Spike Gillespie

I’ve been presiding over funerals and memorial services in the Austin area since 2014. I work closely with my clients to create highly customized services that truly capture the spirit of the deceased. No cookie cutter language here. I’m an award-winning journalist with keen listening skills. I’m also incredibly sensitive. And I’ve had a tremendous amount of firsthand experience with bereavement. All of these gifts allow me to work gently and thoughtfully with the grieving family as we create a truly memorable send-off. 

Secular services are my specialty. Atheists love me! Alternately, I am fine with offering up prayers during a service, but if it is important to the family to have a full-on Christian minister, that would not be me. I’m a non-theistic recovering Catholic, who finds much peace in Buddhist philosophy and who derives my spirituality from nature and the Pretenders’ lyric: “Now the reason we’re here, is to love each other.” This array of beliefs and non-beliefs helped forge my superpower: I am excellent at navigating emotionally charged events populated with people from very different walks of life. 

I am comfortable working in funeral homes, graveside, and less traditional venues.