A Path Home
What is a home funeral? How can I have a green burial? Do I have to hire a Funeral Director? On this podcast we’ll be focusing on reclaiming our innate right to care for our own loved ones at death in natural, and often, environmentally friendly ways. We’ll demystify the tasks related to after death care through hearing stories from people who have ventured into culturally unfamiliar territory and cared for their own deceased loved ones at home, chose a natural burial or both. Hearing what’s possible and how lives have been transformed by engaging in this final act of love is one path towards changing our culture and our relationship to death. A Path Home is a production of the National Home Funeral Alliance.
- Update frequency
- every 13 days
- Average duration
- 40 minutes
- Episodes
- 79
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2024
Home Funeral Basics with Lauren Carroll
Lauren Carroll is a funeral director based in Colorado Springs. After finding out about home-based, family-centered after death care, Lauren devoted her practice to helping families create home funer…
Wrestling with Death
Aubrey Brinneman and her friend, home funeral guide Lauren Richwine recall the dying, death, home funeral and natural burial of Aubrey's husband, Tyler. Ty faced his diagnosis with a rare, aggressive…
High School Sweetheart
In this episode Ray Mulvey and his daughter Laurie describe the home funeral they arranged for Ray's wife of 58 years, Judy. Ray lives in New Jersey, one of the states that requires hiring a funeral …
Beautiful Billy
Gabrielle Walters shares the arduous journey she made alongside her husband, Billy, when he was struck with a devastating illness at the end of May 2020. Determined that he would not die in the hospi…
Community Death Education
This episode offers ideas for people interested in raising the awareness of alternative death care practices in their communities, as well as helpful things to consider when planning a home funeral. …
Mother in the Parlor
Adrienne Parker describes bringing her mother home where she died surrounded by three generations of family members. After her death they spent time with her body in the parlor of the old Victorian …
A Walk in the Woods
On this episode we hear from Alexa Sunshine Rose who shares the story of her husband, Warren, a father, activist, environmentalist, educator and EMT who died right before the New Year of 2020. Warren…
Dad Catches the Train
Along with her family and guest host, Dani LaVoire, Sarah Crews, shares the story of the home funeral and green burial that the family arranged for their father and grandfather, Ed Hawley. Here is th…
The Unimaginable on an Ordinary Day
13 years ago, on New Year’s eve, Anne Jungerman’s husband, Ed, died suddenly and unexpectedly while out on his bike. In the hours that followed, Anne’s close knit community came together to support h…
Con Cariño Abuelito
On today's episode Anne-Marie Keppel shares the extraordinary life of her father-in-law Marcelo, a refugee from Chile who settled in New York City. Marcelo died in a hospital ICU in 2019. Anne-Marie …
Deana's Choice
Final Passages founder, Jerrigrace Lyons, shares the story of attending to her dear friend, Deana, who chose the option of medical aid in dying to end her long journey through cancer. Hawaii's Our Ca…
Surrounded in Beauty
Courtney shares the story of caring for her mom who died at home during the pandemic. With the support of hospice and LA based home funeral guide, Olivia Bareham, Courtney was able to care for her mo…
A Better End with Dan and Shelley Morhaim
Sarah has a conversation on medical decision making with the authors of Preparing for a Better End; Expert Lessons on Death and Dying for You and Your Loved Ones. Dan and Shelley Morhaim share profe…
Hibiscus and Snickers
Carla Reed Brown shares the story of the home funeral she and her sister created for their mother. Even though she died in the ICU, with the support of home funeral guide and educator, Olivia Bareha…
Living in Gratitude: Spencer's story
At this time of Thanksgiving, Sarah has a conversation with Valli Warren and Sharon Stewart. Together they share the story of the home funeral and green burial they provided for Valli's husband, Spen…
In the Wake of Waves
Film maker and home funeral guide, Heidi Boucher joins host Sarah Crews for a deeply personal conversation about caring for her brother and niece after a wave swept them off the tide pools they were …
Nina and Kirsten, Together
On this episode I have a conversation with Marianne Dietzel about the fatal accident that took the lives of her daughter Nina and Nina's best friend, Kirsten. The girls were enjoying their last year …
Creating a Family Cemetery with Michael Judd
On this episode ecological landscape designer Michael Judd describes what it took to establish a cemetery on his family's homestead in rural Maryland, the memory of staying by his father's side throu…
A Home Funeral Guide Navigates Quarantine
On this episode I have a conversation with Peg Lorenz, a home funeral guide and death educator in Central Massachusetts. Peg has been teaching home funeral practices and supporting families for over …
Being There for Benjamin
On this episode writer Kelly Notaras recalls the details of caring for her beloved partner and best friend, Benjamin, before and after his death in 2017. The article she wrote about the experience is…