Shari Wodzianski
Memoirs & Funeral Services
Welcome to my home page. I guess you are wondering what its all about. As you can see I am a funeral celebrant, but I am much more too!This website will have you thinking about all those things most people don't want to think about; that topic being end of life. Opening up the discussion of a person's wishes and how they want to be remembered is very dear to my heart. Writing your story before you go is something I think we should all consider. It leaves a legacy amongst other things and becomes a tool for others to use after we leave this world.Let me explain the work I do in a little more detail.Writing someone’s memoirs before they pass away is like capturing the story of a sunflower — each one unique in the way it grows, bends and withstands the environment in which it lives, before it eventually leans into its final season and gently bows its head for the last time.Life brings with it many seasons—some bright and joyful, others testing and unpredictable. Along the way, we collect memories: of childhood laughter, hard-earned lessons, quiet triumphs, joyful milestones, and of the people who shaped our journey, whether by lifting us or by challenging us. Like a sunflower that turns its face to the sun through all kinds of weather, we, too, find ways to turn toward the light through the dark in our lifetime.Through gentle questioning, we will sit together and retrace and record your earliest roots, to your proudest bloom and the petals that fell along the way. Because it’s not about making things grander than they are, it’s about celebrating the simple golden truths: the recipes passed down, the love stories lived and all the quirks that made you, you.I will listen, we will laugh and we may sometimes cry. Then slowly I will gather those seeds of your memories to form a story that can be held, shared and cherished long after you are gone. Because like a sunflower, every person brings their own special beauty to the world — I want to capture your identity so it is everlasting for future generations.My mission is to help you craft a lasting legacy that not only reflects your unique life story but, one that becomes a cathartic experience — helping you make sense of the past, cherish the present and shape how you'll be remembered.
MY SERVICES
Select an item from the list below for more information
Funeral Celebrant services
As a compassionate and empathetic funeral celebrant, my main role is to assist families and loved ones plan and deliver heartfelt farewells. This enables the bereaved to feel supported and heard during times of grief. To create a meaningful and unforgettable tribute, provides a space for healing and reflection.Life celebrations come in many forms and they are not limited to just funerals. They can be memorials, spiritual goodbyes, wakes/living wakes or more intimate goodbye gatherings with nearest and dearest. They can be held at a park, local church, nursery, beach, community hall, sports club, or even the family home. Its about making the day/evening as peaceful as possible. Having it in a location that enables loved ones to feel some sense of connection, can bring an awareness of calm to that space and can relieve some of the heaviness that comes with heightened emotions.Sendoffs can be religious, spiritual or deeply personal. With that in mind, I strive to make sure they are always inclusive, diverse and culturally sensitive. I approach this process with respect and in a way that always reflects the person that has passed to the best of my ability.With thoughtful guidance and conversations, my role is to capture that essence and make sure the style of service is in line with the life lived and personality of those who have passed. I am a wonderful listener and will be considerate to the type of delivery you are looking to achieve.Helping others by supporting them during their time of loss is an honour. I am grateful and humbled to be entrusted with such a personal treasured moment in someone's life and do not take this role lightly. I will work alongside you in a way that is respectful with care and patience. Together we will create something beautiful that will represent your loved one in a way that will celebrate their existence and capture their life journey.Allow me to walk beside you to craft a meaningful goodbye to help keep their memory alive.The Australian Death Notification Service is a free service that helps people get in touch with multiple organisations (e.g. banks, insurers, utilities, telcos) to alert them of someone passing away. Other great support services during this time are Solace Grief Support WA, Compassionate Friends Australia and Think Mental Health WA.If you are looking for personable, inclusive, unique, memorable funeral companies, I highly recommended McKee Funerals and Walker Family Funerals here in Perth WA.
Plan & write your own Funeral / Celebration of Life
To prepare for that big day, we will chat, write and pre-plan your End of Life Wishes During these important discussions we can openly discuss your celebration of life preferences. I want to make sure their is a sense of clarity to your wishes and that you leave a legacy of love, instead of leaving confusion and questions unanswered.My role is not that of a funeral director or home. It is simply to write and create your perfect sendoff before that day comes. We will have candid conversations regarding your farewell (e.g. funeral/no funeral, cremation/no cremation, burial, ashes, and style of service etc), rest assured everything will be documented in a way that will greatly assist your loved ones so that your wishes are clear and easy to carry out. This enables family and friends to properly grieve, and allows them to focus on celebrating your life, rather than stressing over your final arrangements.Pre-writing your funeral or end of life service is one of the kindest things you can do for those you leave behind. It's about writing the script the way you want and designing your send off in a way that leaves the whole service written and ready to go. All that your loved ones need to do is hand it over for someone to deliver. It takes out all the guesswork in putting together something they can feel comfortable about having in your absence. In fact it becomes your final gift to them.
