Obituary Guide

Obituary Guide – News and Reviews

Interested in Cemeteries? There’s a Word for That!    November 20, 2022:   When it comes to cemeteries, I am an aficionado, a devotee, an enthusiast. But until I read a recent newspaper article I didn’t know there was a specific word for people like me. The main topic in that story in the Washington Post was pretty interesting as well.
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Write Legacy Letter to Express Values, Lessons Learned in Life    Brandon Sun, September 20, 2022:   What recommendations would you have on how to live a good life? Here is a way to share your insights. You can write a legacy letter.
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Plenty of Local History to be Seen at Cemetery    Brandon Sun, August 15, 2022:   A great way to connect with your community is to get to know your local cemetery. And books, online resources, walking tours and personal visits bring to life the stories of those buried there.
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Obits Change in Post-Pandemic World    Brandon Sun, May 9, 2022:   Much is changing in our post-pandemic world. Considering pandemics revolve around death, there is no surprise that one thing undergoing change is the obituary. As in other areas, the pandemic hurried along trends already in motion. And the pandemic introduced some new trends as well.
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An Idea for the Year Changeover: Write Your Life Story    Brandon Sun, December 26, 2020:   Well, we hope that next year will be better than this one! I would like to describe an idea for the turning of the year. Here is something to wrap up the old year or to send forward as a resolution for the new year. It is no-cost and – once you get started – relatively simple and easy: write your life story.
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Death Doulas and Death Cafés    Brandon Sun, April 1, 2019:   We know that we should be more open and more prepared for death. After all, it is inevitable at some point. We, our families, and society in general benefit from frank discussion and advance planning. But there is no convenient time; the topic can easily be put off. Fortunately, two new opportunities to deal with this fact of life are making more of an appearance: the death doula and the Death Café.
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Another Story of Mayhem from the Brandon Cemetery    Brandon Sun, May 14, 2018:   Why are we drawn to stories of mayhem? Even when they are horrific tragedies? For one thing, we are attracted to newsworthy events. And there is another reason as well. Let’s take a look at this as we recall another story of mayhem from the Brandon Cemetery.
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Review: “Having the Last Say”   January 27, 2018:   Are you interested in writing a 500 to 1,000 word life review or story? A composition that might sum up your life: just for yourself? Or that could be shared with family and friends? Or that could even be made available in planning your own funeral or memorial service?
If so, there is a book for you by author Alan Gelb: Having the Last Say: Capturing Your Legacy in One Small Story.
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The End of "The End"   January 19, 2018:   After almost 500 obituaries, Maclean's magazine announced the end of their obituary page that featured everyday folks, "The End." 
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The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning   January 15, 2018:   One goal: decluttering to get ready for those coming after us. Here is where a new book from Sweden can come in handy for those of us who are sorting, downsizing, moving, and generally preparing for our ultimate ending.
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From the Résumé to the Eulogy: Describing Ourselves   September 5, 2017:  How do we describe ourselves? Turns out there are several ways, and looking at the list can help us understand ourselves better. Plus: New York Times columnist and author David Brooks has an interesting take on the difference between what he calls the “résumé virtues” and the “eulogy virtues.”
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Memories of War from the Brandon Cemetery   Brandon Sun, June 5, 2017:  The First World War still casts a dark shadow. We look at big historical events. And we retell the stories of ordinary people. We marvel at the interplay of global forces, human aspirations and sheer luck. Here are some memories of the First World War from the Brandon Cemetery.
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The Changing Conversations About Mortality   Brandon Sun, March 27, 2017:  There rarely is a convenient time to think about one’s death, eh? Yet, more people are taking the time to do just that. As individuals, as families and as a society, there are advantages to candid talking and advance planning. 
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Advocating for Those at the End of Life   Obituary Guide, February 8, 2017:  There has been change in the way we look at the end of life. Increasingly, we recognize the advantages of openly acknowledging and preparing for death.
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More Stories of Mayhem from the Brandon Cemetery  Brandon Sun, June 20, 2016:   Stories of mayhem capture our attention. Some of these stories are dramatic reminders of the fragility of life. Some are reminders of the injustice that can float almost unnoticed through history. And some are reminders of how one person can make a difference.
Here are more stories of mayhem from the Brandon cemetery. 
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Writing an Obituary Worth Reading: A Review   Obituary Guide, March 2, 2016:  If you are at all curious about writing your own obituary, read this book! With Writing an Obituary Worth Reading, author Martin Kimeldorf has given us a beautiful, moving, and vital work.
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“Most Obituaries are Downright Inspirational”   Brandon Sun, January 11, 2016:  Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded to look for what is good: in one’s life, in the community, in the world. That reminder could come from an unlikely source: a newspaper obituary. That is the theme of a new book, Find the Good: Unexpected Life lessons From a Small-Town Obituary Writer.
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Time to Speak Up on Physician-Assisted Dying   Brandon Sun, September 14, 2015:  Earlier this year, a gentle wave of relief and gratitude rolled through the people of Canada. The cause of this wave? The Supreme Court, by unanimously ruling in favour of the right for a physician-assisted death for people with enduring, intolerable suffering.
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Author Digs Deep into Lives of Archeologists   Brandon Sun, August 10, 2015:  What do you think might be the coolest job around? Does your list include “archeologist”? If so, you share a fascination with American writer Marilyn Johnson. Her new book is Lives in Ruins: Archeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble.

