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Tawnya Musser
Home Funeral Guide, End-of-Life Doula & Life-Cycle CelebrantDear Departures
Overview
Tawnya Musser, founder of Dear Departures, offers home funeral guidance, end-of-life care, and crafts custom ceremonies for:
- Funerals/Memorials/ Celebrations-of-Life
- Living Funerals
- Pet Deaths
- Deathversaries
- “Do-over” Memorializations
A fifth generation Coloradoan, Tawnya majored in Human Services/Counseling and Mental Health at Metro State University, and she’s worked with at-risk youth, adults with developmental disabilities, and as a Family Advocate.
Though she gained much personal and professional experience in her prior helping-field roles, she never quite felt like any of her positions were the right fit. After much soul searching, she discovered how at home she felt in the death-sphere, where she discovered her true gift of companioning people through one of life’s most trying times.
Her services are currently offered within 100 miles of the Denver Metro area.
Fun Fact: Tawnya’s maiden name is Graves.
Details
Have you ever left a funeral wanting more? Tawnya often found that when attending funerals, personally, that most services were lackluster, at best. She’d often leave wondering, “whose funeral was I just at?”
Life-Cycle Celebrants pride themselves on stepping outside the cookie-cutter/insert-name-here ceremony box, and Tawnya is no exception.
She works hard to strike a balance in the attention given to the sorrow, the love, and yes, even the laughter shared in a ceremony.
She is strongly suited to tell real, raw stories.
So often our dead are put on a pedestal. Tawnya strives to convey legacies authentically, with candor, tact, and grace. It’s a true art form to be able to craft a ceremony that does not venerate the dead if it’s not deserved, while also being cautious to not outright vilify them, either.
For those whose relationship with the dead was complicated, and especially when trauma is a part the survivors’ past with the dead, it is critical to acknowledge the gravity of the situation in a way that gives voice to the survivors’ pain, by staying true to the narrative. Humans are fallible, after all.
“Do-over” memorials are for those who either never had a meaningful memorial for a loved one at all, or, if the one they did have was unsatisfactory. Whether your loved one has been gone for a year, or a decade, it’s never too late to create a meaningful tribute. This process can be therapeutic, especially as it relates to our past culture around miscarriages and/or infant deaths that weren’t given the acknowledgment that they deserved.
Living funerals are events where, when someone is nearing the end-of-life, they become the guest of honor at their own exit-party! More and more people are coming around the idea that, rather than have everyone sit around and tell stories about how great you were after you’re gone, it’s a much richer experience to be a part of that conversation while you’re still alive!
Living Funerals are also an opportunity for the dying person to share with others what an impact those people have made on their life.
Tawnya also offers guidance in eulogy writing, as well as in crafting your own obituary! Obituaries don’t have to be simple timelines of events. They can be fun, witty, reverent, and lush! One need not be dying to start writing an obituary. Getting a head start means that when the inevitable happens, (be it tomorrow or years from now,) the things that are important to YOU about your life’s story have been highlighted!
Last, but certainly not least, she offers pet-honoring ceremonies before, during, or after a pet death.
She’s even crafted send-offs for non-living beloveds, like vehicles lost to accidents, and homes lost to fire.
The sky is the limit in how we acknowledge and honor our grief. Grief is grief, and love is love.
“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” – Sharon Adler
Education & Affiliations
B.S. Human Services – Counseling & Mental Health, Metro State University, 2008
Sacred Passages End-of-Life Doula Certificate, 2018
Life-Cycle Celebrant Certificate, Specializing in Funerals, 2019
Denver Hospice Volunteer, 2019
National Home Funeral Alliance (NHFA) Member
National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) Member
100-mile radius of Denver-Metro Area Colorado 80206 United States
Katherine Roy
Life-Cycle CelebrantWine Country CeremoniesOverview
I offer ceremonies for the transitions in our lives.
My experience includes weddings, vow renewals, divorce ceremonies, celebrations of life, memorials, pet loss, baby welcoming and new home blessing.
I have also written and delivered a Mothers’ Day ceremony for the Migrant Center women here in Palisade, Colorado—home of the most delicious peaches.
My education includes being an undergrad journalism major at CSU and Boyd Travel school graduate in the 80s, Colorado Mountain College student in the 90s and obtaining my Colorado State Esthetics license in 2000 and TESOL (Teaching English Students of Other Languages) certification in 2005.
I am a graduate of the Celebrant Foundation & Institute certified in Weddings and Funerals.
I take note of life’s little things–a bright blue sky and the way trees sway in the breeze, a heartfelt hello when my eyes meet a stranger, children’s’ laughter on a playground and that first of lick of an ice cream cone. That said, I also cherish dark clouds with the smell of rain, lawn mower noise and a teenager’s uncompromised stance on their favorite music. I take notes on life and file them away. I value thoughtfulness–not just being thoughtful towards others but the concept of being full of thought. Taking the time and being present with myself and others is how I honor our transitions and what they mean to us.
Details
I come to celebrant work after witnessing weddings and funerals that were not personal, with a yearning to give a deeper meaning to those ceremonies.
As a life-cycle celebrant I have learned to co-create a ceremony through listening deeply to peoples’ stories, desires and thoughts about themselves, those they love and the world around them, and to what is important to them.
For as long as I can remember I have been commemorating the transitions in my own life with writing, music, ritual and observance. I have a calling to put into words the thoughts and feelings that mark the paths taken in our lives, our choices…and to celebrate our passages.
I offer ceremonies for the transitions in our lives.
