The Death Network

The Death Network A collective for the living, the dying and the grieving. San Diego, CA
lnk.bio/thedeathnetwork

We love talking about the future of death care and how the time is right for change! For generations, most people believ...
07/29/2026

We love talking about the future of death care and how the time is right for change!

For generations, most people believed there were only two choices after death: flame cremation or a traditional burial with embalming and a casket. Today, that landscape is changing.

In her latest KPBS story, reporter Heidi de Marco Heidi de Marco takes a thoughtful look at the costs of those conventional options while exploring a growing number of meaningful alternatives, including sea burial, human composting, and home funerals.

We’re especially honored that four members of The Death Network were featured, sharing their expertise and helping bring these important conversations into the mainstream.
Penny Waugh Founder of The Death Network
Orchid Cremations Owner Savannah Turhan
Water and Ash Burials Chris Anderson owner of Water and Ash Sea Burials
White Rose Aqua Cremation Kahla Flores White Rose water cremation

The more we talk openly about death, the more empowered we become to make informed decisions that reflect our values, our beliefs, and the legacy we want to leave behind.

🔗Link in bio to listen to the podcast & read the article

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome seven new members to The Death Network! Each brings their own unique experience, perspect...
07/20/2026

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome seven new members to The Death Network! Each brings their own unique experience, perspective, and passion for supporting individuals and families through life’s most tender moments. Together, we’re creating a stronger, more connected community of people who believe death and grief care can be more compassionate, more informed, and more human.

Welcome to
Lisa Keefauver, MSW
Kimberly Blair
INURE PLANNING
Tim Ringgold
Sara Grace Thress
Lorien Alia
Rhonda Walsh LoPresti

The Death Network was born from a community conversation that sparked a larger movement: to bring death out of the shadows and back into the center of life. Accepting our mortality has changed how we live, shifting our mindsets, our choices, and our priorities. Doing this work in community with other like-minded professionals is a game changer - not only for those doing the work, but for the families we serve, too.

Want to know more about joining The Network? Swipe to learn more ➡️➡️➡️

Most of us stepped into death work because we wanted to make a difference - not because we wanted to become marketers, website designers, or social media experts.

But here’s the reality: if people can’t find you, they can’t hire you.

That’s exactly why I created The Death Network.

This isn’t just another directory. It’s a community of death doulas, funeral professionals, grief workers, celebrants, educators, hospice advocates, and other end-of-life practitioners who believe we can do more together than we ever could alone.

As a Network Partner, you’ll have:
✨ Your own professional profile page
✨ A personalized URL and QR code
✨ Greater online visibility
✨ Monthly collaboration and networking meetings
✨ Opportunities to connect, learn, and grow alongside others who are helping reshape death care.

The truth is, no one person can meet every need at the end of life. Together, we create a stronger, more connected community, one that helps families find the support they’re looking for and helps all of us do the work we’re called to do.

If you’re ready to grow your visibility, expand your connections, and become part of a community that’s changing the conversation around d

Join us for Death Over Drafts: A Social Gathering on Life, Death & Everything In Between 💀🍻At The Death Network, we beli...
07/18/2026

Join us for Death Over Drafts: A Social Gathering on Life, Death & Everything In Between 💀🍻
At The Death Network, we believe conversations about death, dying, and grief belong out in the open not hidden behind closed doors. After building community throughout San Diego, we’re excited to head north and partner with Dr. Kaishauna Guidry from Mourning Dove Medical for a night of connection, curiosity, and really good conversation at Truffle Pig Winery.

This isn’t a lecture or a workshop - it’s a laid-back evening to mix, mingle, grab a drink, and connect with people who aren’t afraid to talk honestly about life, loss, autonomy, and what matters most. And with a room full of end-of-life professionals, there will be plenty of opportunities to ask those lingering questions you’ve been carrying around but never knew where to ask.

Whether you’re death-curious, navigating grief, supporting aging parents, planning ahead, or simply craving more meaningful conversation, Death Over Drafts is a welcoming space to pull up a chair and join the dialogue.

We hope you can join us!
📍 Wednesday, July 29 5-7 pm
⏰ 5-5:20 check in, grab a drink, mix and mingle
💬 5:20 - 6:00 guided discussion with Dr. G
🍻 6:00 -7:00 hang out and chat
🃏 Play The Death Deck
🚗 We know traffic can cause delays - late arrivals are no problem!

