when i am no longer here i will have no wake,no funeral{i am sick of them,and don't want to subject friends and family to attend another}and no obit.
this is the pre paid ad that will be in my local paper upon my death.
DENNIS ARSENAULT..10/03/4.....??????
Dennis has left this planet.
He has sang his last song and danced his last dance.
he had a dammed good time journing threw this wonderful place called earth and this wonderful thing we call life.
see you soon, i'll keep the light on for you!
My, what a long strange trip it's been......from woodstock to social secrurity.
PEACE
well that's it what do you think? am i nuts!!!!????"
this is for real
You wouldn't be the first person to write his own obit. Might you not want to include some specific highlights of your journey? Accomplishments or other events that have been meaningful to you or things you'd want people to remember about you?
One of the reasons people who do their own obits do so is to specify what they'd like their legacy in this life to be/to have been.
I would also hope that you're not planning for this to be published anytime specific time too soon...
I don't want to think of you "not being around anymore"! But, I have thought of at least something along these lines. I have always thought that my grave stone should read:
"Hang in their kids! Christ is comin' back and we'll meet again some day! I loved you as best I could!"
I made a decision because of the example my dad left.
When he died, he dedicated his body to science. It cost nothing for the family. We then rented a funeral home for a mermorial service. Total cost was probably $500.00
When you dedicate your body to science, the Doctors,medical examiners, and dentists and a whole list of the medical profession in training have a chance to practice. When they have exhausted the use of the body, it is cremated and the ashes are sent back in an urn to the survivors in about six weeks or less.
It's the final act of giving back to the world something needed. It's affordable and honorable. My dad had said before he died, "What do I need with it?" He always had a clever way of putting things. In this case, it was simply straight, sober logic.
I may have started a family tradition. I was in charge of conducting the memorial service. I wanted that so I could avoid hearing "he was in a better place" or "God needed another angel in heaven" or all the other things people say in grief to deny the Biblical perspective.
When it was all done, people were really impressed. I ran the service and all three of my sisters got up and said some great things about him. Some of it was actually funny. Levity in the time of grief can be appropriate if seasoned with heart.
It was one of the prouder moments in my life to be allowed to conduct the service.
I like that my friend I believe everybody should write their own obit to make things easier on the ones they leave here on earth
I hope your with us a long time still
I have been thinking about written my orbit and planing the music I want played
I think I want to made a special CD with just that music on it
1. Give me that old time religion
2. Blue Tonight
3. Frantics-Worship excerpt
4. Lily of the valley
5. Jesus s.* name I know
plus I do not want a normal service
I wants flasing lights of many colors
A book of the dead service to point me up and away - going to have to write it myself and find a open minded person to give the words to my family and friends
but I still got time it is a long way from 2027 AD
I think it's a great obit. It's simple and it gives a sense of your personality. So I respectfully disagree with those suggesting you add more about what you did in this life. I like it just the way it is!
Memorial services are a place for people to say good by to one they love and will miss very much.
A plot in a cemetery is a place people can go to pay respects (a debt of love that can never be repaid). Similar to the study aid of having a place for studying that we dont use for other stuff to help our mind know, "This is what we do here."
I had a dear friend and it took so much for him to see how important it was to let others celebrate his birthday and give him birthday and Christmas presents because it gave us a chance to say, "thanks for the memories, we love you, and we are so glad you were born." :)
Each person decides, and of course those who love you respect your wishes.
YID,
Thanks.
My mom did that also, and my sister (a doctor) said that one example was that many lives were saved in the burn unit by her skin.
And they paid the cremation expense and returned to us her ashes so we could have our services.
Truly a last selfless act by a kindhearted person.
(I wondered, though, when they worked on her heart, if they saw God in there Who was so precious to her.)
Bowtwi: Plus the added thanks-for-life from the people whose lives were saved/improved by the use of the physical stuff mitigates the pain and grief of the aching heart. It's beyond words.
I would gladly donate my earthly remains to science, except that here in OH-IO there is a hefty fee.
The survivors have to pay the OH-IO State U Med Ctr for transportation, cremation, and urn, perhaps also storage fees post-cremation or shipping or something.. I think it about comes out to $600-1000. Cleveland Clinic is free.
You'd think it would all be covered by the price of football tickets, wouldn't you?
Maybe I should donate my earthly remains to UM's medical center.