Memoir writing
Through a gentle interview process, I will walk alongside you to record your unique story capturing your voice and experiences throughout life. I will also be exploring some thought provoking questions in regard to how you want to be remembered as well as looked after in later life.My role isn't to interpret your story through my own lens - I'm simply the conduit recording your words exactly as you speak them, unshaped, untouched, and unedited.At the conclusion of this service you will receive your personal interview memoir in a physical booklet and in a digital PDF with a choice to add cherished photos showcasing your life's story. It will be documented exactly as spoken throughout our chat. A unique keepsake for those you love.As part of this package the interview that we share together will be audio recorded for you to keep. Having a recording of your own voice becomes an added treasure that future generations can listen to ... another gift to your legacy.Of course, if your loved ones are organising an end of life celebration or funeral service, they can use your memoir booklet and audio recording to help create your tribute. This will be a useful resource that will make it easier on those planning your final goodbye.If you choose me to lead your farewell, or wish your loved ones to decide when the time comes - they are welcome to contact me. It will be my honour and privilege to be entrusted to conduct your celebration of life.
documents to organise
At the end of your memoir booklet there will be a section which you can later fill out, regarding important documents and personal information. It will be a purposeful conversation starter with loved ones even before you have left their lives, especially in the event that you may not be able to verbally or cognitively communicate it to them.Documenting important information such as a will, nominated power of attorney, medical related issues, organ donating, doctors, utility services, bank accounts, social media etc and their whereabouts, makes this a valuable addition to this special little booklet.(Please note, these are only prompts and recommendations of things to record, not legal advice, just questions to answer later in your own time, not recorded by myself.)Completing an advance care plan is another useful blueprint for action to put in place, as it contains your preferences for future medical care. Here is a link for that planning tool.
my values
Care and Compassion
Approaching every project with sensitivity and understanding.
Personalised Approach
Tailoring my services to meet your individual needs and preferences with dedication and excellence.
Peace of Mind
Ensuring you know that your legacy is in capable and caring hands.
Connection with Empathy
Focusing on your unique story and how you want to be remembered in a respectful, heartfelt and authentic manner.
About me
I’m a happily married mother of two (one here and one in spirit), an authorised life celebrant, a story-catcher, and education assistant of nearly 17 years. I am a dedicated people person who is a talented chatter — especially if there’s coffee and chocolate involved.When I’m not busy helping people share their stories, you’ll probably find me pottering in the garden, grabbing a bargain at a garage sale or op shop, or scrolling Marketplace like it’s a part-time job. I’m slightly obsessed with my interior decorating skills and have a mild hoarding problem (I call it my “magpie tendencies”) I love all kinds of food, of any description — desserts in particular.I enjoy all kinds of music, mainly when paired with singing bowls or soothing Koshi bells for relaxation. I’m always up for a good movie whilst closely accompanied by my dog at bedtime (as long as it’s not scary! we don't do scary).My life’s been shaped by love, laughter, and loss. Grief touched me early on in life and instead of running from it, I leaned into it. I started helping others, spoke about it and journaled my thoughts, whilst unknowingly building the foundations for what I now do professionally. Writing has helped me make sense of my own world and over time, it has become the gateway to help others make sense of theirs.People have always gravitated towards me for support. I think that started with my Nana. She was as old-fashioned as they come — one of those strong, sensible women who pulled a vinyl shopping trolley up the road like it was her royal carriage. When I stayed with her, we’d walk to the shops every couple of days for essentials, but the real journey was in the conversations that we shared along the way. A quick trip for bread and milk would stretch into an all-day outing, thanks to the endless chats we would have with literally everyone in the neighbourhood. That’s where I first learned the power of conversation and the ability to pause, listen and truly connect with those around me — even on the days where I'm short for time.It’s no surprise I ended up a celebrant. I was the kid who constantly got in trouble at school for talking too much. I would like to think of it as my early career training. I’ve always loved a good chat and that shows up in everything I do. I was vice captain in primary school, then sports captain in my seniors years. This was probably because I was always the one rallying everyone together and cheering loudest from the sidelines. These days, I channel that same energy into life’s big moments — family, weddings, baby namings, funerals and now, legacy writing.As much as I adore the joyful moments, I’m equally drawn to the deeper ones — the quiet, reflective spaces where people share who they really are and what their life has been about.My background in listening to others became even more personal after our first child was stillborn. This life changing event was when I became affiliated with Red Nose WA. My home phone became a 1800 line every six weeks 24/7 for ten years. I volunteered because sitting and talking to others in their time of grief taught me so much — how to hold space, how to listen without fixing, how to commemorate someone’s story even in heartbreak and how words help to heal.Then, years later, my dad Bert was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I bought a little green notebook, determined to ask him all the questions and record his stories before his memory faded. But his illnesses progressed quickly, and his words became lost. He passed, and my little green book was left with empty pages. It was a sad reminder of how important it is to start the conversation now. I am passionate about my work because I know what it feels like to miss the chance. I know the ache of unanswered questions and the weight of unspoken memories. But I also know the healing that can come from putting a story into words.Helping someone piece together and document their journey, gives meaning and identity to their memories. It is not just my job — it’s my joy, my honour and the most worthwhile work to take part in (other than being a Mum). Knowing I have had the opportunity of hearing another's story and putting into place a reminder of them for those they leave behind, is definitely a gift and something that makes my heart extremely happy.Another passion of mine is helping to educate and normalise conversations around death, dying and legacy through compassionate community connections. I am honoured to be on the board for a newly formed non for profit organisation here in WA, 'Ignite Your Legacy Project Inc' My role is to bring empowerment and hope to those in this space.
Ready to Chat Or Unsure where to start?
Great conversations happen over coffee and chocolate. If you would like to talk through any of my services, where there will be no expectations on my behalf for you to commit to any of them. Then please get in touch. Think of it as a casual chat with an old friend, I'm good at that! You are welcome to call, text or email me.
Butler, WA 6036, Australia
Ph: 0458-320-246
Email: [email protected]Alternatively, please feel free to send me an inquiry using the form below and I will get back to you at my earliest convenience.
