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The way we send each other off to the afterlife can vary depending on the culture. But generally, there are expectations for how guests should conduct themselves. It's a very emotionally charged occasion, and behavior matters.

However, not everyone gets it. Recently, we came across a couple of Reddit threads where people shared all the inappropriate things they've witnessed at funerals. From taking pictures with silly filters to playing obnoxious music, here are some of the most memorable stories. One person's solemn tribute is another person's "me time," it seems.

#1

Woman with long hair in a purple sweater laughing and covering her mouth, capturing unexpected moments at funerals. Only somewhat inappropriate, but certainly the funniest thing...

It was a funeral for an uncle I was very distantly related to, and (this is happening in Greece, in the summer), the church is very full and incredibly hot, you can smell the sweat, there's incense, the air isn't circulating, and the priest is just going on and on - I don't think I can describe how grim the situation was. Not totally unexpectedly therefore, just as the priest is getting to something particularly emotional, a man, an old colleague standing near the back, faints - he's completely out. Now, this guy was very tall and rather broad, so not only was it a miracle that he didn't take out the two tiny old ladies right in front of him, he was also really difficult to carry outside to get some air!

Somebody has the brilliant idea that the pallbearers (those people who carry the casket) should carry him, since they've practiced it and are reasonably strong. So everybody squeezes a bit tighter (nobody wants to leave the church, things just got interesting) to let them through. They pick him up, three on one side and three on the other, i.e. more or less as they would the casket, and start carrying him towards the door. Suddenly, this guy wakes up, turns his head several times, grasps what's going on and who's carrying him faster than anybody can respond, and immediately starts yelling "I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVE! I'M ALIVEEEEEE!" At which point, one of the pallbearers laughs so hard that he drops what was thankfully a leg, and the others struggle to put him down in what is now a church absolutely exploding with laughter. The whole situation went on for a good fifteen minutes in which this guy walked outside and the priest tried to resume the service, but there absolutely continued to be giggles throughout - I, being a teenager at the time, also couldn't possibly hold it back every time I thought of this guy yelling he's alive!

Nobody was even particularly upset because the uncle we were burying was always laughing and joking around, so it somehow felt appropriate that we had a great laugh at his funeral.

ioannas , Leighann Blackwood Report

Mrs Irish Mom
Community Member
1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The uncle probably had a hand in it from beyond the grave, just for the craic

Upstaged75
Community Member
1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Bring out your dead." "I'm not dead yet!" 😁

Janissary35680
Community Member
Premium
16 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

🎵🎶Oh he's not dead yet so let's knock him on the head!🎶🎵 (Note: Not the actual line, but it should have been.😄)

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Kerry Borthwick
Community Member
8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We laughed at my granddads funeral coz he was a a*****e acholic and the person who did the service said he liked to drink a little

b s
Community Member
10 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've been a pallbearer multiple times.ive never been to a practice. You just do it. Creative writing is abound.

Papa
Community Member
10 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have also been a pallbearer a number of times without practicing, but never in Greece. Maybe they do practice there?

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    #2

    Balloons with a happy birthday message floating outdoors, contrasting with the unexpected scenes at funerals. My grandmother's funeral was on her birthday. I purchased "happy birthday" balloons because it was what she would have wanted. I was immediately reprimanded by my mother when I arrived as she forgot it was her birthday. But everyone that knew the family knew that she would have loved it, even my grandfather laughed when I walked in with them.

    Thecrdbrdsamurai Report

    #3

    Person adjusting car controls inside vehicle, illustrating unexpected moments during funerals and related events. An estranged uncle driving past my grandmother's funeral playing Another One Bites the Dust.

    ally_tgm , Getty Images Report

    glowworm2
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Inappropriate? Definitely. Funny AF? Definitely!

    kissmychakram
    Community Member
    22 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My wife's cousin chose "Bat out of Hell" as the exit music for his funeral.

    Otto Katz
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Funny, we played that at every one of we sisters' weddings. Six girls, 15 weddings. (One of us pre-loaded by having 5 all by herself).

