The Bay Area Funeral Society Sparks Discussion about Death Care at its Annual Meeting

The purpose of this event is to draw back the veil on one of the last taboo subjects—death.

There will be two speakers: Karen Leonard, a long-time advocate for funeral consumers’ rights; and Jerrigrace Lyons, a “death midwife” who facilitates home funerals and teaches people how to care for their own dead.

Organizers want to help people become informed consumers of death care goods and services and to raise awareness about dignified, affordable, and environmentally friendly alternatives to the “traditional American funeral.”

BAFS is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization that educates consumers about their burial and cremation options so that they can make early and informed end-of-life decisions. It grew out of the Berkeley Co-op movement and has been in operation for over fifty years. In the past, BAFS’ membership roster included the famous author, Jessica Mitford, whose best-selling book, The American Way of Death, exposed the excesses and high-pressure sales tactics of the funeral industry. BAFS continues her work. For more information about the annual meeting, please visit http://www.bafsweb.org or email tracyauclair@gmail.com.