My experience includes same sex, spiritual and religious weddings, vow renewals, divorce ceremonies, celebrations of life, memorials, pet loss, baby welcoming/new mother and home blessing.
My life cycles include being a daughter, sister, student, travel agent, bartender, teacher, coach, hospice volunteer, wife, mother, facilitator, holistic practitioner, healer, creative writer, instructor, guide, grandmother and celebrant.
I can draw on all of these life paths to connect with those who want to give voice to their own life cycle event and honor their passage from one to the next.
Fun Fact: I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for three years as a grade schooler and have lately been thinking back on how much that has influenced my perspective throughout my life. Remembering the people, food, language, customs, landscape and how we as a family navigated and brought those ideas and thoughts back to the U.S. and how they shaped my view of the world.
Across the Western Slope & Mountain Towns, Eastern Utah & Everywhere in Between Palisade, Colorado 81526 United States
Karen Guerra
Overview
Life-Cycle Celebrant, certified in Weddings and Funerals
Realizing that everyone is alike and, at the same time, different. We all want to feel respected and valued. As a Celebrant, my goal is to craft ceremonies that reflect and honor my clients’ values.
Education & Experience
B.A. – Louisiana Tech University
M.S. – Louisiana State University
Taught at the college level for over 20 years.
Details
Growing up in New Orleans, I took it for granted that everyone went to Mardi Gras. It wasn’t until I went to college in north Louisiana that I realized what a unique place I had been born and grew up in. For me, ritual and ceremony were the part of the Catholic church I loved. And I have come to realize the importance of ritual and ceremony in daily life.
Having spent most of my life along the Gulf Coast (Louisiana and Texas), it was quite different to live in Fairfax, Virginia for three years. The East Coast has four distinct seasons and so much of America’s early history.
I had been teaching at colleges and universities for over 20 years and I was ready for something different. I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I came across “It Ain’t Over…Till It’s Over” by Marlo Thomas. That’s where I heard about Celebrancy for the first time. And I became a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant in Weddings and Funerals.
After 25 years in Houston, my husband retired and we moved to Colorado where we live with our retired racing greyhounds, Axel and Maddie, who have been adopted into our family.
I’ve traveled to six continents (including Antarctica and 42 foreign countries. When traveling, I make the time to check out the grocery stores. This provides insight into how people live. And it’s interesting to see the kinds of products offered.
Keith Horstman
CelebrantColorado Weddings By KeithOverview
- Wedding (large, small group, and elopements); Celebration of Life and funerals; Baby Namings
- Bachelor of Business degree + Master of Divinity degree + Celebrant Foundation & Institute Certificate for Weddings and Funerals
- Full-time wedding celebrant since 2010 with 900 weddings written and celebrated. Have also presided at a dozen funeral/celebration of life ceremonies over the past ten years.
Details
Scott Peck, with his book The Road Less Traveled, was an early influence in my life. I found a richness of personal growth when embarking on life’s unbeaten path. As a post-college young adult who grew up Catholic, my first inclination at finding fulfillment involved becoming a priest, as a way to be of service to others.
I attended a multi-cultural seminary for six years, obtained a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained in 1995. After living the celibate (vow not to marry) lifestyle for four more years, my mind, body and soul revolted. I wanted a partner, I wanted to be married. I found myself at the end of a ten-year rumination period in which all of my learned theology, scriptural studies, cultural adventures, pastoral care and parish experience had congealed to open a new door. Not only did I want a family, but I was eager to work with people in creating personal and meaningful ceremonies on their own terms and away from the confines of any religious institution.
As I was in the process of transitioning, I was offered an opportunity to travel to the Philippines for a Jimmy Carter, Habitat for Humanity Work Week. Ten-thousand volunteers gathered from around the world to build 300 houses. While at breakfast the first day of our trip, and among hundreds of volunteers, a young woman asked if the last seat at my table was available. I thought, “Goddess, not only is that seat available….” My mission for the week was now nuanced! I had one fleeting opportunity to hook and reel in this beauty to see if we had a future together.
Nine months after first meeting, we were engaged. Not wanting to begin our married life under clouds (her hometown in Michigan was just three hours away from where I grew up), we moved to Denver. My wife works in the non-profit sector and I carry the torch [full-time] for incredible wedding ceremonies. Aleah and I have two blooming kids, we live at 8,100 feet where the ground is white from Halloween to Mother’s Day, and the sun shines 245 days a year. We found our path in the Rockies!
I get energy from public speaking and I enjoy presenting a well-crafted experience where laughter, contemplation, and tears are all welcome. I play hockey, ski, backpack, and cycle. I live with my family in a house we have completely renovated over the past 17 years. The abode is entirely heated with wood (I harvest 50 cords a year of beetle-kill pine).
I have traveled beyond North America to Africa, Israel, Europe (east and west), Asia, and central and South America. The tastiest beer was in Yugoslavia, and I learned to love sauerkraut in Munich, Germany, and squid in southern Mexico A facet of travel that I look forward to is exploring culture, music, and food I cannot pronounce. People are kind and hospitable from the bush in Burkina Faso to Tim Horton’s in Canada, and the most breath losing moment happened in Ireland at the cliffs of Moher, lying on my stomach at the edge looking down. Taking a steam bath atop a volcano in El Salvador was liberating.
I value a genuine experience. In working with my couples or families, I seek to tell their story with meaning, humor, and interest in what makes them authentic. I am by nature and nurture, reform minded; I keep an open mind and generally have the courage to make thoughtful additions to whatever the project at hand, combining the wisdom of the ages with contemporary philosophy, and art with practicality.
