Most of us will attend a funeral in our lifetime. And yet, so many of us shy away from talking about how we’d want to be celebrated when that day comes. But those conversations are what help a funeral tell the true story of someone you love.

Erica Hill owns Sparrow, a funeral home built around one idea: honoring someone’s life should feel as personal as celebrating it.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

– The real reason so many funerals don’t feel like the person who died: it’s rarely anyone’s fault

– What it actually looks like to personalize a funeral: a room turned into an art gallery, a favorite tracksuit, a son in a matching suit as his buried father

– A simple, low-pressure way to bring up funeral wishes with your family, without it feeling heavy

– The real cost of avoiding this conversation, and how it changes what your family has to carry later

If you’ve never talked with your family about what you’d want, or you’re not sure how to bring it up, this conversation is for you.

00:00 — A Family’s Final Trip: Honoring a Mother’s Wish

01:04 — Meet Erica Hill, Owner of Sparrow Funeral Home

02:00 — Inside Sparrow: A Light-Filled, Gallery-Like Funeral Home in Brooklyn

03:25 — Casket, Urn, or Something Else? Funeral Planning Basics

06:18 — What to Wear to Your Own Funeral

08:25 — How to Start Talking About Death With Your Family

10:22 — Free Resources for End-of-Life Planning

12:40 — Why You Should Plan Your Funeral Now

For more information about Sparrow, click here

Learn about the Death Deck in a recent episode: How Do I Start a Conversation About End of Life Care? (with Lisa Pahl)

Learn more about Give Willow’s Funeral Registry in this episode