What is Natural Death Care and Green Burial? An Interview with Shari Wolf

Today, SevenPonds speaks with Shari Wolf. Shari is the founder of Natural Grace Funerals, which provides natural, eco-conscious death care options in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. As the president and funeral director of Natural Grace, Shari believes in the importance of “treating the deceased with the same dignity provided to them during hospice care.” Furthermore, she helps families understand that their services are “simple, affordable and focused on respect for the deceased, the living, future generations and this planet we all share.”

Photo credit: Shari Wolf

MaryFrances: What is Natural Grace Funerals? How did you become involved in it?

Shari: Natural Grace is a funeral service provider in the Los Angeles area offering natural death care and natural or green burial to families.

I started Natural Grace after first volunteering and then becoming the Operations Officer with the Green Burial Council. In my certification work with the GBC, I worked with funeral homes, cemeteries and product providers around the country. Through this, I realized how much this type of service was needed in Southern California.

MaryFrances: Are you a licensed funeral director?

Shari: Yes. Initially, I was trained as a home funeral consultant for natural death care, and then soon after I decided to become a licensed funeral director in California. I felt I could make more of a difference in assisting families desiring natural options by opening a funeral service and being licensed.

MaryFrances: Are you the only funeral home in the US that offers natural death care services?

Shari: Fortunately no, although there are very few when you look at it as a percentage. I’m hoping, and optimistic, that we see more and more over the next few years. The work of the GBC has been very influential in supporting the efforts of funeral homes around the country in offering natural services and green burial. There are a lot of very dedicated funeral homes out there wanting to genuinely offer these services to families.

MaryFrances: What percentage of your business is currently natural burial?

Shari: Well, for Natural Grace it’s 100% since that’s all we offer. We don’t offer formaldehyde-based embalming and we don’t sell any burial products that aren’t readily biodegradable. However, I do have to say that not all families are referred to us because of our “green” services. For those families, when I explain how we approach body preservation they always say, “Great, we never liked the concept of embalming anyhow.” Early on I used to wonder if that conversation would throw people off and now I just smile at how they say that every time.

A Natural Grace funeral. Photo credit: Shari Wolf

“Early on I used to wonder if that conversation would throw people off and now I just smile at how they say that every time.”

–Shari Wolf explaining Natural Grace’s approach to preserving a loved one

MaryFrances: Are the families that come to you for services already aware of natural death care?

Shari: Again, it’s a mix. I’d say about half of those that call us are very deliberate in what they either do, or do not, want regarding body preparation and final disposition. Some families even specifically refer to carbon footprint. Others are referred to Natural Grace because of our offering and support of home funerals. And then some are referred because of our personal approach to the care of the deceased and the family themselves.

“I’d say about half of those that call us are very deliberate in what they either do, or do not, want regarding body preparation and final disposition.”

–Shari Wolf

MaryFrances: What are some of the misconceptions around natural or green burials?

Shari: I feel the biggest confusion is about the difference between body preparation (and preservation) and final disposition. Being in the business, we understand how they are two specific areas to consider regarding after-death care. Families often don’t think about it that way. I have families often ask how they can approach their funeral in an environmentally conscious way if they want cremation. We then walk them through the body care as one part and then talk about how to make the cremation process as eco-friendly as possible.

Photo credit: Shari Wolf

Shari’s 3 Tips for Planning a Natural Funeral:

1) Spend the time to get educated on your options.
2) Document what you would want for yourself. The GBC created a great planning guide that is downloadable on their website and it’s very comprehensive.
3) Ask deliberate questions of the funeral home and/or cemetery they are interested in working with.

MaryFrances: How have your own perceptions of death and dying changed through your work with Natural Grace Funerals?

Shari: I think being involved with end-of-life and after-death care is the most rewarding and enlightening work possible. People that are unrelated to this work always ask, “Isn’t your job depressing?” It’s impossible to explain, but I have found this work to be so very inspiring.

Related SevenPonds Articles:

• What is the the Natural Death Care and Home Funeral Process
• Securing Your Wish for Green or Natural Burial
• What is Green Burial? An Interview with Chris Woodcock