A friend of mine, who has lived in various other cities before moving here, commented to me once on the 'weird' custom our city newspaper has of including photos with most of the obituaries. It's something I had grown up with, so it didn't seem so bizarre to me. I will admit, though, that there may be a marketing ploy to the madness. You can't help but glance through the photos when flipping through the paper, looking at the younger people's photos and feeling a sense of pity for lives taken far too young. I'm also always amazed at the couples who have been married 50 or more years and end up passing away days apart. You notice right away because the paper will include a double photo of their wedding or golden anniversary shot.
But it's the other obits that keep you coming back. The ones with the ridiculous photos. Hats featuring their favorite teams. Cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. Photos that resemble Little Red Riding Hood. A senior class picture from 1957. Or my personal favorite, a shot of a baby in his Christening gown, even though he died at age 88! Who picks these??
How about those nicknames the family decides to disclose? .......Billy "The Kid" Wilson, Barbara "Toots" McClain, or Jimmy "Snazzypants" Jones? Recently, these two caught my eye:
A A family friend passed away recently and she was absolutely beautiful, but the photo in the paper was horrific. I told Husband I would come back to haunt him if he chose a bad photo of me for my obit. Of course, I could pick one out myself, but that would assume I know when my final day will be. Otherwise, there will be a shot of me from 2011 when my obit is published 40 years from now. Maybe I should just settle on my Big Hair Days of 1981 and hope it amuses someone someday? And please, no crying!
But it's the other obits that keep you coming back. The ones with the ridiculous photos. Hats featuring their favorite teams. Cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. Photos that resemble Little Red Riding Hood. A senior class picture from 1957. Or my personal favorite, a shot of a baby in his Christening gown, even though he died at age 88! Who picks these??
How about those nicknames the family decides to disclose? .......Billy "The Kid" Wilson, Barbara "Toots" McClain, or Jimmy "Snazzypants" Jones? Recently, these two caught my eye:
A A family friend passed away recently and she was absolutely beautiful, but the photo in the paper was horrific. I told Husband I would come back to haunt him if he chose a bad photo of me for my obit. Of course, I could pick one out myself, but that would assume I know when my final day will be. Otherwise, there will be a shot of me from 2011 when my obit is published 40 years from now. Maybe I should just settle on my Big Hair Days of 1981 and hope it amuses someone someday? And please, no crying!
My paper publishes a picture in the obits too. Not everyone gets a picture, I guess it costs extra and/or whomever wrote the obit didn't send one.
ReplyDeleteIt's normal here too. As it was in my home town.
ReplyDeleteJust let me die in peace. Or pieces ....
ReplyDeleteThough I know it won't be honored I've requested that my name not make the paper as that of a corpse. Anyone who I care to know will already know so what's the point? Why give the scammers notice of another potential victim?
And don't bury me, roast me and toss my ashes out the window on the way to the memorial barbeque. Or roast, widow's choice!
They do pictures here too and many are just strange choices.
Is it OK that I don't take death seriously?? ;)
This will sound morbid...I don't know, but maybe it will come across as practical, but for the last several years, my mom has had her portrait taken professionally so, as she says, when her time comes, my sister and I will have a current photo for her obit!
ReplyDelete"Or my personal favorite, a shot of a baby in his Christening gown, even though he died at age 88! Who picks these??"
ReplyDeleteBwhahahahahaha! OMG that was HILARIOUS!!!
And I LOVE this name....
"Barbara "Toots" McClain"
I wonder if she had issues with gas - HA!
After reading this post, I can't remember if I ever saw obits with photos or not. Now that you mentioned it I have to check our city paper.
I think I would like my obit to include a photo of me that I took during a Halloween party back in the mid-90's. I went in drag, as Norma Desmond from the movie Sunset Boulevard!
Wouldn't that be a HOOT?
Russ - I'm sure it does cost extra, so it's surprising that people would submit such bizarre photos of their loved ones.
ReplyDeleteLaggin - 'Normal' is subjective, I suppose.
X - Unfortunately, we've had crimes in our own neighborhood related to this. So sad.
FADKOG - OMG......I have never heard of anyone doing that!
Ron - HAHA......believe it or not, the christening gown thing appears every couple of months or so! And is that Norma Desmond photo on your blog somewhere???
Our paper will publish a photo, if the family provides one, but I'm sure it costs extra.
ReplyDeleteI haven't noticed too many 'odd' photos; a few times, with folks I've known, the photo was from a few years previously - 'mature years', but still looking lively and vigorous, which I can understand - it's how they're remembered. Every so often, you'll see a HS-grauation-type photo of someone who was in their 70s/80s when they died; not sure if it's vanity, or what, 'cuz their kids certainly never knew them that way. . .
My own wishes for my own obit would just be to emphasize the sundry connections of my life. I don't need to impress anybody with how great a person I was (the evidence on that account might not be quite as abundant as I'd wish, anyway), or how good-looking (ditto). If they can say, 'he was a faithful husband and father and friend', I'll be happy (but only, you know, if it's really true, and they can say it honestly. . .)
these newspaper will publish anything if they think it can help them getting more publicity....
ReplyDeletemaybe i should shoot one of myself now. i think i'll pull my mouth wide sideways and stick my tongue out.
ReplyDeleteNope, no photo's in our obits over here (to date), but I think it's a kinda' cute custom and I wouldn't mind it catching on (grin). Love the bizzare ones you included - OMG, these poor folk must be rotating in their graves - haaaaaaa! D'ya think maybe whoever submitted these obits had a long-running grudge against their dearly departed??
ReplyDeleteI like the photos, too. And I love "the greatest guy in the world" in that second obit.
ReplyDeleteHere's one of my all-time favorite obituary photos from the earliest days of my blog (back, apparently, when I had no commenters!):
http://undergroundagent.blogspot.com/2006/07/from-recent-local-obituary.html
Craig - Yes, you're right; I guess people want photos of how they think others remembered them, esp. if they haven't been very socialable in the last few decades -- LOL!
ReplyDeleteMI - Actually, the newspaper can only publish what the family submits.
Lime - I don't think that would shock anyone that knows you, but I'm sure readers would do a spit take!
Shrinky - Aren't they funny? That pizza hat is just bizarre - straight out of the 1950's?
Agent - I like the second one too. Great nickname!