THE DEATH DISPATCH
Issue of August 2, 2026
A newsletter about death that doesn't make you want to die reading it. Weekly. Honest. Never a euphemism.
FROM STEPHANIE
This week, we look at the messages and notifications that keep coming after someone dies. We also walk through an executor's work from day one to the final check, and tell the history of Black funeral homes as institutions of care, advocacy, and community.
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THE NUMBER
63.4%
NFDA projected a 63.4% US cremation rate for 2025, compared with 31.6% for burial. The association projects cremation will reach 82.3% by 2045. Source: NFDA's 2025 Cremation & Burial Report.
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THIS WEEK'S READ
The Group Chat Doesn't Know They're Dead
Group chats and social apps keep notifying you about someone after they die, and nobody warns you it's coming. Here's what the memorial settings actually do and why letting yourself have those moments still counts as grieving.
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THE PRACTICAL BIT
What an executor actually does
The executor's job starts with protecting property and locating the will. It ends after debts, taxes, and distributions are handled and the estate is formally closed. We put the work in order so nobody has to guess. Read the guide.
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CARE, HISTORY, AND TRUST
Black funeral homes have long served as places of dignity, advocacy, cultural continuity, and community care. Our new story traces that history and the work these institutions still do today. Read the story.
THE DEATH DISPATCH · dispatch.mortl.com
SEND THIS TO SOMEBODY
Screenshot any box above and text it to the person whose paperwork you worry about. Or send them the whole thing:
You're going to die. Let's talk about it.
Stephanie