A book for the living
The ultimate guide to dying happy
“It’s your life (and death), after all, and what you do about this is entirely up to you”
— Kathie Shearer, Author
A life shaped by loss and resilience
Few people appreciate life’s journey more than Kathie Shearer. Through an anthology of experiences, a string of personal losses, and a career as a funeral celebrant — Kathie’s authority on life and death comes not from theory, but from living it.
Kathie’s early life in post-war London was shaped by both beauty and tragedy. Born into a family of florists, her childhood was steeped in the rituals of grand East End funerals. At just twelve, her world was upended by the sudden, public death of her father — an experience that gave her an intimate understanding of grief.
Loss would touch her life again with her mother’s passing and, more recently, the unexpected death of her husband, Australian PGA champion Bob Shearer. Yet through it all, Kathie built a remarkable career as a sports media professional, public speaker, and for over twenty years, a celebrant dedicated to honouring lives and “speaking for those who don’t have a voice.”
This is a book for
the living
These experiences have coloured Kathie’s profound understanding and acceptance of dying, a topic which most of us avoid thinking or talking about. Having witnessed countless families unprepared, stricken by grief and not knowing how to manage the death of a loved one, Kathie knew it was time to write Last Orders: The Ultimate Guide to Dying Happy — a book to help you navigate through the complicated maze of dying while you are still alive and kicking.
“Think of it like taking the reins of your destiny while you are still in control.”
Last Orders is a culmination of Kathie’s journey — born from heartbreak, resilience and love — and delivered with candour, cheek and rare vulnerability. This is Kathie’s call to action, a nudge to start thinking about your exit strategy, “It’s your life (and death), after all, and what you do about this is entirely up to you.”
“(Kathie’s) advice was invaluable to me when my mother died… There could have been no better person to have in our corner. With this book, you too can have her in your corner. I couldn’t recommend a kinder, better or safer pair of hands.”
— Mike Clayton
(Published writer and professional golfer)
About the author
Kathie Shearer
Kathie Shearer has lived a life as colourful as the East End of London where she was born, and as expansive as the fairways she would later walk, alongside the greats of the golf world.
Raised amid the hustle of London’s flower markets, Kathie’s early life was marked by resilience, humour and a fierce independence forged through both hardship and family loyalty. Those formative years, including the very public death of her father, and subsequent breakdown of her mother, gave her the grit and tenacity that would later define her life and career in Australia and beyond.
Marrying Australian PGA golf champion Bob Shearer in 1975, Kathie became immersed in the world of professional golf. She went from supporting Bob’s international playing career to becoming a formidable media manager in her own right, running tournament media centres across Australia and abroad for more than three decades. She worked alongside – and at times stood toe-to-toe with – global superstars including Greg Norman and Tiger Woods, earning their respect with her candour, quick wit and unwavering professionalism.
In 2001, Australian Golf Digest recognised her contribution with a special services-to-golf award (and coined her ‘The woman who tamed Tiger’).
But Kathie’s life has never been defined by just one role. Beyond the ropes, she forged a career as a marriage and funeral celebrant, guiding people through their most joyful unions and their hardest goodbyes. Her belief in “speaking for those without a voice” made her ceremonies deeply personal and profoundly memorable.
Following the death of her beloved husband Bob in 2022, Kathie channelled her experience and wisdom into writing Last Orders: The Ultimate Guide to Dying Happy (2025), a practical and heartfelt guide to preparing for life’s final chapter. Drawing on her own extraordinary journey – from East End market stalls to golf’s inner sanctums, from family tragedy to public life – Kathie approaches even the heaviest subjects with trademark humour, honesty and compassion.
A much-loved mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, Kathie Shearer remains a larger-than-life presence: candid, generous, and forever committed to celebrating life in all its messiness, brilliance and fragility.
What reader are saying about Last Orders
“ Practical, compassionate and refreshingly honest. A must-read for anyone wanting to prepare for life’s final chapter with clarity and courage. Kathie turns a difficult topic into a guide full of warmth, wisdom, and even a touch of humour.
“Kathie Shearer has the rare ability to tackle death with grace, honesty, and even humour. Last Orders is a thoughtful, practical and deeply moving guide to navigating the hardest conversations of life.”
“Kathie has lived an incredible life, one most of us would only read about. The true gift is her candour in how she shares her story, her insight and her learnings — how generous she is to give the gift of preparation (for such a hard topic), to the rest of us.”
Last Orders — Planning your final farewell
What kind of send-off would you like? Buried, cremated, or tossed out to sea? How many Beatles classics should play at the party? Who’s footing the bill? And while we’re at it — where’s your will?
Last Orders is your guide to navigating the complicated maze of dying — while you’re still very much alive. Think of it as taking the reins of your destiny and planning your exit on your terms.
Born from Kathie Shearer’s extraordinary journey of heartbreak, resilience, and love, this book is delivered with her signature candour, cheek, and rare vulnerability. This is Kathie’s call to action, to start thinking about your final move.
Last Orders is a practical, heartfelt, and surprisingly uplifting companion for anyone wanting to live fully and leave thoughtfully.
Get in touch
For all media or stockist enquiries, or if you’d like to know more about Last Orders or Kathie Shearer please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.
Penny Holloway
Casual Friday Co
penny@casualfridayco.com.au
