This thesis explores the multifaceted experiences of an unexpected death in an Evangelical family. By crystallizing three methodological approaches to research, the thesis uncovers the experiences of the grief process from quantitative, qualitative, and rhetorical frames. A content analysis of personal messages written in sympathy cards, a qualitative study of a grieving Evangelical family and Burke's Pentad are placed in dialogue with each other as this thesis culls out the multiple truths that are present in the complex beauties of grief. Finally, the thesis puts a unique perspective on the mixing of methods in the author's first person autoethnographical account drawing out the co-constructed nature of both individualized and familial grief.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis explores the multifaceted experiences of an unexpected death in an Evangelical family. By crystallizing three methodological approaches to research, the thesis uncovers the experiences of the grief process from quantitative, qualitative, and rhetorical frames. A content analysis of personal messages written in sympathy cards, a qualitative study of a grieving Evangelical family and Burke's Pentad are placed in dialogue with each other as this thesis culls out the multiple truths that are present in the complex beauties of grief. Finally, the thesis puts a unique perspective on the mixing of methods in the author's first person autoethnographical account drawing out the co-constructed nature of both individualized and familial grief.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Van Bebber Jr., David"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts in Communication","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Communication","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Heather Carmack"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:06Z","subjects":["autoethnography","crystallization","mixed methods","grief","bereavement family communication","tragic loss","Communication"],"languages":[],"rights":["© David Van Bebber Jr."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1056","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Heather Carmack"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Van Bebber Jr., David"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts in Communication"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["autoethnography","crystallization","mixed methods","grief","bereavement family communication","tragic loss","Communication"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["© David Van Bebber Jr."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1056"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis explores the multifaceted experiences of an unexpected death in an Evangelical family. By crystallizing three methodological approaches to research, the thesis uncovers the experiences of the grief process from quantitative, qualitative, and rhetorical frames. A content analysis of personal messages written in sympathy cards, a qualitative study of a grieving Evangelical family and Burke's Pentad are placed in dialogue with each other as this thesis culls out the multiple truths that are present in the complex beauties of grief. Finally, the thesis puts a unique perspective on the mixing of methods in the author's first person autoethnographical account drawing out the co-constructed nature of both individualized and familial grief.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["On the Death of My Sister: A Crystallized Account of Family Grief and Bereavement"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Heather Carmack"],"dc:creator":["Van Bebber Jr., David"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis explores the multifaceted experiences of an unexpected death in an Evangelical family. By crystallizing three methodological approaches to research, the thesis uncovers the experiences of the grief process from quantitative, qualitative, and rhetorical frames. A content analysis of personal messages written in sympathy cards, a qualitative study of a grieving Evangelical family and Burke's Pentad are placed in dialogue with each other as this thesis culls out the multiple truths that are present in the complex beauties of grief. Finally, the thesis puts a unique perspective on the mixing of methods in the author's first person autoethnographical account drawing out the co-constructed nature of both individualized and familial grief.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1056"],"dc:rights":["© David Van Bebber Jr."],"dc:subject":["autoethnography","crystallization","mixed methods","grief","bereavement family communication","tragic loss","Communication"],"dc:title":["On the Death of My Sister: A Crystallized Account of Family Grief and Bereavement"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts in Communication"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:16:06Z"}