Hello, I’m Johanna. I write obituaries, and I’m honored to memorialize lives as an obituarist. Commemorating loved ones in an obituary is a challenge. I use language to convey personality, history, and the legacy of the loved one you wish to memorialize.
Experience & Training
I began writing obituaries as a way of coping with grief after the deaths of loved ones. In 2022 I completed the International End of Life Doula Association’s (INELDA) End of Life Doula training to better serve clients. My focus since has been on end-of-life legacy writing. I’ve served as an obituarist, ghost writer, and editor for dying individuals and for clients writing obituaries for loved ones.
Education & Academic Work
For over a decade I’ve worked as a technical writing instructor and supported writers — from all levels, including professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, and community members— in one-on-one consultations to promote their ideas through writing. I am a tenured professor at a research university. My BA is in Philosophy. I have a MA in English and a PhD in rhetoric. Many courses I took at both the undergraduate and graduate levels were focused on death, dying, and bioethics. I’ve published a book and multiple book chapters and articles for academic audiences. In academic settings, my writing interests are focused on ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, and justice.
Who I Am
When I am not writing, you can find me with my family exploring the Pacific Northwest backcountry, especially the coast and rainforests. When time allows, we visit Utah, where my children were born, to be in the desert- one of my favorite places on earth. The photos on this website are from our travels.