Funeral Blues

[TheFifthElement]

I'm in a strange mood today, kind of sad and reflective. I hate to be this way alone so I thought I'd drag the rest of Lit-net down with me. Let's talk funerals.

If you were to die tomorrow, how would you want your funeral to be conducted? Would you want a religious service, or non-religious? Would there be any particular music you would like to be played, a reading (poetry/prose?), is there anyone in particular you would want to be there?
Is your funeral arrangement dictated by convention or tradition?

[kilted exile]

I've already kinda planned my funeral(have had for years). There will be a small amount of religion in it to suit the religious members of my family, seeing as I'll be gone it wont bother me too much.

- I plan on being cremated and my ashes thrown into Crail harbour

- The only bible reading will be 1 Corinthians 10v13: "Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out."

- Only hymn: God of Piston, God of Steam

- Reading of the poem The Labyrinth

- I pass into the oven whilst the passage from Frankenstein where the monster talks of leaving the world is read.

End

[Granny5]

I attended the funeral of an associate from the work I used to do and it was the most wonderful funeral experience, if one can have a wonderful funeral experience. It was a gathering under mimosa trees on a beautiful day. There were picture boards set up randomly with pictures of him and his friends and family. There was music; The Eagles, Bob Seger, The Beatles, a lot of classic rock, some folk, just all his favorites. There was a picnic on the grounds. It was a celebration of his life.
That’s what I would like. I would like all my favorite music and all my friends and family and if there isn’t enough people, Poppy can hire some professional mourners. I would like a big old bbq in the back yard with all the trimmings. I would like a wash tub full of beer for everyone. I think it’d be fun and make everyone feel great and maybe not too sad. And I really like a good party.

As for a religious ceremony, we are Episcopalians so whatever Poppy wants to do is ok with me.

In the end, it'll be whatever Poppy and/or my kids want. I don’t think it’ll matter much to me because I’ll be dead.

[amalia1985]

I am a supporter of crimation, for several reasons. I would want everything to be simple and calm. The only thing I would wish for is Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" to be performed. That's all.

[Granny5]

Poppy and I both want to be cremated. I think that will depend on if one of us survives the other. If it's up to our children, they won't want to have us cremated. If one of us survive the other, we will do it then they will follow up when the other goes I think. They know we want to be together. They can mix the remains together and bury us on our property.

[BlueSkyGB]

My father's request was to be cremated and taking his ashes, using them to reload in some shotgun shells, going to the woods with his buddies and dogs....
and when we heard the first grouse flush from the brush...fire his ashes...

I myself have made no plans...I told the kids to just load me up in a trash bag..
garbage days are Thursdays....:D

[motherhubbard]

I don’t think it’ll matter much to me because I’ll be dead.

I'm with you there!

I just want it to be cheap. I don't want anyone to spend money on me when I'm dead- that seems a little crazy to me.


Poppy and I both want to be cremated. I think that will depend on if one of us survives the other. If it's up to our children, they won't want to have us cremated. If one of us survive the other, we will do it then they will follow up when the other goes I think. They know we want to be together. They can mix the remains together and bury us on our property.

I don't mind to have you cremated. It really doesn't bother me and I know that's what you want.

[Koa]

Don't really care. There's nothing beyond life other than the memory people keep of you, so I don't care what happens, they can throw me somewhere if they want, or better cremate me, it takes up less space. If that helps memory, as some poets believe, I don't mind having a grave.

Or maybe do some dramatic thing like cremation and then throw the ashes to the sea or some romantic stuff like that :D

But I'd rare spare anyone of the boredom of a proper funeral.

[stephofthenight]

well, it would probably be a strange funeral, with the "vampiresih" coffin insted of the traditional..probably " i can only imagine " and then some random music, i dont realy want it in a church, i more or less want a party...i dont want tears to be shed over me, althou i doubt anyone would, but i just want a party, and i want to be burried in w.e. i was wearing...if possible, other then that i just dont want to be dressed diffrent then who i am.

[NikolaiI]

Anyone who wanted to attend my funeral would have douse themselves in my cremated ashes before going into a sweat lodge, before which they've fasted for 4 days. (can do protein shakes and juice, but only juice and water last 24 hours) :) This would require effort, you see, but cost nothing.

After that they have to laugh, visit different cities and run through them like the Beatles in their movies.

