The Secrets of Dying Well

Wendy Norman has been researching and engaging with end-of-life issues for over 15 years. Her interest in the field was sparked in 2006 when her mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. This experience underscored the critical importance of having a plan in place before illness occurs, particularly when cognitive decline is a factor. Driven by a desire to help others recognize the value of pre-planning, Wendy became an end-of-life planning consultant in 2017. In 2019, she made the decision to leave a successful 25-year career in marketing and program management to dedicate her time and energy to end-of-life planning, education, and awareness. In 2020, Wendy helped create and lead a team of volunteers to launch End of Life Ready, an education and awareness program hosted by End of Life Washington. Building on that experience, she founded Worry-Free Wednesdays to further broaden and deepen end-of-life education.

Kay Longhi has spent 25 years in and around the end-of-life movement. She held a long career in health care management, seeing many sides of the healthcare system. Kay has also served on the board of End of Life Washington for 22 years and is still a volunteer with the organization. In her personal life, she has been a caretaker and end-of-life guide for several family members who have passed. Drawing from both her professional and practical experience, Kay now coach others on the value of pre-planning before a healthcare crisis. She believes strongly that helping individuals understand how to die on their terms provides enormous comfort during what can be a difficult time.

Fate has given Jeff Baker the opportunity to guide many that are close to him through their end-of-life journey. He sat beside both his wife and his parents to help design and create a vision for their death that reflected and respected their values. It was a support role not too dissimilar from his 40+ years in corporate design and brand management. Through these experiences, Jeff has become an end-of-life volunteer and consultant, helping others curate and find beauty in life’s final chapter, whether that’s by building the most helpful support team that can honor one’s wishes or having important but difficult conversations about quality of life as you face death. His goal is to inspire dialogue that gives others the chance to decide what quality of life means to them.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Worry-Free Wednesdays.