Howard Fischer, a 63-year-old investor in New York, made his wishes to his family known that he is committed to having his body composted when he dies. According to Fischer, “(w)hatever his family chooses to do with the compost after it’s done is up to them.” Michelle Skaff agrees. When she dies, she’s wants to […]
What if I Don’t Want a Funeral?
Q. When a family friend died last year, his family made it clear there wouldn’t be a traditional funeral service for him. At first I thought this was because of the pandemic, but now I’m not so sure. Instead, they held a celebration of his life on his next birthday, almost a year after his […]
Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America
Attitudes about death and end-of-life choices are rapidly changing in America. As the baby boomer generation is aging, more and more people are rethinking the ways end of life is recognized and are deciding to take control of what will happen when they die. Some people who are nearing death and others who are recently […]
Your Last Wishes Can be as Unique as You Are
Katie was born on July 4th. She got married on that day also and gave birth to her son on July 6th (he was due on the 4th). She was in the military and is a proud American. For her, Independence Day and fireworks have special meaning. So, when she indicated her wishes in her […]
Planning Your Own “Unique” Funeral — a Scary Undertaking?
Renato Bialetti’s family placed his ashes in a replica coffee pot urn. Q. I recently read about a funeral for 50-year-old Renato Garcia, where his body was on display at his own wake, wearing a Green Lantern costume. When asked why, his sister explained that she and her brother never discussed funeral wishes, but neighbors […]
A Memory Forest Full of Hope and New Life
When Janis’ father, Barry, had cancer, he tried chemo, radiation, and ayahuasca, a plant native to Peru that is used in traditional healing ceremonies. He is an arborist by trade, and a hippie by nature. Prior to his cancer, he was strong and active, and well into middle age, you could find him climbing up […]
Cool or Spooky? Funerals that Mimic Life
Q. My great aunt, Jane, is not afraid to talk about death. The things she loves most in life, besides family, are the Washington Redskins, playing canasta, and gardening. She often mentions how when she dies, she wants to be wearing her favorite football jersey while playing cards on the small patio next to her […]
Unusual Alternatives for Disposing of Your Body After Death
When most people think of what happens to their bodily remains after death, a traditional funeral and casket burial are what typically come to mind, with cremation being an increasingly preferred alternative to traditional burial because it is generally much less expensive than a traditional burial. With cremation, remains are reduced to ash in an […]