Bring your curiosity, your questions, and maybe a friend. Grab a drink, stay awhile, and help us continue lifting the taboo around death - one honest conversation at a time.

🍻 The first round is on Acacia Health & Hospice - cheers!

Community ✨ Connection ✨Curiosity

Death over Drafts is the ideal place for casual conversation about a taboo topic.

In this photo from Death over Drafts 2025 NOVO Brazil Brewing CO. our local Medical Aid in Dying Dr. Donnie Autonomy Health with Donald Moore, MD provided information about this legal option then happily answered a lot of questions 👨🏾‍⚕️💬💗

Along with enjoying 🍷or 🍺 there will be time to play The Death Deck The Death Deck
💗 it’s one of our favorite ways to get the conversation started! You’re guaranteed to take home an idea or 2 for a new way to open up the dialog about death and dying with friends and family.

💗🍺Thanks to our

The Death Network sets sail August 8 for an evening of community, connection and curiosity with some of San Diego’s most...
07/14/2026

The Death Network sets sail August 8 for an evening of community, connection and curiosity with some of San Diego’s most forward thinking death-care professionals.

Join us for a sunset cruise where we will explore the legal option of full body sea burial. How we tend to our bodies after death should reflect who we are and what’s important to us. Did you know sea burial is more eco friendly than the common options of flame cremation and casketed burial?

Along with a sea burial ceremony demonstration, the crew for our voyage are those folks who are Doing Death Different and they will be on hand to answer all your questions!

⚓️ August 8 6-8 pm
⚓️ RSVP link in bio $39

Check in starts at 5:15 for an on time 6:00 departure - we hope you can join us!

Sea burial is steeped in maritime tradition and it isn’t just for sea-loving folks.

Many have heard of Green Burial - but options are very limited in San Diego. Sea burial aka Blue Burial is an eco friendly alternative for those seeking a more natural way to tend to their body after death.

With sea burial, bodies are left in their natural state - no embalming - and often shrouded for ease of decomposition. On our voyage, we will unpack the history of sea burial, hold a meaningful mock ceremony and talk about what happens to your body once it’s placed in the sea.

Bring all your questions! Water and Ash Burials will be on hand to answer them all!

🚢 Check out the crew for our sunset voyage:

Penny Waugh Penny Waugh death doula and founder of The Death Network

Sam Banta Samantha Banta LightBridge Hospice and Palliative Care LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation

Dr Donnie Moore Autonomy Health with Donald Moore, MD Medical Aid in Dying specialist

Captain Chris Anderson Water and Ash Burials Sea Burials & ash scattering

Tara Novak Tara Novak death doula and end of life guide

David Perfito owner of White Rose Water Cremation White Rose Aqua Cremation

Gillian Roehrig Gillian Roehrig/San Diego Realtor end of life real estate specialist

Thesa Miele funeral pre-planning specialist Funeral Pre-Planning San Diego

These experts will be on hand to chat so grab a cocktail and ask all your questions!
The first drink is on us! 🍾

Space is lim

At a Death Cafe, people - often strangers - come together to openly discuss death. Our goal is to encourage greater awar...
07/12/2026

At a Death Cafe, people - often strangers - come together to openly discuss death. Our goal is to encourage greater awareness of death, helping us all to live more fully in the time we have.

We’re creating a warm, welcoming space where you can engage in meaningful conversations about a subject that, while often considered taboo, connects us all. Whether you’ve faced death personally or are simply curious about your own mortality, you’ll find authentic, lively discussions with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Join Tara Tara Novak and Claudia Claudia Faerber at Sweetwater Zen Center
July 19 1-2:30 pm
Sweetwater Zen Center
RSVP link in bio or MeetUp/TheDeathNetwork

By coming together as a community, we forge meaningful connections that honor our shared curiosity about death.

💀💬💕 we hope to see you there!

07/10/2026

Let’s talk about grief… it’s not something we get over, it’s something we integrate into our lives. And, we don’t just grieve when someone dies, there are a lot of ‘everyday griefs’ in our daily lives, too! From relationships ending to career changes - we acknowledge that to live life fully we have to accept and live with grief.