    Andrew Keir
    Community Member
    11 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How do you have a wedding 'all by yourself'? I mean, I know some people are up themselves, but ... ?

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    Ffion Jones
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When my Nan died earlier this year, I immediately thought of ‘Ding-dong the witch is dead ☠️

    Delicate Fcuking Flower
    Community Member
    14 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mom and I have an ongoing joke that I'll play Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead at hers lol

    Kerry Borthwick
    Community Member
    8 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My nan aka my dad's mum was hated by my family coz she was upper class and hated my mum,me and my kids as we was lower class so when she died we wasn't sad even dad wasn't as he hated how she treated us

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    #4

    Last will and testament documents on a white surface related to funerals not going as expected scenarios. My father’s funeral.

    After the service and the reception after, my mother, brother, and sister headed back to our family home. A bunch of my father’s siblings and their family were also staying at the house with us. We got home a few minutes before everyone else.

    I was sitting at a table in the living room when I could see their cars come down the driveway. They all got out and were hugging and seemingly congratulating each other. The reception after the service was beautifully put together, and was actually a fun time. A fitting send off for my father. So I assumed they were still just having fun from that. Until they came inside.

    They all came in together very quickly, and quietly. They came up to me and my older brother sitting at the table, and kind of crowded around like a bunch of kids, about to see if they could have a cookie before dinner. My aunt Barbara smugly stood at the front and asked, “so when are we going to be doing the reading of the will to see what was left to us all?”

    My brother and I just looked at each other for a few moments before we turned to them to say, “are you kidding? Reading of the will? Like a soap opera? There is no reading of the will. Everything that belonged to my father now just belongs to my mother!”

    The look of defeat, but not shame, was disgustingly transparent. They were supposed to stay another few nights. They packed up and left that afternoon.

    Imadethisuponthespot , Melinda Gimpel Report

    Wij
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those sackville bagginses….

    tameson
    Community Member
    12 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This may be the best comment I have ever seen on Bored Panda!

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    Saltypepper
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What did they really think there was actually a reading of the will by the family attorney like in the movies with everyone all gathered around the table listing intently to the attorney reading off who gets what and how much hahaha, in all reality it all goes to his wife if they are still married..I honestly can't believe that there are people that actually thought that they actually had a reading of the will

    Sarah
    Community Member
    11 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They thought a reading of the will was a Real life scenario?Watching too many films, instead of thinking, hang on? I don’t know anyone in real life who has had one

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    Andrew Keir
    Community Member
    11 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are a lot of crimes around funerals - if you've announced the funeral, leave someone you trust in the house during the funeral as there are people who will burgle you - and it - while you're all away.

    Thatkamloopsguy
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You truly see just how scummy your family is when someone dies.

    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    17 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Funerals bring out the greedy low lives in the family I’ve refused to have a funeral , I wanna be buried at sea ! Everything goes to my two kids END OFF ,nice n simple

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    #5

    Two people sitting in a funeral home with a coffin and floral arrangements during an unexpected funeral moment. At my grandfather's funeral, the stand-in, curmudgeonly pastor kept calling my grandfather by the wrong name.

    Pastor: we are here to memorialize the life of John Smith.

    Pastor: John Smith lived a good life. I had never personally met John Smith, but
    My Spouse Loudly: Well, I've never met John Smith either. His name was Bob White.

    Everyone attending burst out laughing.

    TooManyDogsHere , Pavel Danilyuk Report

    Mrs Irish Mom
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    John smith and bob white sound nothing alike 🤣😂🤣

    CP
    Community Member
    15 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There must be a ton of John Smiths in the world so the priest must've been just playing odds and hoping they got lucky.

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    Jenna Kay
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At my DIL's grandfather's funeral, the minister kept calling him by the wrong name, but weirdly isn't wants consistently the same wrong name! Rob, Robert, Bobby, Robby, Bert, Bo ... Bob, his name was just Bob, how hard is BOB to remember?!

