Celebrating a Life – A Conversation with Funeral Celebrant Michael Orchard
Episode Title: Celebrating a Life – A Conversation with Funeral Celebrant Michael Orchard Podcast: Life’s Last Chapter: A Podcast About Life, Death, and Everything In Between Season: 1 Episode: 2 Guest: Michael Orchard Show Notes: In this episode, we speak with Michael Orchard, a professional funeral celebrant with a gift for storytelling and a heart for helping families honour their loved ones. Michael shares his journey into celebrancy, what drew him to this meaningful work, and how he helps families navigate one of life’s most tender transitions. We also delve into the evolving landscape of funeral traditions — including the idea of living funerals, where people choose to celebrate their lives while they’re still here. Michael discusses the importance of recording your wishes, how to honour someone with a complicated story, and why every person deserves to be remembered with care and dignity. Topics Discussed: How Michael became a funeral celebrant What makes a funeral meaningful and personal The concept of living funerals Recording your funeral wishes ahead of time Crafting ceremonies that reflect the whole person Holding space for both grief and celebration
In this first episode of Life’s Last Chapter, we sit down with Michael, a thoughtful funeral celebrant, to explore what it means to truly celebrate a life. He shares how personal, meaningful ceremonies help families grieve, remember, and say goodbye with dignity and love.
