In death, each and every person deserves dignity and every family deserves support

Memorial & Funeral Officiating is offered on a sliding scale

All spiritual care services are provided fully free of charge, any cash gifts given to me are donated to Rise and Remember, the non-profit dedicated to conserving the memory of George Floyd & to “curate spaces for all people to grieve, pay respect, and be a voice for justice.”

In a world where it is increasingly common to live and die without an organized spiritual community, it can also be increasingly difficult to figure out how to access dignified end of life care, support, and memorial facilitation that truly fits your family’s preferences, needs, and budget. I provide personalized support and facilitation of memorials with dignity and compassion for all involved. I work directly with those planning for their own death or with families as they arrange the memorial of a loved one.

Funeral & Cremation homes often provide wonderful funeral/memorial services but often still leave it up to each family to find an officiant or choose from a list of random names. Additionally, some situations are not right for a full funeral/cremation home service.

I specialize in taking on unique and complex circumstances that call for more creative and personalized options for organizing and facilitating memorials/funerals.

In particular, I specialize in officiating memorials/funerals for those with complex life and/or death circumstances and frequently conduct services for:

  • Those who have died due to overdose or addiction related illnesses

  • Those who have died and are estranged from most friends &/or family

  • Those who have died and have a complex criminal history

  • Those who have died due to suicide with a history of mental illness

  • Those who were victims of crime/violence

Email me to inquire

Death, Dying, & Funeral/Memorial services that I offer

There are a variety of things that come with the experience of planning for your own end-of-life or arranging for services due to the death of a loved one. You can find all that I am able to provide below.

  • Funeral services are conducted prior to the cremation or burial of a body and often include the visitation of the body. Memorial services are conducted after the burial or cremation (typically) or simply have the absence of the body. I can conduct both types of services with or without religious/spiritual language, rituals, readings, etc. I am a formally trained Christian minister but am skilled in writing non-religious or multifaith services according to a person or family’s beliefs and preferences. I can plan all of the service and conduct the entire service or I can simply stand in as the facilitator for a service planned entirely by the loved ones of the departed, and anything in between.

  • Chaplains are often only available to those who are in-patient at a hospital or hospice program, as well as those who live in long-term care facilities before their death. However, seeking out spiritual care, being heard, and having the opportunity to ask questions or express one’s fears and concerns before death is a right that we all ought to have access to. I will visit with those who desire end-of-life spiritual care in-home or at a location of their own choosing. These visits typically last an hour or two and are free form according to what the dying person wishes to talk about or share.

  • I provide check-ins and follow ups with grieving loved ones to ensure that all are receiving the formal support that they need and are aware of all available support programs that they have access to. I can meet with the bereaved to discuss spiritual, philosophical, or theological questions about death and their grief process. This is not psychotherapy and anyone seeking support for psychological distress and clinical symptoms should seek counseling with a licensed mental health professional or speak with their primary care doctor.