Living with the dead (literally)
If you have around 13 minutes, please check out this fascinating TED talk by anthropologist Kelli Swazey. She speaks of …
Category Archives: Funerals
Great graveside movie scenes, Part I
This is the first in an occasional series of great graveside movie scenes. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) is my …
From loss, beauty
On Tuesday, I visited Michelle Kaisersatt’s studio in St. Peter, Minnesota. Michelle has done beautiful pottery work for years—vases, chalices, …
A detailed burial account
I grew up Catholic, a religion that places a heavy and somber emphasis on Lent. In my book I write …
Mr. Dufault’s Opus
What’s the longest time you’ve stood in line at a wake? Wakes in Waseca are legendary—anyone who had lived in …
“See Dad dead”
I just finished an amazing memoir, Thirty Rooms to Hide in: Insanity, Addiction, and Rock ‘n’ Roll in the Shadow of …
Wakes move from homes to community centers
On January 23, I wrote about the transition from in-home wakes to wakes being held at funeral homes. Probably very …
The “home” before there were funeral “homes”
Thanks to a Facebook friend, I came across the Avenidas Funeral Chapel‘s information page on the social networking site. This …
If You Have Five Seconds to Spare 