Penny Waugh

I’m passionate about shifting how we think about death and how we care for one another at the end of life. I believe that the transition of death is not just inevitable — but something we can thoughtfully plan for in ways that reflect the lives we’ve lived. Through education and advocacy, I help individuals and families explore the full range of end-of-life options so they can make informed choices that align with their values.

As a certified UVM death doula and a certified funeral arranger in San Diego, that means I’m here to support you from the first conversations about dying through to the care that happens after death. I walk alongside you and your loved ones every step of the way, ensuring your wishes are known, respected, and carried out with care.

For me, pre-planning isn’t just practical — it’s an act of love. When arrangements are made ahead of time, surviving loved ones are given the gift of space to grieve without the burden of decision-making. I’m also dedicated to restoring time-honored end-of-life practices such as home funerals and assisting friends and family in caring for their dead. I work to normalize conversations about death and dying in a culture that often avoids them, and I share insights on emerging practices like green burial, water cremation, and human composting. My work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be honored in death in a way that truly reflects how they lived.

I’m deeply passionate about restoring death care practices that center on community, connection and authentically honoring a life well lived, no matter how long or how short that life was. I support chosen family and friends in tending to their loved ones at home, offer guidance in planning and coordinating home funerals, and advocate for environmentally conscious disposition methods such as green burial and natural organic reduction. Grounded in the belief that caring for our own dead is a powerful and healing tradition, I’m committed to helping others reclaim these sacred rites in ways that honor both the body and the earth.

Based in San Diego, CA, I’m available both locally and online to help you plan an end-of-life experience that genuinely honors the life you've lived.

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Contact Penny

Based in San Diego, CA, I am available both locally and online to help you plan an end-of-life experience that genuinely honors the life you've lived.

hello@dodeathdifferent.com
619.519.5994