Front Range Jefferson County Denver, Colorado United States
Marsanne Howard
Life Cycle CelebrantWinding Road CeremoniesOverview
Coming soon! In the meantime, please find out more about Marsanne Howard on her website, Winding Road Ceremonies.
Fort Collins, Estes Park, Longmont, Loveland, Lyons, Greeley, Rocky Mountain National Park, LaPorte, Colorado 80535 United States
Valerie Nicholas
Life-Cycle Celebrant & End-of-Life DoulaOverview
I am a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant with rich, in-depth training in the history of ritual and ceremony as well as cultural and religious traditions.
My training as a Celebrant and as an End-of-Life Doula allows me to create a sacred celebration—intimate or grand—from the beginning of a terminal illness to late stage or the active dying process.
I offer a free phone consultation to anyone interested in how I can make a sorrowful part of life into a healing and warm experience for everyone involved. My fees are based on my professional training, family meeting and interview, writing a personalized creative ceremony, keepsake of ceremony, travel, ceremony rehearsal (if necessary) and officiating the ceremony.
Details
I am a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, with specialties in funerals, as well as, healing and transition. My education and professional background are in exercise science and gerontology. I have also received supplemental training in Advanced Care Planning and as an End of Life Doula and have been a hospice volunteer for over 15 years.
Since I was a child, I have always enjoyed planning parties and gathering friends and family around to celebrate. Fast-forward many years and this calling is still the same but the calling has deepened.
I enjoy celebrating all of life’s milestones and transitions, but one in particular has grown to have profound meaning for me—living legacy celebrations. Other names for this celebration are living funerals, living celebration of life, or simply… the party of a lifetime.
Living legacy celebrations can follow some of the traditional funerary customs (music, prayers, readings, rituals, eulogies—religious or not) but living celebrations involve the dying. These ceremonies and celebrations are for those who are terminally ill or advanced in age. The guest of honor is… the dying loved one.
These ceremonies provide the opportunity for the honoree to share their life lessons and stories through an interview process. This life review can be very cathartic and healing. After I interview my client (and their family/friends) I create a ceremony script to include everything my client finds relevant, which they can review. These celebrations can be large or intimate, in a home, restaurant or large venue—anything goes!
Nowadays it is increasingly possible to know when someone is approaching the end of their life. Therefore, why not plan a celebration of life with their input, presence and participation!
Working in this field inspires me to live each day to the fullest! I enjoy all things outdoors that Colorado has to offer from trail running to gardening… and I truly believe that “Life should not only be lived but celebrated.” ~ Osho
Arvada Front Range Golden, Colorado United States
Susan M. Watson
Dignity Memorial CelebrantDignity Memorial & Olinger MortuariesOverview
I have an abundance of empathy for the families that I serve. This allows me to read situations quickly and adapt with compassion and without judgement. I am filled with gratitude when a family calls upon me for a second or third time.
Details
As a Funeral Director for twenty years I have seen my fair share of funeral ceremonies. Sitting in the back of chapels, I have heard ministers, priests, monks, chaplains, rabbis and more. I have heard and seen reactions of both families and guests as they leave a service. This gives me a unique perspective.
When I witnessed my first Celebrant ceremony, it resonated to such an extent that I spent the next four years in study. As a grief counselor, I felt that a Celebrant ceremony was more than just a funeral service, it was the beginning of healing! By telling the story and including symbols, music and other meaningful elements, I can be a gentle guide on this challenging journey.
My goal is to heal hearts! I love hearing stories; of the ordinary as well as the extraordinary and am truly honored to identify and give words to a legacy. I share the story, the tears, the heroism and the legacy of each person that I have the honor to celebrate. My greatest pleasure is honoring and respecting people in this way.
I have a BA in Sociology from CU and hold certificates from the Insight Institute and the Celebrant Foundation and Institute. I have held certificates in Grief Counseling, Funeral Director and Pastoral Grief Counselor. Lastly, I have officiated countless small ceremonies when families thought that they needed “nothing” to commemorate a loss.
I enjoy reading, learning, writing, music, the arts, cooking, animals, all creatures and the beauty of nature. I am a mother, wife and sister and treasure my connections to family.
You may wonder, “does everyone have a story?” The answer is a resounding “Yes!”
50 miles of Denver-Metro Area 7777 W 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033 United States
Johanna VanDeWege
Life Cycle CelebrantAlternative UndertakingsOverview
LOCATION: Front Range Colorado
SPECIALTY: Funeral/Memorial
Ceremonies Offered:
- Funerary rites of passing (ash scatterings, memorials, etc.)
- Special interest in unusual/unique ceremonies (“themed,” special locations such as parks, homes, forests, etc.)
- Rites for non-traditional spiritual faiths as well as humanist and non-faith-based ones.
Education & Experience:
- Educational background in cultural studies (Asian Studies, International Studies) and art (Digital Media), and Masters in Environmental Engineering Sciences.
- Independent contractor with Dignity Memorial.
- After-death preparation advocate and educator (Funerary Broker); I aim to help expand the understanding, knowledge and availability of more environmentally friendly disposition options, as well as destigmatizing the discussion and preplanning of one’s funeral preferences.
- Studied abroad in Nagoya, Japan for one school year.
Some values and principles that are important in my life and work are:
- I strive to truly listen and hear what my clients say, so that I have the deepest possible understanding of them and their loved ones; it’s important to pick up on the details that are present but not listed outright to really make a meaningful ceremony.
- I also value embracing grief and try to create a safe and comfortable place for people to feel what is only natural, so they can come to acceptance in their own way and time, while also holding space for the needs of other mourners.
