Jody Adams, M.A., CPO
I’m fascinated by the way conversations about death tend to be postponed or avoided, even though death is inevitable for every living being. I am honored to help people explore the question of what a “good death” means to them, and I encourage them to live a “good life” as they define it. I also assist clients in making sense of their things and their space to support their lifestyle and life purpose. That work very often leads to conversations about legacy, how they want to experience the dying process, and the sometimes daunting but practical details of ensuring that their “final affairs are in order.”
I’ve been a professional organizer for more than 20 years, but my love of creating comfortable and functional spaces goes back to my childhood. I was very sentimental and liked to save everything, so I became very good at sorting, consolidating, rearranging, and organizing my “stuff” so it would all fit in my room. As I got older, I was able to hone these skills and found myself using them in various ways throughout my school years and in the jobs I held as a young adult. In my early twenties, the death of my grandmother changed my approach to life and my relationship with the things around me.
I helped care for my grandma in her home from the time she had a mastectomy until she died not long after. Spending this time with her was a continuation of the closeness we shared when I was growing up. After she died, we discovered boxes of memorabilia and pictures she’d kept in her attic but that, despite the countless stories she’d told when my siblings and I were kids, she’d never talked about. So, while the time I spent with her during the last few months of her life was profound and rewarding for me, it was also bittersweet because I realized that we’d never know her stories associated with these belongings. I understood then the importance of legacy, and that the inherent value of our possessions lies not in their monetary worth but rather in the life experiences and stories connected with them.
Because of my own experience of lost family history, I want to help others avoid the same fate. I work with individuals and families to identify needs, goals, and priorities in organizing their homes. Engaging with clients in this way also enables me to help them:
• Share the stories of their lives, prompted by the meaning of their possessions
• Determine how closely they are living in alignment with their dreams, passions, and goals, and whether they’re creating the legacy they want to leave behind
• Get their homes and belongings in order before they die (Swedish Death Cleaning)
• Gather and organize critical documents and other information in order to prepare wills and establish powers of attorney
• Make meaningful and appropriate decisions about what to do with a deceased loved one’s belongings
I welcome the opportunity to connect with you. I can be reached at 724.850.7282 or via www.in-its-place.biz.
Zuleikha Erbeldinger-Bjork
My first husband, Richard, prepared me for his death. After he died, I looked for ways to process his absence and keep him present. Attending Death Cafes, joining Pittsburgh Community Deathcare and writing memoir are ways I’ve kept him present. With my writing expertise and over 25 years of graphic design experience, I’ve also begun creating digital stories. I’ve come to love this format and I’m excited to help others record their own or their loved ones’ stories in this way.
My first husband, Richard, prepared me for his death. After he died, I looked for ways to process his absence and keep him present. Attending Death Cafes, joining Pittsburgh Community Deathcare and writing memoir are ways I’ve kept him present. With my writing expertise and over 25 years of graphic design experience, I’ve also begun creating digital stories. I’ve come to love this format and I’m excited to help others record their own or their loved ones’ stories in this way. A digital story is a 2–5-minute video comprised of three elements:
a visual story (images and/or video)
a spoken story (voice-over)
a sound story (music or other audio)
The application options for digital stories are myriad. Looking for an addition to slide shows and framed photos at memorials, funerals, or celebrations of life? Wanting to introduce the deceased to those who never had the chance to meet them? Trying to create a time capsule to be shared with those who were young children when the death occurred? Consider adding a digital story to your memorabilia. I collaborate with clients over the phone or internet to create unique electronic legacies that can be saved, shared, and viewed from a smartphone, tablet, or computer and passed onto future generations.
When not engaged in professional pursuits, I enjoy: actively participating in the second-hand economy; practicing gentle and restorative yoga; talking with my young adult daughters over a meal; gluten-free baking with my husband, Markus; learning German, Markus’s mother tongue; reading memoirs in the company of my indoor companions—two dogs; and gardening with my outdoor companions—four chickens.
You can reach me via phone at 412.266.4656 or email at zuleikha@alumni.cmu.edu.
Rev. Marguerite Aebi
Reverend Marguerite Renee Aëbi (Maggi) An Ordained Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister educated through One Spirit Seminary, I am a committed member of the clergy professionally affiliated with THE THREAD Seminary. This prepares me to minister as support counsel and spiritual care to those individuals seeking peace from life trauma, grief and religious confusion. I personally received Initiation into the Sri Vidya tradition of the Himalayas December 2006, Vows in the Buddhist way of life Nov. 13, 2022 and Ministerial Ordination June 5, 2025.
Reverend Marguerite Renee Aëbi (Maggi)
An Ordained Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister educated through One Spirit Seminary, I am a committed member of the clergy professionally affiliated with THE THREAD Seminary. This prepares me to minister as support counsel and spiritual care to those individuals seeking peace from life trauma, grief and religious confusion. I personally received Initiation into the Sri Vidya tradition of the Himalayas December 2006, Vows in the Buddhist way of life Nov. 13, 2022 and Ministerial Ordination June 5, 2025.
Formerly a Physical Therapy Assistant, I opened an Alternative Therapies office in the mid 90’s and after almost 28 years as a Massage Therapist she was trained and began practicing as an E-RYT (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) These careers overlapped and truly supported one another. Well versed in anatomy I went on to teach the 200hr and 300hr training for Yoga teachers with the Himalayan Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. My own studio (Yoga On Mars) was opened in 2016 to serve Veterans and those trying to manage their PTSD whether as a result of combat trauma or life trauma. Combining the 12 steps of Recovery and the philosophies of the Yoga Sutra as well as training and Certification through the Warriors At Ease program out of Walter Reed Military Hospital I am a trauma informed teacher with deep compassion for those seeking to manage their symptoms. Personally, I am a Gold Star Mom since losing my son SSgt Ed Greiner Jr 82nd Army Airborne March 6, 2012 and subsequently losing my youngest son Kristopher to a heroin overdose that same day, March 6, in 2015. Experience in teaching workshops combining the 12 step recovery and the practice of yoga (trauma informed) has been a passion for over 15 years. I have presented and taught at the WVDAAC conference, at Case Western Reserve University, with the Wounded Warriors Retreats and for the Semper Fi Odyssey Program for Veterans (Marine Corp & Army) in Boswell, PA. Most recently I had been doing volunteer classes in yoga for the VA in Butler, PA.
Contact: 3RoadsIn.org
Email: maggiaebi@gmail.com