Good Mourning (24 page)
Authors: Elizabeth Meyer
Acknowledgments
T
he biggest thank-you goes to my family. My late father, Brett, whose passing inspired me to enter the funeral industry, would have loved and supported my career more than anyone. My work is a testament to my never-ending love for him. The numerous values he instilled continue to guide me, and I hope he rests in peace. My mom, Patricia, has stayed with me on this roller coaster; always there to celebrate the ups and support me through the downs. She became my strongest advocate, not only sending me every death-related article (and trekking to countless funeral homes) but also doing it with a smile. I could never thank her enough for usually appreciating but always loving me.
Good Mourning
would not exist without my brother, Damon, who trusted me to follow my heart. Without his unwavering support, I would not have found a career that I am so passionate about, or mustered up the self-esteem to advocate for myself. His witty naming of this book and his comments were most appreciated. Working in death makes you appreciate the importance of family during life. I would like to express my gratitude to my extended family on both my mother's and father's sides. You have all influenced me deeply, and any attempt to mention each of you by name would certainly result in me overlooking someone.
When it came to actually putting
Good Mourning
on paper, I was fortunate enough to get exquisite editorial craftsmanship and guidance from my skillful and generous inner team, Cait, Cait, and Kate. Caitlin Moscatello's (“Writer Cait”) incredible skills are just part of what she brought to this project. She's a gifted writer and now a dear friend, and I thank her for laughing and crying with me as she dedicated countless hours to unraveling and retelling my story. Thanks to everyone at Creative Artists Agency who helped to turn my story into a book. I couldn't have done this without Cait Hoyt (“Agent Cait”), who passionately guided a first-time author and championed this project. I'd also like to thank Phil Cohen for all his help and Tiffany Ward, Vanessa Silverton-Peel, ÂMichelle Kroes, and Brittany Patch for their ongoing enthusiasm.
Good Mourning
would still just be an idea and not an Âactual book if it weren't for the support of Jen Bergstrom and the talented team at Simon & Schuster, especially Kate Dresser (“Editor Kate”), whose keen insights and edits were always welcome and extremely helpful.
Dad regularly reiterated the phrase “No matter what, call the lawyer,” so a heartfelt thank you goes to David Fritz (“Lawyer David”) for constantly guiding and supporting me. By handling all my questions and issues with a casual positivity characteristic of my dad's, he filled a void and empowered me to move forward. The assistance he and his business partner, Jason Boyarski, offer is truly phenomenal.
Many thanks to my friends Ameesha, Amunjeet, Cristina, Flavia, Jen, Pam, and Priyanka for appreciating the towering flower arrangements, accepting my black suits, listening to my bizarre stories, and then pushing me to retell them to the world. A “good old-fashioned” thank you to Chris Barish. Josh Adam, thank you for constantly reminding me: “We never had to take any of it seriously.”
My father's sense of humor and lust for life lives on in Mark Locks (“Uncle Tiger”). I am forever grateful to him for keeping me by his side (at some particularly fabulous events) and watching over meâI could not appreciate it more.
My life would be a mess without the vital global guidance, support, and assistance of Professor Joseph Lampel and Jas Kaur in London, Jason Latos and Patty Merritt at UBS in Manhattan, Nikola Barisic and Jeb Brien in Los Angeles, and Clayton Chaffee in the Berkshires. Thank you to Saima Meyer for the love she has brought to my family. I so appreciate the lifetime of support and laughter that Gabriele Gidion has given me. I would also very much like to thank the entire team at Everplans.com, especially Adam Seifer, Abby Schneiderman, Gene Newman, Mike, Warren, and Ammon for providing me with the time and encouragement that was necessary for me to complete this endeavor.
I entered the funeral industry knowing nothing about it. I am forever grateful to those who believed that a naïve yet passionately empathic young girl was worthy of their time and training. I would particularly like to thank Steve, Mr. Charles, Dominic, Rob, and Catherine for their incomparable guidance. Finally, thank you to all in this field who guided me, and who, more importantly, assist families in their most difficult times each and every day.
Elizabeth Meyer
After working at an elite funeral home in New York City, ÂElizabeth became passionate about making death a less taboo topic, and is now a licensed funeral director. She regularly Âcontributes to news articles, speaks on national syndicated radio programs, and has given guest lectures about death and dying. Currently, she advises private clients and consults for a website that deals with end-of-life issues. Elizabeth holds a BA from New York University's Gallatin School, an MBA from Cass Business School in London, and a certification in thanatology from the Association for Death Education and Counseling. She was raised and Âcurrently resides in Manhattan.
Caitlin Moscatello
Caitlin Moscatello is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in
Glamour
;
Marie Claire
;
O, The Oprah Magazine
;
Self
;
Redbook
;
Sports Illustrated
; and other publications. She lives in Manhattan.
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
authors.simonandschuster.com/Elizabeth-Meyer
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Interior design by Davina Mock-Maniscalco
Jacket design by Regina Starace
Jacket illustration by Jae Song
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Meyer, Elizabeth, 1985â
Good mourning / by Elizabeth Meyer ; with Caitlin Moscatello.âFirst ÂGallery Books hardcover edition.
pages cm
1. Meyer, Elizabeth, 1985â 2. Undertakers and undertakingâUnited StatesâBiography. 3. Fathers and daughtersâBiography. 4. SocialitesâÂUnited StatesâBiography. 5. BereavementâPsychological aspects.
I. Moscatello, Caitlin. II. Title.
RA622.7.M49A3 2015
363.7'5092âdc23
[B]
2014039353
ISBN 978-1-4767-8361-1
ISBN 978-1-4767-8365-9 (ebook)