WG
My aunt wrote her own obituary but I didn't find it until after the service. I did know she wanted a graveside service and her funeral expenses were all prepaid. There was no minister handy, so Mr. Garden did the service.
It's actually not state law that I know of, but The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Cleveland Clinic, the other biggie in the state doesn't charge a dime.
The Ohio State University is one of the largest state-funded universities in the country. It is very expensive. It is well know for its football team. When I was employed there, I was invited to purchase a set of two season tickets for all home games several times. The last I recall, the cost was $646, and that was discounted a bit because I was an employee. And these were not quite in the nosebleed section, but anyone who had a fear of heights might not have been happy.
I've given my kids strict instructions to have me cremated, have a funeral or not, depending on how they fell about it, and scatter my ashes wherever they want (dump them out the car window and the way home for all I care).
I had a great idea once that I'd have an elaborate funeral with all sorts of utterly absurd ceremonies for everyone to participate in (unbeknownst to them that the "ancient" ceremonies would have been made up by me maybe a month or so prior to my departing). You know, things lke spinning the coffin around three times before the start of the funeral, everyone that views the remains were to put a piece of raw bacon in my breast pocket, and then all the participants were to thumb their noses at each other vigorously.
I finally decided it would only .... everybody off one last time (would that be so bad?)
I'd still like to have a good jazz singer belt out a rendition of "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries" for my final exit...
faaaaa i just lost my postwaysider that is awesome thank you how lovely i was just over on youtube and wanted to say this could be playing in the background of my cheap service------------
Recommended Posts
Rocky
You wouldn't be the first person to write his own obit. Might you not want to include some specific highlights of your journey? Accomplishments or other events that have been meaningful to you or things you'd want people to remember about you?
One of the reasons people who do their own obits do so is to specify what they'd like their legacy in this life to be/to have been.
I would also hope that you're not planning for this to be published anytime specific time too soon...
Link to comment
Share on other sites
J0nny Ling0
Cool Chef!
I don't want to think of you "not being around anymore"! But, I have thought of at least something along these lines. I have always thought that my grave stone should read:
"Hang in their kids! Christ is comin' back and we'll meet again some day! I loved you as best I could!"
Dad
Edited by Jonny LingoLink to comment
Share on other sites
YID
I made a decision because of the example my dad left.
When he died, he dedicated his body to science. It cost nothing for the family. We then rented a funeral home for a mermorial service. Total cost was probably $500.00
When you dedicate your body to science, the Doctors,medical examiners, and dentists and a whole list of the medical profession in training have a chance to practice. When they have exhausted the use of the body, it is cremated and the ashes are sent back in an urn to the survivors in about six weeks or less.
It's the final act of giving back to the world something needed. It's affordable and honorable. My dad had said before he died, "What do I need with it?" He always had a clever way of putting things. In this case, it was simply straight, sober logic.
I may have started a family tradition. I was in charge of conducting the memorial service. I wanted that so I could avoid hearing "he was in a better place" or "God needed another angel in heaven" or all the other things people say in grief to deny the Biblical perspective.
When it was all done, people were really impressed. I ran the service and all three of my sisters got up and said some great things about him. Some of it was actually funny. Levity in the time of grief can be appropriate if seasoned with heart.
It was one of the prouder moments in my life to be allowed to conduct the service.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
year2027
God first
Beloved DENNIS
God loves you my dear friend
I like that my friend I believe everybody should write their own obit to make things easier on the ones they leave here on earth
I hope your with us a long time still
I have been thinking about written my orbit and planing the music I want played
I think I want to made a special CD with just that music on it
1. Give me that old time religion
2. Blue Tonight
3. Frantics-Worship excerpt
4. Lily of the valley
5. Jesus s.* name I know
plus I do not want a normal service
I wants flasing lights of many colors
A book of the dead service to point me up and away - going to have to write it myself and find a open minded person to give the words to my family and friends
but I still got time it is a long way from 2027 AD
thank you
with love and a holy kiss blowing your way Roy
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TheHighWay
Coolchef,
I think it's a great obit. It's simple and it gives a sense of your personality. So I respectfully disagree with those suggesting you add more about what you did in this life. I like it just the way it is!
THW
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kit Sober
Coolchef,
My few scents:
Memorial services are a place for people to say good by to one they love and will miss very much.
A plot in a cemetery is a place people can go to pay respects (a debt of love that can never be repaid). Similar to the study aid of having a place for studying that we dont use for other stuff to help our mind know, "This is what we do here."
