Anne Murphy, a home vigil guide, death educator and celebrant, describes what it was like to be invited to participate in the planning of Emily's home-based after death care, the vigil, memorial ceremony and subsequent green burial in a casket made of sea-grass. Emily's four year old daughter, with the loving support of her father and community, found her own way into every aspect of caring for her mother after her death.

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Robert Thurlin Alexander died while undergoing heart surgery in 2018. Robert's mother, Karen Knutson arrived in Oklahoma the night before the surgery. His sister, Tawnya Musser traveled there upon hearing that he didn't survive the surgery to arrange his home funeral at Uncle Bob's farmhouse. Robert was a tissue and cornea donor, a fact that may have given some families pause when considering having his body returned to them. Their story illustrates how reclaiming after death care, even in sudden and unexpected circumstances, can provide healing for heartbreak. 

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Margaret stepped into participating in the after-death care for two community members and her own father after learning it was possible through attending a Death Cafe in her community. Margaret's story illustrates the varying forms home funeral practice can take. It may involve collaborating with funeral professionals in your community. It may not even happen at home.
https://deathcafe.com/

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On this path home, Sarah Crews shares some helpful ideas for walking with grief through the holiday season. Sarah ends this episode with her song, I need a boat. Here are links to the resources she mentions:
https://www.refugeingrief.com/
https://johnpavlovitz.com/2015/12/18/blue-christmas-what-to-do-when-the-holidays-hurt/
https://www.centerforloss.com/
https://www.griefhealingblog.com/

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After a challenging meeting with a funeral director, Louise Comfort discovered from a friend that there was an alternative approach that felt right to her and her husband, Doug, who was dying from breast cancer. Louise shares the details of how she and Doug made plans together to care for his body at home, the celebration of life and the service that followed as Doug was laid out the library room. 

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On this episode we hear about the sudden, unexpected death of a young man, Ruis Owin-Brown, and the way his community came together to create a farewell perfectly suited to Ruis' passion for friendship. His father Jeff Brown, and step-mother, Kate Adamson describe the logistical challenges and the healing rituals they experienced along the way.

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On this episode we hear from Marcia Klingzell and her daughters Stephanie and Cortnie who share the details of the beautiful send off they created for their dearly loved family matriarch, Dorothy. 

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On this episode we hear from Rita Cantu. With the help of a large and caring community that formed around her husband, Al Carr, during his dying time in 2004, Rita was supported in keeping his body at home and created a final send off unique to Al's playful personality. 

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On this episode, NHFA President, Dani LaVoire talks with her family about the home funeral they all created for her grandmother, Sherryl Schwartz Morantz in New York State. New York is one of the states with laws limiting family's rights to having full independence in carrying out a funeral for a loved one. Holding a home funeral is still legal in New York, but a licensed funeral director must be hired to supervise the process. Visit the website of the NHFA for more information, or go to funeralethics.org for a comprehensive state by state list of funeral regulations.

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On this episode we’ll be hearing from Lauren and Christopher Akins. By letting love guide them, along with some practical information they found on line, Lauren and Chris bravely ventured into unfamiliar territory and held a home funeral for their beloved daughter, Nora Rose. Nora Rose died in the hospital while waiting on a liver transplant. She was 11 months old. Chris made a couple of moving videos of their family’s journey through this, a photo montage and a music compilation for Nora Rose. In honoring Nora’s journey, they are devoted to raising awareness about pediatric organ donation.

Lauren provided us with the following links if you would like to know more about Nora's journey.

Nora's Facebook Page: (Created to document her journey, we now use it to help promote organ donation awareness) https://www.facebook.com/norasbiliaryatresiajourney/?ref=bookmarks
Nora's obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=nora-rose-akins&pid=193346293
Home wake/viewing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EropmQXkzPg
Video of happy pictures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd30R9HZgsM
Sad/heartfelt video Chris made a few days before Nora went to Heaven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0gY1EfwVQ4

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