- Finally, I value the incredible uniqueness of each person, and aim to have their spirit well and truly inhabit the ceremony that is about them; to that end, I try to not shy away from including less traditional media and inspirational sources.
Details
As a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® I work with families and loved ones to write a fitting end‑to‑a life story. While advocating for the expansion of environmentally friendly and alternative burial, cremation, and other after-death options, I know firsthand how important it is to recognize—ritually—the death of a loved one.
Crafting a personalized ceremony that reflects the life and values of the individual is a significant honor that I respect and for which I feel grateful to have a part. To help create a deeply meaningful ceremony that is as unique as the individual, I call upon my varied background in art and design, cultural studies, and science.
I am comfortable performing ceremonies in traditional venues, but specialize in alternative ceremonies. I perform rites of passing including ash scatterings, memorials, themed funerals or memorials, rites for non-traditional faiths, and humanist/non-faith-based ceremonies.
And… I am a geek: I love reading mythology and cozy mysteries; I play tabletop role-playing games; and inhabit many fandoms including Supernatural, Star Trek and The Dresden Files.
Colorado United States
Jean Stracy
Life-Cycle CelebrantBlue Sky CelebrationsOverview
- Specializes in weddings (large, small-intimate, elopements); Celebration of Life, Funerals and Same-Sex ceremonies
- Celebrant Foundation & Institute Certified for Weddings, Celebrations of Life, Funerals, and LBGTQ ceremonies
- Blue Sky Celebrations, LLC is located in the Denver-Metro area, serving the Front Range and all the beautiful locations in Colorado and beyond.
Details
Trained as a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant with certifications in both Funerals and Weddings, Jean provides ceremonies for the LBGTQ community and enjoys working with couples and families to create meaningful rituals in their ceremonies. It is her goal to ensure that every wedding reflects something personal and distinctive about the couple, that every funeral and memorial honors the life and legacy of the person being remembered.
Jean has been a mediator, facilitator and trainer in mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution. As an adjunct instructor, she taught at Regis University for 9 years. Her experience has aided her in working with her clients, as well as in creating and officiating ceremonies. Presently, she facilitates a Death Café in the Denver-Metro area.
- Values the power of listening and the connection of storytelling.
- Believes everyone has the right and privilege of having their life/love story told faithfully and lovingly.
- Is dedicated to helping others navigate the experience of ceremony in a meaningful and thoughtful way, integrating elements of tradition and ritual, while creating unique and memorable ceremonies.
Jean enjoys living in Colorado, where she grew up taking advantage of all the outdoor activities available: skiing, tennis and hiking. In June 2019, she completed hiking the 80 miles of the Great Glen Way in Scotland. She met her husband at her family reunion (no, they are not related but attended the same high school at the same time—a great love story). They now enjoy activities with their Dalmatian, Willie.
Located in metro Denver, Jean primarily serves the Front Range and is willing to travel to interesting locations to perform ceremonies.
Northern Colorado Front Range Denver-Metro, Colorado 80203 United States
Bonnie Cortez
Life-Cycle CelebrantChosen with BonnieOverview
Bonnie Cortez is driven by service. Her professional life includes helping entrepreneurs launch their businesses as a Private Label Specialist at Joy Organics, serving her community as a massage therapist for 20 years, a labor doula for 15 years and a Montessori teacher for 10 years. Bonnie has dedicated herself to facilitating connection while bearing witness to some of life’s most transformational experiences.
As a Life-Cycle Celebrant with her business, Chosen with Bonnie, Bonnie writes and officiates tailor-made ceremonies for couples looking for more than the traditional “I do.”
Details
Your baby says, “mama,” for the first time. First time pedaling a bike, first time driving, and he’s off. Back from college, he says he’s met someone. She’s Jewish, your family is spiritual, but not religious. Your mother is wary. Over Thanksgiving dinner, he asks her to marry him. Who will bring this couple together? As a Life-Cycle Celebrant, I write and officiate wedding ceremonies that string together your family’s precious pearls into one stunning piece you’ll remember forever.
You chose each other 20 years ago. Eyes wide with anticipation – your love shiny and new. You’ve built a home together, prepared meals for 2 and for 20, raised pups who’ve grown to care-worn seniors, seen toddlers steer tricycles and teens tote keys for SUVs. Now, here you are, hand in hand, just as it was from the start. Say yes again – eyes clear and knowing, vows weathered and wise. As a Life-Cycle Celebrant, I write and officiate vow renewal ceremonies for seasoned lovers who choose to say yes all over again.
You didn’t grow up dreaming of a lifelong mate. You hustled and fought to build a life you could be proud of. Your partner did as well – answering to no one but yourselves, carving out a couplehood that kept you growing. Your love brought you coffee and rubbed your shoulders, knowing that conversations are precious, and actions change the world. In the deepest part of the night, you shared stories and leaned in. Your love has passed on. As a Life-Cycle Celebrant, I write and officiate memorial services that shine a light on the home you found in each other as we celebrate your love’s life.
Compassion and love drive me. I am beyond honored to be invited into the connection couples find in each other, to be a part of signature life events and to hold space for each person who made these days possible. We are all connected by the thread of humanity. That thread is gathered and strengthened during celebrations. It is a joy to allow that bond to reverberate, to reflect love and compassion during each celebration.
Random Fun Fact:
When I am driving by myself and I see a dog, I say aloud, “That is a good dog.” And then I say what I think the dog is thinking … “I am walking with my friend sniffing all of the smells. The wind is delicious and I want to eat it.” It’s like canine Tourrettes.