[B-Mental]

My grandfather always wanted to have a dixieland band play at his funeral. Of course my grandmother wouldn't stand for it. It would probably be the way I would want to go out though, or you can lay me to rest, ala Stevie Ray Vaughns "Willie The Wimp"...


Willie the Wimp was buried today,
They laid him to rest in a special way.
Sent him off in the finest style
That casket-mobile really drove 'em wild
Southside Chicago will think of him often
Talkin' 'bout Willie the Wimp and his Cadillac coffin,
Willie the Wimp and his Cadillac coffin

[Lily Adams]

I'd like to be cremated.

[Sweets America]

I have always wondered what to choose between cremation and burial. I like them both. I love the idea of having a nice coffin with a nice grave, and some flowers on it maybe. I think cemetaries are very peaceful. On the other hand, I love the idea of having my ashes being spread in a place that I love.
So, I came to the conclusion that I want one half of my body buried, and the other half cremated. :D

Contrary to what some people say here, I would like to be the only one who chooses what to do for my burial. I would not want anyone else to do as they like. This is MY own day, my own death. It's important to me that people respect my choices in this case. I like what Granny described:


I attended the funeral of an associate from the work I used to do and it was the most wonderful funeral experience, if one can have a wonderful funeral experience. It was a gathering under mimosa trees on a beautiful day. There were picture boards set up randomly with pictures of him and his friends and family. There was music; The Eagles, Bob Seger, The Beatles, a lot of classic rock, some folk, just all his favorites. There was a picnic on the grounds. It was a celebration of his life.

This seems very sweet to me. I would like some of my favorite music too, some Jeff Buckley, some songs by The Cranes... Would be nice.
I would not want a religious ceremony, even if the one they did for my grandmother was sweet. But for me, no, I would prefer something without religious references. I have wondered about that, when I was at my grandmother's burial. My grandmother was religious, and they said prayers at the burial. I am not religious, but I wondered what to do: in a way, I wanted to respect my grandmother's choice and say the prayer along with the other people. But on the other hand I thought it was not fair to my grandmother and to God if I said the prayers without being religious. :confused:

You know, there are things that I don't really like about burials. Like when people make discourses saying that the person who is dead was a marvellous person and that he/she had only made good actions in his/her life. That is unfair and hypocritical. When I'm dead, I don't want people to do as if I was the greatest person on earth, just because I'm dead.
Also, I don't think it's really fair when people go to a person's burial although they never liked the person. The fact that the person is dead should not make them feel compelled to come to the burial. Or, if they come, it should only be to support other people who liked the person.

[B-Mental]

They have this new process where they freeze dry you and then chip you into plant mulch....a human recycling type operation.... but be careful, because....

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!

[Idril]

I definitely want to be cremated and all my organs harvested along with all the tissue they can use. The idea of my body laying in the ground, rotting is really disturbing as is the idea that someone will be handling my body, dressing me and putting make up on me, positioning my body in the coffin and then, horror of horrors...viewing me just gives me the creeps. I would love to be cremated without having to be embalmed but someone told me around here, you have to be embalmed no matter what but I'm going to look into that because the less fiddling with my body after death, the better. Everyone in my family knows of my wishes. If I go before my mother, my ashes will probably have to buried because it seems important to her to have a physical place to visit but if I go after her, then I want my ashes taken up on a hill by my parents' cabin and be let go on a windy day to cover the prairie I wandered during my childhood and later, with my children. As for ceremony, I haven't really thought about it, it will be religious of course, probably straight out of the Lutheran Book of Worship. I don't want any eulogies, no one sitting there talking about what a wonderful person I was, I just want people to gather and do what they need to do to comfort themselves and enjoy each other's company.

[Lily Adams]

They have this new process where they freeze dry you and then chip you into plant mulch....a human recycling type operation.... but be careful, because....

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:


There needs to be a ROTFLOL smiley for this occasion.

What Idril said:

Harvesting organs is a good idea, too. Totally forgot about that. I have this little pink sticker on my I.D. for that. I'm certainly not going to use my body when I'm dead, so I think someone else should.

[Propter W.]

I'm an organ donor, but if 'they' don't use my organs my body will be donated to science (looks, it's moving, it's alive, it's alive... IT'S ALIVE!). If they do use my organs, I'd like 'The Laughing Police Man' by Penrose to be played at my non-religious funeral. It's all going in the will. My family is already informed of my plans, though.