Stories, Musings, and Advice from a Funeral Director

When Elle Payne’s beloved grandmother died, she found the funeral home handling the arrangements to be an uncaring place filled with unsympathetic people who added to her family’s grief. Elle decided to take an unexpected journey to become a licensed funeral director

and embalmer in loving memory of her grandmother. She wanted to be the change that a misunderstood industry needed and reveal the stark reality of what goes on behind the scenes when someone dies.

This book is a collection of stories, thoughts, and advice encapsulating Elle’s journey as she made a mid-life career change to work in the death industry, with a hint of humor. By being a compassionate, caring funeral director, she honors her grandmother’s memory.

Elle Payne is a full-time writer, a licensed funeral director, and the director of Sequim Ballet, where she teaches classical ballet. This is her second book. Her first memoir, Stories, Musings, and Advice from a Funeral Director, was published in 2021. She resides in Sequim, Washington, with her husband, two dogs, three cats, and an opossum.