Giving Grief Grace, a grief podcast for the sandwich generation

Episode 55 - 100 Years of Living: Lucy DeRoche's Secrets to Adventure, Purpose, and Joy

She feels 45. She has been all around the US. She planned a month-long trip through England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1971 with no cell phones, no credit cards, and a 9-year-old in tow, and she thought nothing of it. She lost her first husband Vincent to lung cancer when he was just 41, raised her daughter Tammy on her own, and kept going. She still walks the halls of her building every day, still does puzzles, and loves Maine lobster. Lucy DeRoche of Yarmouth, Maine turned 100 on May 20, 2026 and she is here to show us what a fully lived life actually looks like. In this joyful milestone episode, Lisa sits down with Lucy and her daughter Tammy to celebrate a century of adventure, purpose, and unending love. Lucy shares the philosophy that carried her through teaching fifth graders for decades, planning epic road trips with AAA guides before the internet existed, volunteering long into retirement, and weathering the deepest losses - all with curiosity, humor, and a fierce desire to be useful. What you'll hear in this episode: * Lucy's secret to staying sharp, active, and motivated at 100 * How she navigated losing her husband at a young age and how she and Tammy became each other's purpose * The legendary 1971 trip to England, Scotland, and Ireland, planned entirely with travelers checks and a travel agent, no internet required * The zebra that stuck its entire head through the car window on the Olympic Peninsula * The 6-inch John Wayne "statue" that was NOT the six-foot statue they drove across the Peninsula to find * Her food memories: Thursdays and Sundays at the 99 in Brunswick, Maine with Jim, fish chowder and blueberry muffins at the Dolphin, and lobster that must — absolutely must — come from Maine * Sitting in a Paris restaurant at 86 with a sneaky grin on her face * What truly kept her going all these years: "I always wanted to be useful. I really did." This one is a love letter to long lives, adventurous hearts, and the mothers who drag us to Gettysburg, Paris, and off-road in a Jeep Wrangler and make us better for it. Cheers to 100 years, Lucy Williams DeRoche. We love you! Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499142/fan_mail/new] Thanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you!  Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone. Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week!  Special thanks to: Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music [https://pinkstarmusic.com/] Podcast Music Good_B_Music [https://pixabay.com/users/good_b_music-22836301/]

Episode 54 - From Surviving to Thriving: The Grief Recovery Method with Dawn Michele Jackson

Have you ever carried grief you didn't have a name for? Today's guest, Dawn Michele Jackson, a registered nurse, bestselling author, and Advanced Grief Recovery Method Specialist, spent decades watching patients' unprocessed emotions show up as physical illness. When her own life was fraught with an alcoholic father, an abusive boyfriend, and she later experienced a painful divorce, and the eventual loss of her dad, Dawn knew life didn't have to be so challenging. She learned how to process her grief through an action-based program that didn't just take the edge off, it changed how she viewed the earlier struggles in her life, and allowed her to process them and find happiness moving forward. In this episode, Dawn walks us through the Grief Recovery Method: what it is, how it works, and why grief is so much bigger than death. Whether you're carrying loss from a relationship, a childhood, a divorce, or a loved one's passing, this conversation is for you. In this episode we discuss: * Why grief is a normal, natural response to any loss, transition, or change * What the Grief Recovery Method is and how the multiple sessions work * How unhealed grief shows up in the body as physical illness * Dawn's personal journey through childhood pain, divorce, and losing her dad * Why this method gives you tools for life, not dependency * How healing changed Dawn's relationships, self-worth, and ultimately led to a joyful marriage Connect with Dawn: Website: www.dawnmichelejackson.com [http://www.dawnmichelejackson.com] Facebook & LinkedIn: Dawn Michele Jackson Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499142/fan_mail/new] Thanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you!  Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone. Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week!  Special thanks to: Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music [https://pinkstarmusic.com/] Podcast Music Good_B_Music [https://pixabay.com/users/good_b_music-22836301/]

Episode 53 - The Little Things Are the Big Things: Obituaries with Mary McGreevy of Tips from Dead People