Michele Daubert
Life-Cycle Celebrant & Body WorkerOverview
There are many life events that call to ceremony and ritual for acknowledgement. Currently, I focus my gifts, skills and talents – given and developed – in the following:
- Celebration of Life Ceremonies
- House Blessings
- Conscious Divorce
- Transforming Identity
- Gender Ceremonies
- Animal Tributes
All of these ceremonies are aspects of life I have personally experienced, or feel passionately about.
Ceremony is a conduit for transition, through which we get to pass, which enables us to see clearly beyond the uncertainty of chaos and confusion. With willingness we slow down, offer up, and envision anew. Blessings!
Details
It was in my early 30’s when I became conscious of the power of ceremony. I attended a Full Moon Circle, with a friend, conducted by a Cherokee ‘Grandmother’ and crystal Healer. We were five women, in the moonlight, sitting at the edge of the Trinity Hot Springs, in Paradise, Idaho. Through words, song, and heart-centered intention we created a portal of sacred space. Since then, I have engaged in and performed many ceremonies.
There are several aspects of ceremony and ritual that intrigue my sense of curiosity, style and imagination; namely, the necessity of slow time; the transitional and transformative nature of ceremony; as well as the burgeoning freshness of ritual.
Life’s cycles have a way of bringing us to the ‘windows of opportunity’ transitional times offer. When we decide to consciously enter the liminal, we spread our wings/imagination and skywalk into the unknown of soulful transformation. During these times, activating slow time has a way of inviting the heart and mind into an understanding that “something other” takes precedence. It is within that connection with Mystery that a freshness of ritual can loosen from practices of the past, while staying true to ritual’s purpose – which is to affect an integrated shift in our consciousness, so as to deepen our connection to the next phase of life.
Charles Eisenstein, a public speaker, gift economy advocate and author encourages us to “bring the old ways forward.” Ceremony and ritual are the old ways. It is up to us to breath new life into them. And, some would say, our age of high tech is seriously calling out for the old ways to co-mingle with the new.
As an autodidact, my interests focus in the arenas of Psychology, Religious/Spiritual Studies, Healing Arts, Esoteric Science and Yoga Philosophy. I have been a Body Worker for over 30 years, and have taught Yoga and Meditation since 2002. I’ve assisted many into their ‘death song’ as a death mid-wife/doula. I have also volunteered for many organizations, such as Hospice, The Shanti Project, Domestic Violence Shelters, and currently I volunteer with the national organization, Alternative to Violence Project, here in Colorado.
With great delight, during my 50’s, I completed two years at the College of Southern Idaho, graduating with honors. It was a wonderful way to give my intelligence a reason to celebrate! J And then, in 2018, after two decades of spiritual study and practice, through the Corelight Community, it became clear that the next step on my path was to become an Ordained Minister. For years I had prepared, for months I had been called, for the Ceremony I was ready. As a result, I also offer my services as Spiritual Counselor.
Boulder, Colorado United States
Patricia Eagle
Life-Cycle Celebrant®, AuthorOverview
PATRICIA EAGLE discovered language with her first word, “bird,” and later found great solace in nature. Six decades of journaling also served as a life buoy—tangible evidence of a life explored in earnest.
Her experience as a high school teacher informed her master’s research on the use of “professional reflective journaling,” a method to help educators better understand themselves and their students. A story gatherer, Patricia maintains an unyielding commitment to excavating and acknowledging what is resilient about her life and the lives of others, as an author and a Life-Cycle Celebrant®. She has seven stories published in four anthologies, online with the National Home Funeral Alliance, and numerous other online articles. Being Mean: A Memoir of Sexual Abuse and Survival is her first book.
Patricia and her family live amidst mountains and hot springs in the San Luis Valley in south central Colorado, where she watches the Milky Way splash across the night skies.
Details
I became a wedding and memorial/funeral Celebrant in 2012 and have been co-crafting ceremonies since that time. In June of 2019, I published a memoir and have since traveled to ten areas to give talks and readings as a survivor of child sexual abuse. Prior to Celebrancy and becoming an author, I was a public school teacher for 25 years: teacher education at the university level, English and French at the high school level, physical education at the elementary and middle school level.
I am based in the San Luis Valley in south central Colorado and northern New Mexico. I live in Alamosa, Colorado and offer ceremonies west to South Fork and Creede, north to the Collegiate Peaks area and Salida, and east to La Veta. I am sometimes able to schedule ceremonies in the Denton, Houston, or Austin areas.
My ceremonies occur at a variety of venue locations: private homes, decks, and backyards; national parks and scenic forests, meadows, mountain, and river areas; interfaith, community chapels; historic hot springs, hotels, ranches, and restaurants; and other unique and beautiful venue locations.
The power of our life journeys and our stories stirs me. I listen with curiosity and interest. I write with depth, care, and insight. I draw on my skills as a researcher, writer, educator, and presenter to craft and officiate openhearted ceremonies where stories are shared, hearts are touched, and lives are connected.