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More Murder, Mayhem in the Brandon Cemetery   Brandon Sun, June 8, 2015:  Whether famous or forgotten, fascinating tales of murder and mayhem are in our past. And – in the Brandon cemetery – these stories live on . . .
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“A New Ideal For How We Die”   Brandon Sun, April 6, 2015:  How would you like to live the last bit of your life before you die? Not a question we usually think of. But American doctor Atul Gawande has much to say about this in his bestselling new book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.
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Death and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder   Obituary Guide, August 5, 2014:  The book Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna Huffington notes that a heightened awareness of death can be a stimulus to live a better life.
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Murder and Mayhem in the Brandon Cemetery   Brandon Sun, June 2, 2014:  Why are we drawn to tales of murder and mayhem? Of course, these dramatic events are fascinating. And there is something deeper. These stories remind us of life, of community, and of the uncertainty we face each new day.
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Writing Your Own Obituary Offers Chance for Reflection   Brandon Sun, May 12, 2014: Writing your own obituary might strike you as an odd notion. But some self-written obits recently in the news draw attention to this practice.
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Ways to Leave a Legacy   Brandon Sun, December 30, 2013:   At any age, we leave a legacy by how we live our life. And by how we prepare for our death.
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Reflecting on Life and Death along the Camino de Santiago   Obituary Guide, November 9, 2013:  Walking the Camino de Santiago invites deep refection on life and death. Like many others, I discovered this while hiking this ancient pilgrimage route in Spain.
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Get to Know Your Local Cemetery   Brandon Sun, June 10, 2013:   If you would like to get in touch with your community’s heritage, then get to know your local cemetery. To become acquainted with the cemetery is to remember and recognize your fellow citizens, their lives and deaths.
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Obituaries and the Changing Media  Obituary Guide, February 25, 2013:   Obituaries are part of the changes now revolutionizing the media, especially newspapers and the Internet.
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Obituaries in American Culture: A Review  Obituary Guide, November 30, 2012:   This book has much to say about how Americans understand their lives by how they record their deaths. 
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A Family History Writing Workshop  Obituary Guide, August 14, 2012:   I am fortunate to be attending one of Charley Kempthorne’s family history writing workshops. We are of an experienced, mature age; apparently typically, the group is . . . 
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Helping Families Deal with Death "Most Satisfying Work" for Funeral Celebrant  Brandon Sun, September 13, 2011:   To chat with funeral celebrant Lawrence McInnes is to explore the changing ways we recognize and remember life and death. The funeral celebrant is a . . .
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“Memoir Man” a Born Storyteller   Brandon Sun, September 19, 2009:   Interviewing Fred McGuinness about memoir writing is like trying to harness a runaway train of one entertaining anecdote after another. McGuinness is the consummate storyteller. And he encourages others to tell their stories, too .
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Six Words To Describe A Life?   Brandon Sun, July 25, 2009:   Can just six words sum up a life? That is the premise of an Internet challenge that resulted in thousands of submissions and recently the publication of a book. Not Quite What I Was Planning is . . .  
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Be Prepared: Will, Health Care Directive (Living Will), Obituary, and More   Brandon Sun, December 13, 2008:   Among the resources described, a new book about health care directives, Living Will, Living Well.
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Tours, Book Bring Cemetery to Life   Brandon Sun, June 14, 2008:   Three great resources bring to life the stories buried in our local cemeteries. Gossip in the GraveyardWhat Lies Beneath, and Every Stone a Story  all inform, inspire, and invite us to  . . .  
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Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Stories   Brandon Sun, September 29, 2007:   The life story of Harold Gray is one of 42 obituaries of everyday people in a new book by Colorado newspaper reporter Jim Sheeler. Obit:  Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extraordinary Lives  is a  . . .
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Professor Gives His Last Lesson on Life  Obituary Guide, September 26, 2007

The Portable Obituary:  How the Famous, Rich, and Powerful Really Died   Obituary Guide, September 24, 2007

The Way We Mourn   Obituary Guide, August 30, 2007

Obituary Guide Now Online   News Release,  August 30, 2007



More From Obituary Guide:

Books You May Find of Interest:

Not Quite What I Was Planning: 
Six-Word Memoirs

Six-Word Memoirs

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View on Amazon


Writing an Obituary Worth Reading:
A Guide to Writing a Fulfilling Life Review

Writing an Obituary

Read the Review

View on Amazon


Find the Good:
Unexpected Life lessons From a Small-Town Obituary Writer

Find the Good

Read the Review

View on Amazon


Having the Last Say:
Capturing Your Legacy in One Small Story

Last Say

Read the Review

View on Amazon


Obit:
Inspiring Stories of Ordinary People Who Led Extraordinary Lives

Obit

Read the Review

View on Amazon


For All Time:
A Complete Guide to Writing Your Family History

For All Time

Read the Review

View on Amazon


Thrive: 
The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

Thrive

Read the Review

View on Amazon


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