to the New Mexico tradition of Christmas Eve luminarias and cemetery visits.
Introducing the WeRemember.com Memorialization Service
National Guardian Life Insurance Company teamed up with Ancestry to create WeRemember.com, a free website designed to celebrate and share the stories of our loved ones.
Video: Near Death Experiences and End-of-Life Visions
In this remarkable panel discussion, three women from diverse backgrounds discuss Near Death Experiences and End-of-Life Visions.
Jan. 17: Death Cafe at Passages International
Passages International will be a unique setting for Death Cafe conversations about end-of-life issues!
Video: Funeral Directors Panel on What You Need to Know
This panel discussion features Albuquerque funeral directors taking audience questions on a range of issues related to death, dying and funeral planning.
Video: End-of-Life Legal and Financial Issues
This panel discussion focuses on legal and financial issues related to end-of-life: the role of wills and trusts, how to manage digital assets, and how insurance relieves financial burdens.
Video: How to Reach a Gentle Death in NM
“How to Reach a Gentle Death in New Mexico” is one of the panel discussions that took place at the Before I Die New Mexico Festival Symposium. During this one-hour discussion, panelists presented information on a range of topics, including hospice, healthcare and end-of-life options for terminally ill people. They also discussed the upcoming legislative session starting January 2019 in Santa Fe, where a bill regarding medical aid-in-dying will...
Video: How To Get a Green Burial in New Mexico
"Getting a Green Burial in New Mexico" is one of the panel discussions at the Before I Die New Mexico Festival Symposium. During this one-hour discussion, the experts on the panel examine a range of green burial issues. Topics include what green burial means, how Jewish funerals are naturally eco-friendly, different ways to green your final disposition, the different shades of green in funeral arrangements, hospice and home funerals, and other...
2018 New Mexico Death Discussion Festival Reaches More People
Two Natural Burial Plots Awarded to Kay Ohmberger of Albuquerque The 2018 Before I Die New Mexico Festival, with events in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Belen, NM, was a resounding success. A total of 685 people participated in 32 free or low-cost events to prompt death discussions and planning ahead. Festival events included Death Cafés, workshops, movies, speakers, parties, panel discussions, and field trips to cemeteries, a crematory, the Office...
The One Who Dies With The Most Toys…
THEY'RE BAACK! We've got more of those black T-shirts with the eye-catching slogan, "The one who dies with the most toys... still dies." Show off your gallows humor and downsizing derring-do with this always-in-fashion statement. Available in long-wearing 50/50 cotton/polyester, these short-sleeved T-shirts are available in Medium, Large, Extra-Large, and XX-Large. They cost $20 plus shipping. True story: A guy who bought this T-shirt was...
Top Downsizing Tips from Professional Organizers
Want to know how to downsize and still keep your family legacy? At the 2018 Before I Die New Mexico Festival, three professional organizers tackled the topic, and the video of the discussion is now available on YouTube! The panelists were Hazel Thornton, Miriam Ortiz y Pino, and Karen Hyatt, and the moderator was Gail Rubin, death educator and Coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival. During the panel discussion, audience members...
Listen to Gail Rubin on KKOB Radio this Saturday
On Saturday, December 1 at 2:00 p.m., pioneering death educator and Before I Die NM Festival coordinator Gail Rubin will be interviewed on KKOB News Radio. She's scheduled to be on the Jeffrey Candelaria Show for an hour. You can find KKOB News Radio at 94.5 on the FM dial, or 770 AM in Albuquerque, NM, or listen live online through this link. Among the questions and topics to be discussed: When is the best time to have a conversation about...
December 16: Albuquerque Death Cafe
The next Albuquerque Death Cafe will be held Sunday, December 16, 2018, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It will take place in the Fifth Floor Lounge at Manzano del Sol Village, 5201 Roma NE, Albuquerque. This is located just south of Lomas Blvd. and just west of San Mateo Blvd. The objective of the Death Cafe is “To increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” It’s all about an interesting,...
Video: Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews
"Millennial Morticians with ABQ Brews" was an innovative part of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival, held October 30 to November 4, 2018. Four funeral directors in their 30s participated in a panel discussion held at Tractor Brewing Company in Albuquerque. Among the topics discussed: funeral service and autopsies done at the Office of the Medical Investigator, the role of embalming in today's funerals, rising interest in green burial and...
Remembering the Remarkable Brother Arturo Olivas
Arturo Olivas died on November 18, 2017. On this first anniversary of his passing, let us celebrate his life and remember the remarkable memorial service held for him earlier this year. I had the opportunity to meet Arturo in 2013, 18 months after he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. He was given a prognosis of six months to live. Yet, he pursued cutting edge treatments that extended his life well beyond that initial "death sentence." He...
Video: Remembering Pete Goodwin
There's no more powerful reminder of your own mortality than when one of your peers dies. This recently happened to me, when a significant other from my past died at the age of 68 from liver and organ failure. Pete Goodwin was an important part of my life from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A scene from Young Frankenstein comes to mind: Cloris Leachman saying in a heavy German accent, "He vas my boyfriend!" I moved to New Mexico with Pete...
Nov. 18: Albuquerque Death Cafe
The objective of the Death Cafe is “To increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” It’s all about an interesting, unstructured conversation – open and free-flowing with no specific agenda. At these events, people come together in a relaxed, confidential and safe setting to discuss death, drink tea (or your favorite beverage) and eat delicious cake or cookies. The next Albuquerque Death Cafe...
Time’s Up! Before I Die NM Festival Starts Tomorrow
It’s finally here! The Before I Die New Mexico Festival starts tomorrow, October 30, and goes through Sunday, November 4, 2018. With a full schedule of upbeat events, conversations, and parties, the second annual BID Festival promises an exciting look into how people are thinking and talking about death and dying in these modern times. Hosted by Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist, a pioneering death educator and host of the award-winning TV...
Things You Need To Know Before You Die
Why isn’t death a trending topic? Even though humans have a 100% mortality rate, people only seem to talk about death and dying in hushed tones and behind closed doors, if they talk about it at all. Its high time death came out of the closet. If you agree, make plans to attend the Before I Die New Mexico Festival, one of the best places to openly discuss this important subject with like-minded people from all walks of life. The second annual...