Kitty Sheehan
The Healing Obituary co-founder Kitty Sheehan writes, edits, and teaches.
After writing obituaries for family and friends, Kitty understood the healing potential involved in the process, and her passion for sharing this experience was born.
Kitty has talked obituaries on air, with Conan O’Brien on his podcast, and several radio shows. She has contributed essays to published anthologies and magazines.
Kitty’s essay on family grief, The Strongest Woman in the Room, was published in October 2018 on Longreads.com, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and was cited by Harvard’s Neiman Storyboard as an example of unique and engaging storytelling.
Kitty is a native Iowan, but when she and her husband Mark Cuddy discovered the Hudson Valley, they made it home for 15 years. In 2025, they migrated back to the Midwest.
Mark Cuddy
Co-founder Mark Cuddy started his career in funeral service at 9 years old, at Carson Funeral Home in Dayton, Iowa, where he tagged along with his older brother Dick, who was employed there.
After college, he returned to the business, as the eastern Iowa sales rep for Aurora Casket.
Mark moved to the east coast, where he was national sales rep for Tributes.com, introducing an obituary platform to funeral home websites.
In 2013, Mark accepted the position of Director of Membership and Development at Selected Independent Funeral Homes, and for the next seven years, he consulted with and learned from some of the best funeral homes in the US and worldwide.
Mark brings this wide range of experience to The Healing Obituary, offering customization and suggestions for seminars.
Mark lives in Minnesota with his wife, Kitty Sheehan.
The Healing Obituary 