The 9th Great Obituary Writer's Conference in Alfred, New York has concluded. Hope you have all recovered from the rigorous workload. Friday's conference presenters included: Dave Snyder (Editor & Publisher of the Alfred Sun and conference host), Jim Sheeler (Pulitzer-prize winning reporter for the Rocky Mountain News), Lesli Klainberg (Orchard Films documentarian), Robert Chaundy (of the BBC Television Center, London), Cailin Brown Leary (faculty member - The College of St. Rose), Mars van Grunsven (European Media) & Marilyn Johnson (author: The Dead Beat). Saturday's conference presenters included: Gayle Ronan Sims (Philadelphia Inquirer), Andrew Losowsky (freelance journalist), Krishna Andavolu (managing editor of Obit Magazine), Joan Harvey (The Oregonian), Colin Haskin (The Globe and Mail), Larkin Bradley (ObituaryWriters.com), Stephen Miller (obituary writer for the New York Sun & Wall Street Journal), Galen Brooks & Andrew McKie (obituaries editor of The Daily Telegraph - London) Other conference activities included a reception and dinner on Thursday evening at the Old West Food Company in downtown Alfred. Friday night's open bar cocktail party was hosted by Marilyn Johnson at the Café Za, also in beautiful downtown Alfred. On Saturday, Carolyn Gilbert was interviewed by NPR for a feature that ran Sunday morning, 6-17-07, on the "All Things Considered" news program and the remaining attendees still in town drove up to Almond, NY for a going-away dinner at the Muhleisen's Roadhouse. Libations flowed freely but the evening ended much too soon — the Sunday drive would be starting early for most. The last seven of us checked-out of the Saxon Inn just before the 11:00 am deadline, hoping to all meet again in 2008 for the 10th Great Obituary Writer's International Conference. Our Photo Gallery A view of Alfred University from the carillon tower Statue of Alfred, King of the Saxons, at Alfred University A unique field stone building found on the Alfred University campus Carolyn Gilbert, founder of the International Association of Obituarists Andrew Losowsky Krishna Andavolu of Obit Magazine Colin Haskin, Cathy Dunphy & Moira Dann of the Globe and Mail Stephen Miller of the New York Sun & Wall Street Journal Andrew McKie of the London Daily Telegraph Andrew McKie makes a point Galen Brooks of Andover, New York The Davis Memorial Carillon at Alfred University The cover of Jim Sheeler's latest book - obit The cover of Marilyn Johnson's The Dead Beat - now available in paperback The latest Social Security Death Index CD from the National Technical Information Service, autographed by Marilyn Johnson The group listens to Carolyn Gilbert induct Philip Jones into the Hall of Fame Conference attendees listing to Andrew McKie's presentation