What if the most profound life lessons you ever received came from the dead? In this episode of Giving Grief Grace, Lisa sits down with Mary McGreevy, the creator of @tipsfromdeadpeople and author of an upcoming HarperCollins book (August 2027), to explore what over 10,000 obituaries have taught her about grief, imperfection, and what it means to live a life well-lived. Mary shares the origin story behind her viral social media account, born from her mother's brief career as an obituary editor and Mary's own childhood fascination with the stories hiding in the back pages of the newspaper. Now with over 400,000 followers across platforms, Mary is on a mission to remind us: you are more than your worst chapter, and you are absolutely more than your LinkedIn profile and resume. Together, Lisa and Mary talk about: * The themes that surface most often across thousands of obituaries * What happened when Mary posted, "How do you learn to live without your mom?" after losing her own mother in November 2024, and the 2,000+ comments that became a masterclass in grief * Why the best obituaries name the hard stuff: addiction, estrangement, regret, and how that honesty allows readers to feel a deeper sense of connection with the individual * The obituary of Trish, Mary's "patron saint" of Tips from Dead People, and why two simple lists of loves and hates tell you everything about a person * Mary's complicated feelings about AI-written obituaries (and animated dead people) * The book offer that arrived three days after her mom died, and what she believes about that timing This episode is tender, funny, and full of permission to be exactly as messy and as human as you already are. Connect with Mary: * Instagram/TikTok/YouTube: @tipsfromdeadpeople [https://www.instagram.com/tipsfromdeadpeople/] * Substack: https://tipsfromdeadpeople.substack.com/ [https://tipsfromdeadpeople.substack.com/]  * Obituary inspiration & more: https://linktr.ee/tipsfromdeadpeople [https://linktr.ee/tipsfromdeadpeople] * Book: coming August 2027 from HarperCollins Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499142/fan_mail/new] Thanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you!  Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone. Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week!  Special thanks to: Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music [https://pinkstarmusic.com/] Podcast Music Good_B_Music [https://pixabay.com/users/good_b_music-22836301/]

Episode 52 - A Year of Giving Grief Grace: What No One Tells You About Starting a Grief Podcast

One year. 52 episodes. 62 countries and territories. 454 cities. Thank you for a year of grace, gratitude, and being part of this grief journey.  In this special solo anniversary episode, Lisa Hartung pauses to celebrate what Giving Grief Grace [https://podcast.lisahartung.com/] has become. She reflects honestly on the time commitment, what it gave back, and who the show supports. Lisa shares the origin story behind the podcast: the week her firstborn arrived was the same week her mother, Emily, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given a year to live. What followed was a year of caring for a newborn and a dying parent. It was also the birth of a mission to make sure no one had to navigate grief alone. In this milestone episode, Lisa reflects on: * The guests who shaped year one: from hospice nurses and end-of-life doulas to grief counselors, artists, authors, and cancer survivors * The most downloaded episode (Emily’s Final Wish: A Visit to Monet’s Garden) * The very real, unglamorous side of solo podcasting (including a toilet overflow, two sick kids, and a husband out of town) * What grief has taught her about loneliness, showing up, and becoming your  own cheerleader * What’s ahead for Season 2: retreats, community events, animal grief, and more If you’ve been listening since episode one, thank you! If you've been a guest on the show, THANK YOU! If you’re brand new, welcome to the community. Either way, you belong here. 📧 hello@lisahartung.com [hello@lisahartung.com] | 🎙️ podcast.lisahartung.com [https://podcast.lisahartung.com/] 📱 Instagram: @GivingGriefGrace [https://www.instagram.com/givinggriefgrace/] | Facebook: Giving Grief Grace [https://www.facebook.com/people/Giving-Grief-Grace/61553442481930/] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499142/fan_mail/new] Thanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you!  Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone. Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week!  Special thanks to: Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music [https://pinkstarmusic.com/] Podcast Music Good_B_Music [https://pixabay.com/users/good_b_music-22836301/]

Epsiode 51 - Free Smiles: The Tiny Act That Lifts a Grieving Heart

What if the simplest thing you did today — curling up the corners of your mouth — could make you feel even 1% better? In this solo episode, host Lisa Hartung laces up her running shoes and shares a reflection born from the road: smiles are free, they cost nothing, and they might be exactly what a stranger needs today. Lisa talks about the science behind smiling, how the physical act of smiling, even a forced one, can shift your emotional state. She shares her personal mission to make at least one TSA agent smile every time she passes through airport security, and how running through neighborhoods, waving and smiling at fellow people exercising, walking their dogs, or chatting with friends, fills her with joy. For anyone living alone or isolated in grief, Lisa reminds us that a genuine smile and a warm "thank you" to your pharmacist or grocery cashier might be the most meaningful human connection you have that day. It is a simple act that really matters. Don't rush past it. Cherish the moment.  If you are sitting with someone who is deep in grief, you don't have to have the right words. Show up. Smile. Be present. That is enough. How many smiles will you give to others this week? Stay tuned. Episode 52 is coming next week and it's a BIG one: one full year of Giving Grief Grace! 🎉 Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2499142/fan_mail/new] Thanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you!  Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone. Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week!  Special thanks to: Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music [https://pinkstarmusic.com/] Podcast Music Good_B_Music [https://pixabay.com/users/good_b_music-22836301/]