Unlike most people, Anne-Marie Keppel isn't afraid to talk about death. From her home office on Craftsbury Common, she works as a death doula and life cycle funeral celebrant through her businesses Stardust Meadow and Village Deathcare. When jewelry maker and Hardwick resident Cecilia Leibovitz lost Michael Secore — her partner of nearly 18 years — to cancer last September, Anne-Marie was there to help ease the transition and provide support to the family during their time of grief.

Now Cecilia makes memorial jewelry to commemorate loved ones, using pieces of clothing and personal artifacts. We sat down around Anne-Marie's table with glasses of mint tea to talk about our experiences with death and why we are so afraid to discuss it openly.

Organized by Anne-Marie, the Vermont Death and Dying Symposium will be held Friday through Sunday, September 13 through 15, in the Northeast Kingdom. Cecilia will be there Friday night with her memorial jewelry.

Shooting date: 8/12/19

Music: Kevin MacLeod, "Garden Music"

This episode of Stuck in Vermont was made possible by

New England Federal Credit Union