In the words of former clients:
Patricia is warm, genuine, and kind–exactly the traits you want in someone writing and officiating the most important moment of your life. Her energy is so calming, which is exactly what you need when you are standing at the altar, feeling emotional and nervous. And did I mention she is a beautiful writer!? Our ceremony was so well written and tailored to who we are, you would think she had known us for years! ~ Jacque, May 2015, Mount Princeton Hot Springs, CO
Patricia did a terrific job officiating the ceremony for my brother’s memorial celebration of life this summer. Her approach was thoughtful and professional, and she wrote a uniquely beautiful ceremony that really captured his life and spirit in a very personal, meaningful way. She had great ideas for the event, and was flexible given that it was held outdoors in a remote National Forest area of the Rocky Mountains. Patricia was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend her – she exceeded my expectations and provided the best services I could have hoped for. ~ Cindy, July 2016, outside Gunnison, CO
South-central Colorado to northern New Mexico San Luis Valley, west to South Fork/Creede Alamosa, Colorado 81101 United States
Diane Gansauer
Owner/ManagerLyrical Life CeremoniesOverview
Certified Master Life-Cycle Celebrant® | Ordained Interfaith Minister | Serving Colorado, especially the Front Range and Foothills
Diane profoundly believes in the importance of capturing and celebrating life’s stories. She has had extensive training as a story-teller specifically in service to couples and families seeking a ceremony that is centered on the story that has led up to the milestone or life they wish to honor.
Details
Diane is one of the few Life-Cycle Celebrants in the Rocky Mountain region that has earned the Masters level of certification through the Celebrant Foundation and Institute. This achievement acknowledges Diane’s work establishing a funeral celebrant program for the Denver Market of Service Corporation International and her work as the owner/manager of Lyrical Life Ceremonies, Ltd.. Through Lyrical Life Ceremonies, Diane has been officiating custom wedding ceremonies in Colorado since 2013.
Diane is on the faculty of the Celebrant Foundation & Institute.
Diane was ordained as an interfaith minister through The New Seminary, the oldest interfaith seminary in the United States. She also has a background in the performing arts as a storyteller, choreographer, and musician.
Prior to becoming a celebrant Diane worked in the field of wildlife and land conservation for more than 20 years.
She is an avid long-distance hiker, having completed more than half of the 3100-mile Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada, much of it solo.
She has been married to the same man for almost 40 years, and they have one daughter.
Evergreen, Colorado 80439 United States
Lisa Davila
Life-Cycle CelebrantCelebrant LisaOverview
I believe that we are all connected as one and not only do we each have our own unique story, we have an underlying shared experience waiting to be uncovered. My 20 years spent working in health care taught me to listen first. Each person is unique and knows themselves and their bodies better than anyone else on the planet. I believe ritual and meditation is not present in our daily lives as much as it could be. There is a comfort and a knowing that comes from practicing and honoring ritual in order to not only understand ourselves but to grow and expand.
Ceremony is a wonderful way to honor a life that has passed on or to give presence and acknowledgement that a time or situation has changed. When life changing events occur, we emerge anew. Just as a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, honoring the metamorphosis can bring healing peace. I believe funerals and end-of-life celebrations should be personalized to tell the story of someone’s journey that captures and reflects their true spirit and essence. These ceremonies should be reflective of the life that was lived in an authentic and heartfelt way and be inclusive of all who have gathered in remembrance.
My passion shines through in my ability to listen and connect with people and support them with a calming and healing presence to create a meaningful ceremony. My poise and expertise as a celebrant is supported by more than 20 years advocating for the well-being of others as an RN, educator, public speaker, certified stress management instructor and a Reiki practitioner.
Services Offered:
Ceremonies Across the Life Cycle: House & Home Blessings/Clearings, Honoring Goals & Accomplishments; Healing Ceremonies: Chronic & Life-Threatening Illnesses, Addiction and Recovery, Conscious Divorce, Forgiveness Ceremonies, Gender Identity and Transitions, Renaming Ceremonies, LGBTQ+ Coming Out, Employment Transitions (layoffs, retirement, organizational changes), Honoring Change of Seasons/Solstice/Equinox/Moon Cycles; End-of-Life Celebrations: Ash Scattering, Celebration of Life, Eulogy, Funeral, Goodbye Celebration, Living Funeral/Memorial, Memorial Services, Pet Ceremonies/Memorials, Sacred Dying and Bereavement, Wake, Fare-Thee-Well Celebration, Living End-of-Life Celebration, LGBTQ+ Celebration of Life
Education:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Regis University
- Master of Science in Nursing Leadership – Regis University
- Graduate Level Academic Certificate in Health Care Education – Regis
- Second Degree Reiki practitioner
- Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant – Celebrant Foundation & Institute
- Certified Holistic Stress Management Instructor – American Holistic Nursing Assoc.
- Certified Grief Counseling Specialist – International Assoc. of Trauma Professionals
Work Experience:
- RN, Nurse Manager and Patient Experience Officer – Denver VA
- Clinical Team Manager – Iora Primary Care
- Director of Service Excellence – Platte Valley Medical Center
Details
All throughout my life, I have had a sense of the “bigger picture” of things. The meaning, the connection, and the synchronicities. When I decided to pursue a career in nursing, I not only wanted to help to heal my patients and their families, but to guide them through something larger, something substantial, something meaningful. My past 20 years in the healthcare industry have shown me that sometimes this is possible and sometimes, in a hospital setting, things move so fast, that we can be left spinning, wondering what had just happened. I soon realized, maybe I was the one spinning. Spinning with data points, charts and performance measures. Spinning with appraisals, conference calls and proposals. What if I stopped and reflected on who I was and how I could best serve? That is when I decided to pursue a career as a Life-Cycle Celebrant. I want to connect with people and be able to create and hold space for them to grieve, celebrate and ultimately to heal.
Healing ceremonies can bring energy and love to a person dealing with issues ranging from a life-threatening illness to a broken heart. Acknowledgement of the pain and suffering can be the first step in moving towards a place of acceptance and healing. Whether you are looking for a traditional ceremony, tree-planting ritual, scattering of ashes or a healing ceremony, please reach out to me for a no-obligation, free consultation to discuss your needs.
