Beyond Goodbye

Honoring a Life Through Stories

When someone we love dies,  sometimes we are left with both the fullness of our memories, but also, the emptiness of what we never got to know. In those moments of grief, families often long to feel closer: to discover new sides of their loved one, to hear stories never told, to piece together a fuller portrait of their life.

Beyond Goodbye was created to meet that need. It is a service dedicated to grief work, where I gather the stories, testimonies, and memories of the person you have lost and bring them together in a beautifully written and designed book. This process does not only preserve memory—it creates a space for healing, connection, and discovery.

Why Stories Matter in Grief

After a tragic loss, even the smallest story can feel like a lifeline. A colleague’s recollection of a moment of kindness, a childhood friend’s funny anecdote, or a neighbor’s memory of a shared laugh—these details expand what you know of your loved one. They bring depth and intimacy back into a relationship that grief has interrupted.

When families read these stories, they often say, “I never knew that about them.” That act of discovery is powerful. It softens grief by offering new ways of connecting with the person who has died. It also creates something lasting: a tangible book where memory lives on, one that children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and generations after will be able to read and feel close to someone they may never have met.

In a time when much of our memory is reduced to fleeting posts on social media, Beyond Goodbye restores quality and depth, ensuring that your loved one’s story is told with care, texture, and meaning.

The Process

My work is grounded in the practices of ethnography: listening deeply, asking thoughtful questions, and following connections to build a collective story. Here’s how it unfolds:

1. Beginning the Journey – We begin with a conversation about your loved one: who they were, what you remember, and what you hope to capture.

2. Reaching the Web – I interview the people who knew them best—family, friends, colleagues, classmates, neighbors. Each person is invited to share:

   • How they knew your loved one.

   • What stands out most about them.

   • A story they have never shared before, or a fond memory they hold dear.

3. Following Connections – At the end of every interview, I ask: “Who else should I talk to?” This method allows the web of memory to grow naturally, bringing in voices you may not expect.

4. Collecting Photos and Keepsakes – Families are invited to share photographs, letters, or personal mementos. These visual pieces are woven alongside the stories.

5. Crafting the Book – I bring together these narratives and images into a cohesive, beautifully designed book that honors your loved one’s life in all its complexity.

The final result is not simply a biography, but a collective portrait: a mosaic made from the many voices of those who knew and loved them.

What You Receive

• A professionally written and designed book, printed on high-quality paper.

• A digital copy for sharing with family and friends.

• The option to order additional physical copies for relatives and loved ones.

• A healing process along the way, as stories are shared, connections are rekindled, and memories deepen.

Why Choose Beyond Goodbye

• Grief-focused – This service is specifically designed for families who have recently experienced loss.

• Ethnographic expertise – With over a decade of experience as an anthropologist and ethnographer, I bring sensitivity, depth, and a unique skillset for gathering and weaving stories.

• Empathetic listening – Every conversation is approached with compassion and care, creating a safe space for people to share their memories.

• Lasting legacy – These books become family heirlooms, connecting present and future generations to the person who has passed.

A Tangible Place for Memory

Grief often feels intangible—an absence that is hard to hold. Beyond Goodbye offers something physical, something you can touch, open, and return to. Each page becomes a meeting place where stories gather, where your loved one’s voice echoes through the voices of others, and where their presence continues to be felt. This is more than a book—it is a place to keep your loved one near.

Begin the Process

If you have recently lost someone and wish to gather their stories, I invite you to reach out. Together, we can create a book that both honors their memory and helps carry you through grief. Because even after goodbye, stories keep us close.

Example Pages

Below are a collection of sample pages from various Beyond Goodbye books, to provide an idea of what a page might look like. Again, these works are highly customizable and stylized to your request- no two pages are ever designed the same.