Green burial is a respectful disposition of the dead without undue burden on the living. It allows nature to take care of us like it has for thousands and thousands of years. For some, it can be a part of a beautiful celebration of life. For others, it's a little strange. Today, Anne Weston from the Green Burial Project, along with Joe Smolenski and Heather Hill from Renaissance Funeral Home, talk all about green burial.

Have you ever thought about donating your body so scientists and students could learn more about anatomy, diseases, and how to take care of humanity? Gwendolyn Keith is the Program Coordinator of the Anatomical Gifts Program at Duke University School of Medicine, and she comes on to tell us all about how Anatomical Gifting works.

Have you ever wondered how to become a funeral director? What's required for a job that seems to be part family therapist and part coroner? On today's episode, host Joe Smolenski talks to Amie Sexton and Heather Hill, funeral directors at Renaissance Funeral Home and Crematory and recent graduates of the Fayetteville Tech Funeral Service Education program.

Organ and tissue donation is something that you've probably heard about. Maybe you're listed as an organ donor on your driver's license. Maybe you saw that episode of Grey's Anatomy or another hospital show where someone's life was saved by an organ donor. But how does it all work? And what's the difference between organ and tissue donation. Taylor Anderton from Carolina Donor Services gives us the answers.

Today we’re going to dig deeper into the industry of death because there are many questions that most of us are afraid to ask but we’ve always been at least a little curious about. Joe Smolenski, Vice President of Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh North Carolina and Renaissance funeral director Heather Hill come on to answer your questions about what life is like at the funeral home, and what exactly happens in a crematory. Beyond the Obituary is hosted by Jason Gillikin (for this episode anyway) and is a production of Earfluence.

On this podcast from Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh North Carolina, we go beyond the obituary to get a better sense of who those people were who have passed on. What were some of the stories that define them? We’ll hear from the people who loved them because they are so much more than a one-page obituary. Today we’re doing something a little different, as we have the opportunity to talk to someone who is still with us in this life. Rob Morrell is a retired physician from Raleigh North Carolina who has been fighting a terminal cancer diagnosis for almost 10 years. He’s not so sure how much longer he has, so he and his family wanted to be able to share his story – at least some of it anyway – on this podcast. Rob and his wife Maureen are parents to three adult boys and now four grandchildren. And today we’re joined by Rob, Maureen, and his son Michael, and we get to hear what the diagnosis was like for everyone involved, if there are any bucket list items – again for everyone – before Rob passes on, and how Rob hopes to be remembered. Beyond the Obituary is hosted, edited, and produced by Jason Gillikin for Earfluence.

Heidi Gessner is the palliative care hospital chaplain and bereavement coordinator at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill NC. Today she talks about what a hospital chaplain does, her personal story on how she got into the industry, different ways people can grieve, and some of her favorite stories from her 17 years as a chaplain. From Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh North Carolina.

On today's episode, Jennifer Preston lost her son Owen to a glioblastoma in April 2017. Jennifer shares so many stories of the special person that Owen was, his strength, and the impact he left in touching so many lives as he was going through his battle with cancer at the Ronald McDonald House and NHRMC. We also talked about how important a Child Life Specialist can be, a trip to Alaska the family took before Owen passed away, and the work that Jennifer is doing now to help with cancer research.

From Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh NC. On today's episode, Sharon Delaney McCloud shares her baby daughter Macie's story, who tragically passed away from leukemia. Sharon’s grief journey started with anger, and it wasn’t until she found Compassionate Friends that she was able to channel that energy into something much more positive to the community. And despite the tragedy, Macie’s family has been so blessed since her passing, it’s like there’s an angel looking down on them from heaven.

Brought to you by Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh NC. Robin Simonton, executive director of Historic Oakwood Cemetery in downtown Raleigh NC, is so passionate about the history of the cemetery and of the 25,000+ people who are buried there. On the show today, she talks about that history (and shares some amazing stories!), societal norms of funerals, the Death Letter Project which commemorates Oakwood's 150th anniversary, what exactly Green Burial is, and so much more.

On today's episode, Leah Loeffler was just 17 when she passed away from a car accident. To die so young is a tragedy, but Leah's parents Dan and Nancy Loeffler have transformed their tragedy into helping others with grief. Nancy's book, The Alchemy of Grief: Your Journey to Wholeness, is available on Amazon or some Raleigh bookstores. Dan and Nancy's website is BeingWithGrief.com, and from there you'll find information on Sumyama, The Grief Recovery Method, and you can connect with them as well.

Welcome to the first episode of the Beyond the Obituary. On this podcast from Renaissance Funeral Home, we go beyond the obituary to get a better sense of who those people were who have passed on. On today's episode, we share the story of Jonathan Hill, 43, who passed away on December 5, 2014. Jonathan was a pilot, son, husband, father of three, and friend. And on today's show, we hear from his wife Heather, his mother Bronwyn, his three children (Sarah, Andrew, and Nicholas), and family friend Mimi.

The Beyond the Obituary Podcast from Renaissance Funeral Home in Raleigh NC is a place where friends and family members come to tell their stories of loved ones who have passed on. Subscribe now for new episodes, coming March 2019.