Fun Facts about Me:
- I grew up in Brooklyn, NY.
- I met my husband, Jaime, at the supermarket.
- We’ve been married for 23 years and have a 15 year old son (Jack) and a Bernedoodle named Ollie.
- I love to read, listen to music, go to concerts, travel and run.
- I ran the NYC marathon in 2013.
- My favorite quote is from Ram Dass: “We’re all just walking each other home.”
Front Range from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs Other areas also considered Colorado United States
Lin Cressey
Certified Life-Cycle CelebrantOverview
Ceremonies I offer:
- “Sweet & Simple” Marriage Ceremonies
- Elopements
- Vow Renewal
- Same-Sex Ceremonies
- Funerals
- Memorial Services
- Celebrations of Life
- Pet Memorial Services
- Pre-need Funeral Service/Memorial Service Design and Writing
I perform custom-written wedding ceremonies that include the couple’s love story by referral only. I no longer travel more than 60 miles from home to perform weddings.
Some values and principles that are important in my life and work are:
- Listening for understanding
- Asking thought-provoking questions
- Honoring the culture, values and lives of my clients
- Building relationship with couples, individuals and families
- Honoring life, hopes and dreams and roads not taken
- Speaking truth with courtesy and respect
- Having fun and including laughter and joy appropriately in ceremonies
- Inclusion
- Transparency in pricing—I do not add additional charges. I quote a price for ceremonies, ceremonies + rehearsals and add mileage if I drive over 60 miles round-trip per event.
Details
As a trained Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, I work collaboratively with individuals, couples and families to create and provide ceremonies that acknowledge and commemorate the private and public thresholds that change us and mark our coming of age and the passage of our lives. As I look back over the arc of my professional training and career, the phrases “family life cycle,” “thresholds” and “rites of passage” remain profoundly meaningful to me as I have evolved from a Home Economics/Consumer and Family Studies teacher into a Celebrant with a thriving, engaging practice.
My entire professional life, from my first-year teacher “Bachelor Survival” through my tenth wedding season this year, has involved educating, learning from and offering support and encouragement to children, teenagers and adults as they prepare for the next phase of their lives. I am truly privileged to sit with individuals and families, to learn and to listen to stories that I incorporate into ceremonies—stories that also teach me how to live my own life and make my own way in the world.
I’m a life-long resident of Colorado—the middle kid, raised on a farm with an older brother and younger sister. I am grateful to have close relationships with my siblings and their spouses. I’m also a mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. Time with family—especially my granddaughter—is one of my greatest joys. They were, and continue to be, incredibly supportive when I lost my spouse in 2012.
I had the privilege of being with my mother when she died at the age of 97. It was one of the most profound experiences of my life, right up there with the birth of my children and granddaughter and my second wedding day.
I share my home in Westminster, Colorado, with a year-old Miniature Schnauzer mix who always makes me laugh. In my spare time—when I’m not walking my dog in the neighborhood—I’m a reader, writer, knitter and counted cross-stitcher. I sing in a community choir and a church choir.
I began taking piano lessons in 2012. My teacher puts up with me! I have as many excuses about not practicing as her younger students. I enjoy cooking and eating foreign foods. Thanksgiving is my favorite meal to prepare for guests and family.
I enjoy traveling with family and friends to fun destinations in the US. My siblings and I are still in relationship with each other after a 2-week trip inland and cruise to Alaska! My favorite recent adventure was a “Best of Italy” tour in June 2018. I loved Florence, Tuscany, Venice, panacotta and gelato, but who doesn’t???
- B.S., Colorado State University, Vocational Home Economics Education, 1974
- M.A., Library Media, University of Colorado at Denver, 1998
- Home Economics/Consumer and Family Studies Instructor, 1974-1999
- Elementary School Librarian, 1999-2004
- Student Achievement Coach, 2004-2010
- Certified in Weddings (2010) and Funerals (2012),Celebrant Foundation and Institute, Montclair, NJ
- Owner, Colorado Ceremonies & Celebrations, LLC, 2010-Present
- Certified in Grief and Death Studies, The Center for Loss and Life Transition, 2014
Colorado United States
Ifa-El Akbar Lewis
Certified Life-cycle CelebrantLast Writes of Passage CeremoniesOverview
- Celebrations of Life/Funerals) Home-going services (African American), Pet memorials, Renaming ceremonies (LGBTQ), Life-transition ceremonies (employment related, retirements, sports)
- I offer non-denominational and religious services. I have offered consultations about the funeral industry and arrangements for visitations
- M.A. Counseling Theology with Certifications in Pastoral Care and Grief support
- Non-denominational minister, youth coordinator, chaplaincy and hospital visitations, pastor, mentor, sports coach, LGBT youth support, trans teens
- I have worked as a university adjunct professor and research assistant. I was published in Celebrancy Today Magazine in 2008
- I have been creating life celebrations for about 12 years.
“It’s easier to build strong children than to fix broken men.” ~ Frederick Douglass
Details
I became a Certified Life-cycle Celebrant in 2012 and have certified in Funeral Ceremonies, Healing, and Transition Ceremonies. My master’s degree is in Faith-based Counseling from the Iliff School of Theology at the University of Denver, and my B.A. in Sociology was earned from Metropolitan State College of Denver.
I inadvertently wrote my grandmother’s eulogy by chance in 1989 when I mailed a goodbye poem to her in Chicago, Ill., which eventually became the main eulogy for her service). Thus, began my interest in comforting those that mourn.
