Pen Name:
None
Genre:
Articles, Other Nonfiction, End-of-Life Planning Books
Websites:
AGoodGoodbye.com
BeforeIDieNM.com
GailRubin.com
Social Media:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Other Contact Information:
Office Phone: 505.265.7215
Email: Gail@agoodgoodbye.com
Bio
Gail Rubin, CT, is a pioneering death educator who uses humor, film and video clips and outside-the-box activities to teach about planning ahead for end-of-life issues. An award-winning speaker, she “knocked ’em dead” at TEDxABQ in 2015. She’s the author of three books on end-of-life issues: A GOOD GOODBYE: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die; HAIL AND FAREWELL: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips; and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.
She’s also an informed advocate for planning ahead, a Certified Funeral Celebrant, and the coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival. She’s the president of the Historic Fairview Cemetery nonprofit organization.
Albuquerque Business First recognized her as one of their 2019 Women of Influence. In 2015, SouthWest Writers recognized Gail Rubin with the Parris Award for her outstanding contributions to the organization over the years.
More From Gail
Even though we humans have a 100% mortality rate, less than 30% of adults do any end-of-life planning. That’s going to leave 70% or more of our loved ones scrambling to pull together information and make expensive decisions under duress of grief. It doesn’t have to be that way. I help get the conversation started with a light touch on what many consider a dark topic. My motto is: just as talking about sex won’t make you pregnant, talking about funerals won’t make you dead. And your family will benefit from the conversation.
I’m currently working on a Before I Die Festival in a Box™. The kit includes a manual on how to successfully hold a Before I Die Festival, with additional items such as The Newly-Dead Game® and guidelines for holding a Death Cafe.
Books
Title: 98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die
Sub-title: Remarkable Films and TV Shows to Discuss Death and Plan Ahead
Publisher: Light Tree Press (2026)
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
What if the most important conversation of your life started with a movie night? Movies and television shows can open conversations about death in ways that lectures and pamphlets simply can’t. Sometimes it’s easier to explore mortality when it’s unfolding on a screen, preferably with popcorn in hand.
98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die curates 142 remarkable films and television programs that explore dying, grief, legacy, love, and what it truly means to live fully. Across genres and cultures, from comedy and drama to documentary and animation, these stories invite us to face the inevitable with honesty, insight, and even a little humor. Each entry highlights key mortality themes and includes six thoughtful discussion prompts, transforming movie night into something far more meaningful than entertainment. Whether you’re watching alone, with family, or hosting a community event, this guide helps turn cinematic moments into conversations that matter.
Available for Sale
Title: Before I Die Festival in a Box™
Sub-title: How to Hold an End-of-Life Conversation-Starting Event
Publisher: Light Tree Press (2023)
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
Before I Die Festivals give people an attractive way to learn about the many elements of being prepared for death. With a combination of entertainment, education, and discussions, Before I Die Festivals put the “fun” in funeral planning. People can visit funeral homes and cemeteries without having to experience a death in the family. This manual details how to create a Before I Die Festival with information gleaned from author Gail Rubin’s five years of hosting these outside-the-box events that get people to plan for end-of-life issues.
The Before I Die Festival in a Box® gives you the tools and guidance to hold your own Festival. Whether you run a funeral home or cemetery, a related end-of-life business, or as an individual who wants to bring this kind of event to your community, this manual and the associated tools provide what you need to hold a successful event. In addition to the manual, the kit from BeforeIDieFestivals.com includes a copy of Newly-Dead® The Game, Death Ed Bingo!, guidelines for holding a Death Cafe, and the 4-DVD set of the TV interview series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die. The eBook version stands alone from the bonus items with the Before I Die Festival in a Box™ printed version.
Available for Sale
Amazon: Ebook
Amazon: Paperback
Barnes & Noble: Ebook
Barnes & Noble: Paperback
Title: KICKING THE BUCKET LIST
Sub-title: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die
Publisher: Rio Grande Books (2016)
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
Do you plan to live forever? Do you ever plan to move? Depending on where you are going, you can’t take it with you. In KICKING THE BUCKET LIST, death educator Gail Rubin brings a light touch to cleaning out those dark recesses of your home and organizing for end-of-life issues. In these pages, you will learn how to: tackle downsizing without being overwhelmed by the job; evaluate what to keep, toss, donate and recycle; creatively remove excess goods from your home; manage your finances for today and tomorrow; organize your funeral, and create your legacy. If you need guidance to downsize and organize, this book is for you. Baby Boomers facing their parents’ estates and their own downsizing will especially appreciate the information in KICKING THE BUCKET LIST.
Available for Sale
Title: HAIL AND FAREWELL
Sub-title: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips
Publisher: Light Tree Press (2015)
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
A majority of those who die in the U.S. will be cremated. Thousands of families don’t know what to do with their loved ones’ cremated remains or how to create a meaningful memorial service. HAIL AND FAREWELL: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips provides all the answers.
HAIL AND FAREWELL covers everything related to creating a meaningful memorial service with cremated remains:
* Why it’s important to hold some sort of goodbye ceremony.
* A description of the cremation process, so families know what to expect.
* Examples of different ways to scatter ashes – more than you’d think!
* Stories of creative memorial services in different settings to spark ideas.
* Templates to easily create meaningful memorial services.
* Sample scripts from actual memorial services to provide inspiration.
* Suggested readings, music and online resources for a wealth of meaningful materials to weave into a service.
HAIL AND FAREWELL offers invaluable memorial service guidance and ideas.
Available for Sale
Title: A GOOD GOODBYE
Sub-title: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die
Publisher: Light Tree Press (2010)
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help
We plan our finances, our families, our retirement, just about everything except our funerals. Without end-of-life planning, life’s other plans can come undone. A GOOD GOODBYE: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die provides the information, inspiration and tools to plan and implement creative, meaningful and memorable end-of-life rituals for people and pets. Just as talking about sex won’t make you pregnant, talking about funerals won’t make you dead — and your family will benefit from the conversation. Learn how to save money, reduce family conflict, and avoid stress at a time of grief.
Third-place winner in the New Mexico Press Women 2011 Communications Contest.