Meet Kimba Griffith — death doula, business owner, jazz singer

by Verve

Kimba Griffith is also a Buddhist, and last year spent six-months driving around Australia with her husband, three kids and one tent!

“We’re very wild and wacky. We’ve done lots of travel. We were meant to go this year, so it’s a good thing we went early!” She says.

“What did the kids learn? We learnt how to do lockdown really well. We were like ‘Oh yeah we know how to do this!’ We’ve spent about 800 days together 24/7!”

We sat down with Kimba at Verve to learn about how a Buddhist jazz singer, camping enthusiast co-creates a company that farewells human life.

What is The Last Hurrah Funeral Company?

We’re an independent female owned and operated funeral company that offers continuity of care. A death is an overwhelming process, so the fact families can deal with one key person through the entire funeral process, makes people feel safe.

We believe everyone deserves a good send off and for every funeral, we donate $100 to a philanthropic fund to help people who can’t afford their own. We’ve covered entire funerals this way! We’re interested in funerals operating outside the traditional chapel and want to bring funerals back into the community.

How did you get into funerals?

I’m a celebrant, a birth attendant and through that, I had the opportunity to learn about end of life companions, (also known as death doula’s.) But I didn’t like how the traditional funeral conglomerates operated, so it wasn’t until I met my co-founder Nastassia Jones that the business sprang to life.

When I met Natassia, we realised we shared a vision to provide families with authentic and flexible options for farewelling a loved one. We also shared a passion to offer a gentle and secure circle of support to those grieving a loss. Through all this, The Last Hurrah Funerals was born!

We offer cardboard coffins and linen and calico shrounds on sustainable timber boards and every funeral is unique and each family has freedom of choice.

We try to be very human with our customers too. We hold space for people, but if something is sad and it feels appropriate, we share in that grief.

I joined Verve because you’re female focused

I’ve never really had any super because I’m a musician who had three kids! My Dad would always go on about me needing super and I was like “Yeah, whatever!” But as I got into my 40’s, I thought, ‘I should really do this.’

I was researching Superannuation and I saw Verve had a female focus. It seemed less like a dry financial environment, and more like a movement. A movement that’s socially focused and community oriented. And I felt like it related to me.

Wealth is a mindset, not something tangible

Wealth isn’t any one thing. I’m Buddhist and for me wealth is really about having the simple things you need to be healthy and connected. If you get caught up thinking ‘If we had this, or had that’ — it’s a complete fallacy. It’s all a state of mind. I’m really lucky I have everything I need. I have my health and my basics are taken care of so my family and I can comfortably survive. It’s pretty simple. 

My best life advice is to appreciate life

What lights me up inside? Waking up and being like: ‘Wow I get another day! I get another chance.’ Tomorrow is never promised to us. That’s something this job has taught me. I’m also a very proud member of AA, so I have to say ‘One day at a time’ is the best motto!

I’d invite Marina Abramović over for dinner

I’ve always wanted to meet performance artist Marina Abramović. I love her take that art is life and life is art — that all that matters is the art. I just love that kind of vision. 

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