What is a Death Midwife?
We are the water that flows between the rocks of the medical profession and the funeral industry. We are non-medical helpers that provide holistic and spiritual support to anyone at the end of life. We have many members that specialize in many different aspects of death and dying. We believe we can find someone to fit your needs and ensure a peaceful and meaningful passing. See our members and what they do below to find the right fit for you.
Directory
Kate Harrison
Location: Bonner/ Missoula
mtendoflifecollective@gmail.com
Kate is a death midwife with the Western Montana End of Life Collective and a nurse based in Missoula working with survivors of sexual assault and child abuse. She is passionate about helping individuals and families navigate the end-of-life journey and co-hosts end-of-life document workshops to help people get all their paperwork in order. She also runs a short term vacation rental and event space along the Blackfoot River. If you are interested in renting the space for memorials/celebration of life events, please contact her directly. Outside of her end-of-life work, she enjoys spending time along the Blackfoot River and is dedicated to fostering connection, stewardship, and community in western Montana.
Seisin Eyer
Location : Missoula
406-274-2549
When dealing with potential end of life scenarios and death events, having a calm, experienced and trusted partner through the tough and confusing times is now an option for you. We were never meant to do this sacred work alone. I can help you with difficult and emotional conversations, prioritizing needs, and balancing the responsibilities and duties that come with end of life care, planning, and grief. I would love to share my experience of learning to partner with Grief and Death in order to live a fulfilling life with you. Our generation is balancing children, spouses, aging parents, careers, and relationships to name just a few. We can do this season of life better, together.
Certificate of Death Midwifery through Earth Traditions, Rev. Angie Buchanan
Certificate of Grief Educator, grief.com, Dr. David Kessler
Continuing education, Willow EOL Vision to Venture program
Co-host of Your Wishes, Your Voice end of life documents workshops
Notary Public
Liz Simpson
(they/any)
Location: Missoula-based, willing to work with clients remotely
Death Doula | Educator | Ecologist
406-290-3686
Liz weaves together their experience in hospice, yoga, outdoor education, and creative expression to create grounded, compassionate spaces for reflection, dialogue, and care in both death and non-death-loss-related spaces. They work as an educator, death doula, and sewist and have a background in ecology, embodiment, and end-of-life care. They hold a Ph.D. in Biology and Ecology from Utah State University, a Death Midwife Certification from Earth Traditions, and have created functional, beautiful pieces through sewing for as long as they can remember. They have also trained as a grief facilitator with Tamarack Grief Resource Center. Liz specializes in end-of-life planning, helping people identify and communicate their values, intentions, and priorities so that their end-of-life journey reflects their wishes. They are well-versed in local, sustainable, eco-attentive end-of-life practices, particular considerations for LGBTQIA+ individuals, and home funerals. They are seasonally available to support people through this journey, from helping you plan what you want to sitting vigil, providing respite and companionship care, and facilitating home funerals and green burial with meaningful ritual and ceremony. They also offer custom, handsewn shrouds for ceremony and/or green burial. Please reach out with questions and to inquire about whether working with them would be a supportive, beneficial fit.
Grace Prior
Location: Mineral & Missoula County
920-254-3001
Grace Prior is the founder of a non-profit in Alberton, MT called Bathing Breath. Bathing Breath strives to provide holistic wellness support by providing free yoga classes, birth doulas, death midwives, workshops and fellowship. Our mission is to give the population of Mineral County and surrounding area space and guidance on how to improve their mental, physical and spiritual health. Bathing Breath was able to bring Death Midwife certification to Montana and certify over 40 midwives in 2023. Grace is a certified Yoga Instructor, Birth Doula and Death Midwife. She was inspired by her own journey with grief and sudden loss to help others and give them the information and support she wished she’d had. Her goal is to continue to provide free and affordable wellness services to the underserved community.
Kaley Burke
Location: Missoula
406-396-3660
I am a holistic practitioner, certified death doula, and wellness guide with over 15 years of experience in hospice and end-of-life care. My work is rooted in compassion, presence, and supporting individuals through life’s most meaningful transitions. Blending mindfulness, yoga, somatic movement, creative expression, and nature-based practices, I guide others in processing grief, releasing tension, and reconnecting with their inner wisdom. I believe deeply in the healing power of nature, and often incorporate nature bathing as a way to support grounding and integration. With a BA in communication from the University of Montana, and experience as a wellness center and home care agency owner, I bring both grounded skill and lived understanding to my work. I am here to hold space—supporting you in trusting your own path, your own healing, and your own knowing. Rooted in Missoula, my work centers on self-love, self-trust, and honoring both life and death as sacred parts of the human experience.
Dementia Coach Certification · Positive Approach to Care (Teepa Snow),2015
Death Doula Certificate · Doulagivers Academy, NY, 2021
Yoga Teacher Certificate · Yoga Hive MT (Grief-Focused Practice), Whitfish MT, 2022
Margaret Parson
Location : Missoula
Death Doula Margo has been serving as a hospice volunteer in Missoula for almost three years, and it was early in that journey that she decided to become certified as a Death Doula.
Since September 2025, she has been facilitating a Death Cafe at the Hope Hospice Center, 2nd Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm, and has plans to continue for as long as they will let her do it.
Feel free to email, text or call to confirm the Cafe or inquire about what end of life can look like with a Death Doula involved in the process.
Em Sumstine
Location: Mineral and Missoula County
Em Sumstine is Mental Health Provider, Death Midwife, Yoga Instructor, an advocate and a group facilitator with over a decade of experience. Em brings compassion and active listening with a foundation of trained awareness. Em believes that it is always the time and place to discuss body disposition and end of life preparations. Primarily focusing on grief and practical end of life preparations, Em is ready to support ceremonies, groups, and workshops both for the individual and groups.
Megan Rodriguez
Location: Missoula
Megan Rodriguez is a certified death doula and wellness practitioner. Her own experience with loss led her into years of study on grief, and ultimately to her certification. She assists families with creating sacred space, grief support, vigil sitting, respite care, companionship, ritual sound, or simply quiet presence. She offers dignified services like last haircuts, nail trims, or gentle massage in the home. She helps with legacy projects such as letters and life review. She can assist with planning memorial service that honors the deceased. Megan holds a bachelor's degree in Spanish Language & Literature and an associate degree in Anthropology, and is fluent in Spanish. Se habla español. She knows what it means to accompany others through the hardest passages and she is honored to do so.