"Good Lives and Goodbyes" is a cooperative project between the Missoula Demonstration Project: The Quality of Life's End and the Missoulian. Some of the content in this section, including the three personal stories and the resource guide at the end of the section, was provided by the Demonstration Project. Ginny Merriam of the Missoulian wrote some of the stories. Missoulian editors designed the section and edited the stories. The ads in this section were sold by Missoulian salespeople. The Missoulian was not paid by the Demonstration Project to produce this section. The project, like anyone else, may purchase some additional copies of this section for its use.

We offer that full disclosure because it's unusual for the Missoulian to produce a news special section in partnership with another agency. But we thought this section was unique, for a number of reasons.

First, "Good Lives" offers us a chance to spotlight some of the work being done on end-of-life issues by the Demonstration Project. This is work that has the potential to change the way we die – and the way we live.

More important, "Good Lives" is meant to open discussion, both inside the larger community and inside family communities as well, about our expectations for the end of life. As a society, we shy away from talk of death, but it will become clear as you read this section that discussing end-of-life issues – including reflecting on the experiences of others and surveying the resources available to us – can help us better understand and cope with the final chapter of life. And that, in turn, helps us honor and celebrate our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

Special thanks to the staff of the Demonstration Project, who labored hard on this section, and to Chris Thomas, the Missoulian copy editor who designed the bulk of the section. The cover was designed by Ken Barnedt of the Missoulian. The artwork featured on the cover is by Holly Andres; for more of the story behind the art, see the personal story in this section about the death of her mother, Irene Andres.