Episode 23 | Why Preserving Family Artifacts Matters: Lessons from a Mortuary Childhood with Kevin O’Connor

Listen Now

Listen On

Episode Notes

Ever wondered how preserving family artifacts could deepen connections across generations? In this episode of Buried in Work, host Adam Zuckerman chats with author and family historian Kevin O’Connor about his one-of-a-kind upbringing above his family’s mortuary. Kevin’s memoir, Two Floors Above Grief, offers an intimate look into his Victorian childhood home, a place where life and death intertwined daily. Growing up in a family-owned funeral home shaped Kevin’s views on grief, family, and the profound significance of preserving history.

Join us as Kevin shares his journey of organizing family letters, artifacts, and heirlooms and offers tangible tips for anyone wanting to preserve their family’s legacy. You’ll hear his insights on handling grief, respecting family history, and the value of physically organizing letters, photos, and mementos. Kevin also explains the emotional impact of saving these treasures and how they can offer comfort, understanding, and a unique perspective on life.

Whether you have boxes of old letters in the attic or want to build a family archive, this episode guides you through the process of creating a meaningful family history. Kevin’s journey serves as a touching reminder that preserving our past can offer solace in the present and guidance for the future.

Key Takeaways

• Why preserving family artifacts can create a powerful legacy
• The unique emotional value that comes from physical artifacts versus digital records
• How to catalog and sequence family history for future generations
• Practical steps for organizing family letters, photographs, and artifacts
• Kevin’s personal journey growing up in a mortuary and how it shaped his understanding of grief and family

Show Links

• Kevin’s Website: https://www.kevinoconnorauthor.com
• Kevin’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.oconnor2
• Kevin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kmoconnor
• Order his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMZ5P3RF

About Kevin O’Connor

In addition to writing, Two Floors Above Grief: A Memoir of Two Families in the Unique Place We Called Home, Kevin O’Connor is the founder of the social media platform @thegriefnavigator. He offers guidance and resources to help individuals and communities navigate their journeys of grief. With a background in the funeral industry and expertise in family history preservation and education, Kevin provides unique insights into bereavement.

He writes a weekly newsletter reaching over two thousand readers. Kevin shares perspectives on family-owned businesses, links to over thirty podcast guest appearances, stories about the impact of his book, the legacies of past professionals, and the significance of preserving family archives.

His book is based on 700 pages of family letters from the 1930s to the 1970s. His stories recount his childhood living in an apartment above a funeral home. It has achieved bestseller status in categories such as Family Relationships, Business Professional Biography, Death & Grief, and Coming-of-Age.

Before his writing career, Kevin served nearly 50 years in public education as a teacher, principal, university professor, and curriculum designer. As principal of Maplewood School in Cary, IL, he helped the school gain top-ranked state and Chicago area recognition. His last decade in education focused on advocacy programs for LGBTQ youth and the creation of award-winning K-12 Family Life and Sexual Health programs in Broward County, FL.

Currently, Kevin is developing two new books: one on organizing family letters to uncover generational insights and another based on students’ lasting memories from his years as a teacher and principal.

A resident of Ft. Lauderdale, Kevin is also a community theater actor, with roles in Godspell, Fiddler on the Roof, and more. He and his husband have five adult sons and seven granddaughters. Kevin is available for in-person and virtual presentations on topics related to grief, family history, LGBT advocacy, death care, education, and other topics.

Other Buried in Work Podcast Episodes