Wednesday, July 6, 2022
What goes into an “Upon My Death” letter? In this video, Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®, shares the heartfelt and humorous story of her friend Gary Mayhew. He took her advice about planning for end-of-life.
In this video recorded for the National Speakers Association New Mexico chapter’s 2022 Speakers Showcase, Gail presented her speech, “Be Like Gary.”
A bulleted list of items to include in an Upon My Death letter follows the video.
Writing Your Own Upon My Death Letter
Gail Rubin shares an Upon My Death letter.
Here are some ideas for information to include in your own Upon My Death letter:
- Contacts for family and friends to be informed of a death.
- Account information and contacts for services such as:
- Bank and investment accounts;
- Cable and/or internet provider;
- Home mortgage or auto loans still being paid;
- Professionals such as an attorney, CPA, and investment advisor;
- Pension and/or IRA accounts that provide income in retirement;
- Utilities such as electricity, gas, and water;
- Passwords for online accounts.
- A listing of valuable assets, such as artwork, musical instruments, and jewelry. You may wish to also dictate to whom you would like to gift these items upon your death.
- Some thoughts about what you want for your final disposition and celebration of your life.
A free 10-page planning form is available from AGoodGoodbye.com to help you craft an Upon My Death letter. Simply enter your name and email at the website opt-in box to receive either a Word or PDF document you can fill out on your own time. It’s also available in Gail Rubin’s award-winning book, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die. (Amazon affiliate link)
Another helpful resource is the 50-Point Executors Checklist from Gail’s book, Kicking The Bucket List: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die. (Amazon affiliate link) Sign up for the free checklist here.
About Gail Rubin
Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®, helps get end-of-life and funeral planning conversations started with a light touch on a serious subject.
Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®
As an award-winning speaker, she uses humor and funny film clips to attract people to topics many would rather avoid: taking care of advance medical directives, estate planning and funeral planning. She is an active member of the National Speakers Association serving as the 2019-2020 president of the New Mexico Chapter, and is active in Toastmasters International.
Gail pioneered the Death Cafe movement in the United States. She hosted the first Death Cafe west of the Mississippi in Albuquerque, New Mexico in September, 2012.
She also held the first Before I Die Festival west of the Mississippi in October, 2017. Her 2018 Before I Die New Mexico Festival won the ICCFA’s KIP Award for Best Event. In 2019, she introduced one-day Before I Die Festivals, hosted by funeral homes and cemeteries.
In 2020, Gail became president of the nonprofit organization that supports Historic Fairview Cemetery in Albuquerque, NM. The cemetery, established in 1881, is the final resting place of approximately 12,000 people, reflecting the history and development of Albuquerque, New Mexico and the United States.
Related
Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator of the Before I Die NM Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 450 videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV. Albuquerque Business First named her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.