I value inclusion, and work with all cultures and faith traditions, especially those with no religious affiliation. My love of nature inspires my support of Sustainable and Green Funeral efforts. I conduct cremation, and scattering ceremonies, and I’m interested in Home Funeral ceremonies. An animal lover, I perform Pet Memorials with the same compassion as with a human family member. I work with the LGBTQ community and create Gender Transition ceremonies, as well as renaming ceremonies.
Working with the family’s requests, I organize personal and unique ceremonies. No two ceremonies are alike. They are always tailored to reflect who the loved one really was. I get the family members involved, leading them through the difficult transition of their physical loss, to a spiritual appreciation. Families I have worked with describe me as a very honest, articulate, and compassionate person, with a gift for creative and comforting words—weaving in humor at the appropriate times.
A unique feature of my practice comes from my love of sport. I also have an interest in retirement and/or funeral ceremonies for athletes and sports fans as well.
I am a member of the Green Funeral Alliance. I am committed to sustainable practices. I am motivated by those that say they do not want a “funeral.” The thought of being sad is a turn off for them, and they want something spiritual, but more life-affirming and refreshing. Families that want something different usually want something that is not religious, but significant.
My process is finding a theme in the deceased person’s life that I use to explain how they connected with the world on a deeper level than what is observed. A person’s “hidden theology” or personal belief systems can be revealed through their love of fishing, walking in nature or watching Star Wars over and over. I enjoy researching movies and sayings from the deceased to weave together their unique story.
Front Range, Northern CO Arapahoe, Boulder Counties Glendale, Colorado 80246 United States
Trish Leary
Life-Cycle CelebrantDignity MemorialOverview
Trish is a Life-Cycle Celebrant specializing in creating and offering celebrations of life, meaningful funerals and healing memorial services. Whether the family has a non-traditional celebration of life, or a more traditional service in mind, Trish will help create a ceremony that reflects their loved one’s interests, personality and individuality as she honors the person’s life.
Creating a meaningful celebration of life can be an important step in the journey of healing and saying farewell to a loved one. Through words, poetry, remembrances, stories, music, prayer if appropriate and ritual, Trish guides families on the inclusion of precious memories while creating special and uniquely designed ceremonies for their loved one.
Trish has spent many years as an end-of-life-care educator, hospice nurse and health care executive and offers compassion and empathy while working with families during these difficult and painful times.
Details
Dignity Memorial Funeral Celebrant; specialist in end-of-life care education and Olli Facilitator
Dignity Memorial Funeral Celebrant, 2014 to Present
- Dignity Memorial Celebrant which entails meeting with families, writing ceremonies and delivering funeral and memorial service ceremonies
Education, Achievements, Memberships
- Certificate: Suicide Grief, Companioning the Mourner; Center for Loss and Life Transition, Fort Collins, CO – 2019
- Certificate: Life-Cycle Celebrant; Celebrant Foundation and Institute – 2014
- Instructor/Facilitator: Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI) at DU: “Vincent Van Gogh: His Life, His Art and His Letters” – 2018 to the present
- Certificate: Foundations of Faith Community Nursing (Parish Nurse) – August 2012
- Owner/Investor: Montview LLC; “Fix n Flip” services in Denver, CO – 2010-2013
- Certificate: Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) – 2009
- License: Registered Professional Nurse
- Bachelor of Science, University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL – 2006
- Member, 1999 – 2001: Cook County Hospital Ethics Committee (currently Stroger Hospital) 2004-2006
- Certificate: Fiction Writing; University of Chicago
- Diploma of Nursing: St. Anthony School of Nursing, Rockford, IL
Ben Martin
Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant®Essential CeremoniesOverview
- Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant® Serving the Front Range and Foothills of Colorado
- As an ordained inter-faith minister, Ben meets the requirements for legally officiating marriages in Colorado and most other states.
- Essential Ceremonies, LLC is located in Littleton, Colorado, and provides ceremonies along Colorado’s Front Range and by special arrangement on the Western slope.
Details
Ben Martin is a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant with certifications in both Funerals and in Ceremonies Across the Life Cycle. He is an instructor for the Celebrant Foundation and Institute, helping to train and certify Life-Cycle Celebrants to officiate at celebrations and ceremonies across the life cycle.
Through the years, Ben has shown a talent for crafting inspirational ceremonies and celebrations tailored to the unique needs of his audience. It has been his joy to officiate at such life-changing events as baby namings, house blessings, graduations, weddings and funerals. Ben has been a writer and instructor by vocation and avocation for the last 40 years. He holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Colorado and currently serves as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a software company.
Ben is author of the recently published book, Prayers on the Road Home. He has served as an ordained minister for an interfaith spiritual community in Denver, Colorado since 1993. With 13 grandchildren of his own, he has had the chance to craft one-of-a-kind ceremonies to welcome in these new family members and celebrate their milestone moments. He would love the opportunity to work with you in co-creating a ceremony that is best tailored to your needs and the needs of your loved one(s).
Teri and Ben formed Essential Ceremonies, LLC. in April 2016 with the sole purpose of bringing nuanced sacredness and significance to special transitions and important milestones in peoples’ lives. With three children and twelve grandchildren, they offer seasoned insights and a unique vision for creating tailored ceremonies for families as well as individuals. While Essential Ceremonies primarily serves Colorado’s Front Range, Ben and Teri are open to travel within Colorado and other destinations as appropriate.
Front Range Western Slope Littleton, Colorado United States