I had a dear friend and it took so much for him to see how important it was to let others celebrate his birthday and give him birthday and Christmas presents because it gave us a chance to say, "thanks for the memories, we love you, and we are so glad you were born." :)
Each person decides, and of course those who love you respect your wishes.
YID,
Thanks.
My mom did that also, and my sister (a doctor) said that one example was that many lives were saved in the burn unit by her skin.
And they paid the cremation expense and returned to us her ashes so we could have our services.
Truly a last selfless act by a kindhearted person.
(I wondered, though, when they worked on her heart, if they saw God in there Who was so precious to her.)
In hope for a new body,
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bowtwi
Cool - what a great idea! Nicely done, too!
YID & Kit - I'm glad to see that donating one's body to science can be done without added expense to the families. That's awesome!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kit Sober
Bowtwi: Plus the added thanks-for-life from the people whose lives were saved/improved by the use of the physical stuff mitigates the pain and grief of the aching heart. It's beyond words.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Watered Garden
I would gladly donate my earthly remains to science, except that here in OH-IO there is a hefty fee.
The survivors have to pay the OH-IO State U Med Ctr for transportation, cremation, and urn, perhaps also storage fees post-cremation or shipping or something.. I think it about comes out to $600-1000. Cleveland Clinic is free.
You'd think it would all be covered by the price of football tickets, wouldn't you?
Maybe I should donate my earthly remains to UM's medical center.
WG
My aunt wrote her own obituary but I didn't find it until after the service. I did know she wanted a graveside service and her funeral expenses were all prepaid. There was no minister handy, so Mr. Garden did the service.
WG
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bowtwi
FL is like OH that way, WG. I'm glad to learn that not all states make the family pay like that.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Watered Garden
It's actually not state law that I know of, but The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Cleveland Clinic, the other biggie in the state doesn't charge a dime.
The Ohio State University is one of the largest state-funded universities in the country. It is very expensive. It is well know for its football team. When I was employed there, I was invited to purchase a set of two season tickets for all home games several times. The last I recall, the cost was $646, and that was discounted a bit because I was an employee. And these were not quite in the nosebleed section, but anyone who had a fear of heights might not have been happy.
WG
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ham
I dunno.. I don't want a way funeral. Please no..
Link to comment
Share on other sites
George Aar
I've given my kids strict instructions to have me cremated, have a funeral or not, depending on how they fell about it, and scatter my ashes wherever they want (dump them out the car window and the way home for all I care).
I had a great idea once that I'd have an elaborate funeral with all sorts of utterly absurd ceremonies for everyone to participate in (unbeknownst to them that the "ancient" ceremonies would have been made up by me maybe a month or so prior to my departing). You know, things lke spinning the coffin around three times before the start of the funeral, everyone that views the remains were to put a piece of raw bacon in my breast pocket, and then all the participants were to thumb their noses at each other vigorously.
I finally decided it would only .... everybody off one last time (would that be so bad?)
I'd still like to have a good jazz singer belt out a rendition of "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries" for my final exit...
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Seth R.
Haha that's great, if I was going to write my own Obit I'd take out a full page prepaid ad that would read like this:
The following people can kiss my fat dead butt...
Well you get the idea.
Cheers,
Seth
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha SETH !!!!!
cool chef, you are cool in my book, always....
i will have to give some thought to my obit
but definitely on my funeral stuff, go easy, go cheap :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
okay okay working on it.....
"she did the best she could or was deluded into thinking so"
is that too much like "i wish i were the man i knew to be"
??????????????????????????????
Link to comment
Share on other sites
waysider
I have always thought that this song that follows would be appropriate in some way.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep7uySNpUyw
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
faaaaa i just lost my postwaysider that is awesome thank you how lovely i was just over on youtube and wanted to say this could be playing in the background of my cheap service------------
Edited by excathedraLink to comment
Share on other sites
waysider
That is super cool excie!!
Believe it or not, I have never before heard that tune.
Thanks
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
my mom's song (she is still alive)--------
Link to comment
Share on other sites
excathedra
dear waysider thank you
simon & garfunkel know how to touch the deepest of our souls don't they
--
the above clip from "goodbye mr. chips" doesn't do the song justice. i'm trying to find the whole song
love you
well it does do it justice but i want you to hear the whole song
it's sad that it says "the end" no ?
it's not that i feel like dying
but it's more about oh i don't know
thank you cool chef and everyone else here
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.