Putting The "Fun" In Funeral

We all gotta go sometime.  But if you've recently shuffled off this mortal coil and still can't stand to say good bye, you may be a candidate for the latest fad in memorial tributes:  Attending your own funeral.

As an article in today's NY Times explained, some people are refusing to take their own death lying down.  Hot spots for the trend seem to be New Orleans and Puerto Rico.

Here is Miriam Burbank of New Orleans, dead at the age of 53, posed for her own funeral service sitting at a table with her cigarettes and wine, and a can of Busch beer.  Behind her is a big flat screen and a bottle of Jack Daniels.  The article said this was "how she had spent a good number of her living days" (which probably had a lot to do with why her days ended at age 53).

Puerto Rico gives us Chris Rivera, a former boxer refusing to go down for the count, and Georgina Chervony, whose beloved old rocking chair rocks no more.  But they both showed up for their own services, and the photo-ops are both obvious and kinda creepy.

Back to NOLA for Mary Easterling, who went to her own funeral channeling Dame Edna -- feather boa, champagne, and cigarette in hand.  You look mah-velous, dahling!

Even rural Ohioans are getting into the act.  Here is Bill Standley of Mechanicsburg, at the conclusion of his service, about to be permanently planted sitting on his motorcycle, inside a huge plexiglass "coffin".








On one hand, I love the humor, honesty and irreverence of the Miriam-style memorial -- "Yeah, it's still me, honey, just doin' the usual".  On the other hand, if everybody insists on being buried in a small condo like Mr. Standley, the entire planet will turn into a giant cemetery in no time, and there will be no room for anything else.

Go out with a party, but don't attend.  And skip the cemetery.  Ashes to ashes.