A Full Circle Ministry

In 1993, I had the honor of personalizing a wedding ceremony for a family friend that focused on spirituality rather than religion. This inclusive approach has since inspired nearly 600 celebrations honoring phases of life, such as births, baby namings, weddings, relationship commitments, celebrations of life, and funerals, welcoming all.

My roles as a hospice bereavement coordinator, chaplain, and Grief Recovery Specialist have broadened my approach to creating moments of celebration in beginnings and endings. 

My mission is to support you in marking your milestones in a way that resonates with your values and story, acknowledging the full circle of life and death.

My Values

Compassion

Everyone’s journey is unique and I approach each celebration and farewell with that in mind. I listen deeply, respond with kindness, and tailor my services to reflect the needs and wishes of those I am honored to serve. I want every ceremony to be a true expression of each individual life and legacy.

Love is Love

I believe in creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued, regardless of their background or life experience. This makes my work and ceremonies a reflection of the diverse human experience and affirms my support for marriage equality and respect for all forms of love and life.

My Life

Linden, Michigan, is where I enjoy life's simple pleasures and the love of family alongside my husband, 'Sweet William.’ Together, we have seven children, fifteen grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Our babies, Bonnie Angel Lass (beautiful lady) and Stirling Braveheart (in recognition of Stirling Castle and William Wallace), whose names reflect a nod to our affection for our Scottish heritage. They bring endless love and laughter into our lives.

This blend of family, heritage, and companionship highlights my belief in the importance of connection in my life and work. It's a testament to the joy and fulfillment that come from embracing every relationship and moment with open arms and an open heart.

Honoring My Legacy

I am the granddaughter of two remarkable women who continue to influence my life and work. Both experienced many losses and disappointments. They modeled spiritual and emotional strength, devotion, and courage.

Inspired by the words of E. E. Cummings,

'i carry your heart.
(i carry it in my heart.)
i am never without it,'

I am reminded of the deep connections and the indelible marks they leave on our hearts.

I inherited my Grandmother’s library and realized that my spiritual curiosity was influenced by her, my Great-Grandmother, and my Great-Great-Grandmother. 

Grandmother gave me the sacred honor of being at her bedside during the last week of her earthly journey. My intuition guided me to ask what her end-life wishes were, make final arrangements, and navigate the medical system to ensure that she was cared for in the way she wanted. It felt both natural and challenging. 

The night she died, I had a dream about her. She appeared like I last saw her, then she regressed in age, beginning with how she looked a week earlier, to when I was a child, and then as a young woman standing under a wedding arbor. The song “My Heart Will Go On” was playing. The phone rang, and a male voice told me that my grandmother had just died. 

Later, my siblings, nieces, and I gathered at the ocean to scatter her cremains as she wanted. We tossed a Hawaiian lei into the water and watched as the waves helped shape it into a heart. 

I didn’t realize until later that this was my first experience as an end-of-life doula, which continues to impact my life and work. What a gift Grandmother gave me!

Helen Genevieve Fletcher

Grandma lived on Earth for 103 years, 5 months, and 22 days. What a role model of tenacity, creativity, humor, and warmth!  Despite numerous challenges in life, including outliving her husband and three daughters, she recreated herself multiple times. 

I fondly recall fishing adventures and her frustration with me because I didn’t want to get my hands dirty by touching the bait! She would take me for joyrides in her VW, playfully revving the engine at red lights as if gearing up for a race and honking the horn as we rode through tunnels. What a rebel! I also remember hearing stories about how she and Grandpa had their own motorcycles. 

During World War II, she worked as a "Rosie Riveter" at a Navy shipyard. She made guests laugh during her surprise 90th birthday party while wearing a gifted coconut bra over her clothes. Well into her late 90s, she reigned as a shuffleboard champion. 

Every time Grandma noticed a hummingbird at the feeder, she would pause to express delight and wonder. She excelled at gardening, canning, and sewing, which helped me to courageously develop my own talents and skills. Her life lessons were practical and fun.

Esther Smiley Fowler

My interactions with and observations of my Grandmother and Grandma were crucial in shaping me into who I am today.

Spiritual Care, End of Life Care, Speaker, Educator

Experience

24 years of Medical Community Service
Hospital/Hospice Spiritual Care Provider
Accompanied/supported hundreds of dying people and their families

  • Defining Life Legacy

  • Exploring/ Creating a Life Well Lived: Legacy

  • Advance directives

  • End-of-life planning

  • Assistance with final arrangement decisions

  • Celebration of Life/Funeral/Memorial/Homegoing planning 

Officiant/Ritualist nearly 600 Celebratory Ceremonies/Rituals
Hospice Bereavement Provider
Grief Support

  • Pre-death and Post-death

Public Speaker
Educator
Author

  • How to Create a Celebration Ministry (second edition print coming soon)

  • Beside Myself With Joy (second edition print coming soon)

  • Works of Heart Stories of transformation to uplift and inspire. “Spiritual Understanding”.

Certifications

Conscious Dying Coach
Conscious Dying Educator
Sacred Passage Doula
Respecting Choices: Advance Care Planning Facilitator
Clinical Pastoral Education
Grief Recovery Method Specialist

Affiliations & Memberships

National End-of-Life Doula Alliance 
Lifespan Doulas
Conscious Dying Collective
Divine Science Ministers Association (Board  Member)
Divine Science Federation International
International New Thought Alliance (Board Member) 
Affiliated New Thought Network
Hospice Foundation of America
Grief Recovery Method 
First Spiritual Church of Bay City Seminary, Co-founder and Faculty Member
Sunshine Cathedral, Ft. Lauderdale, FL., Faculty/Mentor