We believe grieving isn’t a solo activity, that coming together in community helps to lift the stigma about grief, and we can learn from our shared experiences.

Join grief coach Claudia Faerber Claudia Faerber for a 90 minute guided discussion about how to live with grief. Journals provided or BYO - there will be time for personal reflection.
July 18 4-5:50 pm $10

RSVP link in bio or MeetUp/TheDeathNetwork

Death care can be complicated, you need a team that is known and trusted. That’s what The Death Network is… death doula...
07/09/2026

Death care can be complicated, you need a team that is known and trusted. That’s what The Death Network is… death doulas, hospice, MAiD & VSED specialists, pre-planners, funeral directors and grief coaches who work together to Do Death Different.

💀 Boomer deaths will increase significantly by 2030 - from 7k a day to 11k.

💀 Funeral director attrition and burnout is at an all time high - and not expected to get any better.

These 2 events are going to create a bottleneck which may lead to delays in care and increased prices aka: supply and demand.

It’s time to reshape how we step into the transition of death.

Featured in today’s post are a few of the OG Networkers Orchid Cremations LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation Penny Waugh Autonomy Health with Donald Moore, MD
It’s amazing to see the level of care that happens when colleagues work together to create an end of life plan that authentically reflects the wishes of our clients and their families.

What do you think the future of death care looks like?

Join The Death Network and Water and Ash Burials for a sunset cruise on San Diego Bay as we explore one of the most misu...
07/07/2026

Join The Death Network and Water and Ash Burials for a sunset cruise on San Diego Bay as we explore one of the most misunderstood and least talked about end-of-life options: full-body sea burial. Together, we’ll explore the question: What if your final resting place wasn’t a cemetery?

Grab a cocktail, enjoy the views, and connect with a community that’s not afraid to talk about death. Whether you’re simply curious, planning ahead, or work in end-of-life care, this is a unique opportunity to learn, ask questions, and discover options you may not have known existed.
There will be plenty of death workers on board—including death doulas, funeral professionals, and end-of-life educators—making this a fantastic networking opportunity for forward-thinking professionals and anyone interested in reimagining death care.

What is Sea Burial?
It’s exactly what it sounds like: a person’s body is committed to the sea.
Sea burial is a legal and environmentally conscious option for those seeking a natural alternative to conventional burial or cremation. With green burial options still limited in San Diego, more people are exploring sea burial as a meaningful way to return to nature after death.

The highlight of the evening…
We’ll conduct a mock sea burial ceremony, giving attendees an opportunity to witness the process, experience the ritual, and ask questions of the professionals who help families navigate this option.

🚢⚓️💙
5:15 PM – 6:00 PM
Check-in and boarding
6:00 PM
Boat departs for our sunset cruise
8:00 PM
Return to dock

🚢 Your Ticket Includes:
• One complementary drink
• Sunset cruise on San Diego Bay
• Mock sea burial demonstration
• Q&A with end-of-life professionals
• Meaningful conversations and new connections

RSVP link in bio
Not a Meet Up member? Venmo $39

💙 We hope you can join us the end-of-life professionals from
Water and Ash Burials
LightBridge Hospice Community Foundation
Funeral Pre-Planning San Diego
White Rose Aqua Cremation
Autonomy Health with Donald Moore, MD
Gillian Roehrig/San Diego Realtor

⚓️ Save $10 with promo code deepbluesea thru July 12.

So many great events this month, no matter what you’re seeking 🧡 from contemplative to super social - it’s all about cre...
07/04/2026

So many great events this month, no matter what you’re seeking 🧡 from contemplative to super social - it’s all about creating spaces that lift the taboo about death, dying and grief.

Feeling like more of a contemplative gathering? Join us at
🌊Waves of Grief wavesofgriefcollective
🧩 Living with Grief South Park Yoga and Wellness

Looking for unscripted, meaningful conversation about death and dying?
💀💬☕️ Death Cafe is happening twice in July! Sweetwater Zen Center 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 - 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀

And, the most social of them all is Death over Drafts at Truffle Pig Winery with special guest Mourning Dove Medical 🍺💜🍷

RSVP link in bio or MeetUp/TheDeathNetwork

We hope to see you soon! 🧡

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San Diego, CA
92110

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