    Tim Douglass
    Community Member
    19 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As a frequent stand-in pastor (I've done dozens of funerals for people I didn't know) this is one of my great fears. That and mispronouncing their name. I once did an entire funeral service without actually using the name of the deceased because no one told me before hand and they didn't have any programs or anything to hand out (my common go-to). I had a rather nice eulogy and lots of anecdotes I was supposed to tell, but they were all "dad" or "my uncle", for some reason not one of them had the guys name. Carried it off, but after that I've always been much more deliberate. It's tough when you walk in 15 minutes before a funeral and everyone is distracted, so you can't corner someone and sit down to get information, they just shove a bunch of notes at you and say "can you read these things? I just can't stand up in front of people."

    Thatkamloopsguy
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You truly find out just how scummy your family is when someone dies.

    Tamra
    Community Member
    15 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sorry, but this is inexcusable. The pastor should have been better prepared. Remembering the name of the deceased is the bare minimum of his duty.

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At my friend's wedding the bishop presiding over it kept pronouncing her name incorrectly throughout the entire ceremony. My other friends and I started wondering if we'd been saying it wrong for the last 20 years! 😂 Nope, the guy was just an idiot. Later he got so hammered that he passed out in someone's hotel room. She was a good sport about it though.

    #6

    We went out to dinner after my dad’s funeral. I had snagged one of his hoodies from his closet, and I was wearing it. My brother noticed and kinda sarcastically said, “Hey. Nice jacket.”

    I said, “Thanks. I got it off a dead guy.”.

    anon Report

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    #7

    Woman smiling while throwing a snowball in a winter forest scene, capturing unexpected moments related to funerals. We had a snowball fight outside the parlor of my pop pops funeral...

    Pop pop would have approved.
    The non-family mourners seemed horrified.

    anon , Rydale Clothing Report

    Mrs Irish Mom
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all funerals need to be doom and gloom, if you know the decest would appreciate it on their behalf then go for it, we had a karaoke funerals for my mil cos she loved karaoke 🎤

    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    17 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Funeral S should nor be about mourning a loved one’s death , but remembering their lives ,who they were , celebrating THAT ,

    Ffion Jones
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’ve told my family: when I go, no crying at the cremation, no service and there is to be NO BLACK. A disco after with buffet with lots of laughter and listening to my fave songs

    ILoveMySon
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Awesome. I have instructions in my Will similarly. My narcissistic mother would try to bully my son into doing it her way.

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    #8

    My grandpa's phone going off in the middle of the eulogy and his ringtone was "Staying Alive" by the BeeGees.

    Ponty3 Report

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    #9

    Young boy placing flowers on a decorated coffin during a funeral, highlighting moments when funerals did not go as expected. My own kids. Boys ages 10 and 8. At their great-grandfathers wake, they got a chair and moved it to the casket and started making his mouth into smiley face. Laughing the whole time. When me and their grandfather (my father in law) saw it, I immediately pulled them away and told them they shouldn't do that, grandpa laughed and said "it's fine, he would have really loved that they did that". We later found out that the great grandfather had asked the funeral home ahead of time to put a sign in his hand that said "thanks for coming" but they refused!

    Cobra1190 , The Good Funeral Guide Report

    Mrs Irish Mom
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He should f asked family to put the sign in his hands and im sure then the funeral home wouldn't have a say in it

    glowworm2
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The funeral home was a bunch of party poopers.

    Andrew Keir
    Community Member
    11 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They'd have compared the trouble they'd be in if they ignored requests, with the trouble they'd be in if they appeared to make disrespectful gestures. Imagine the shrieking from those who 'heard about it' by village gossip! Acceding to that request would probably have closed them down.

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    Uncle Schmickle
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That sign would have been comical and appropriate. It's what he wanted.

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    #10

    Person pouring essential oil from a small bottle onto their hand, illustrating unexpected moments at funerals. The lady who convinced my mother to ditch chemo and use essential oils, handed put biz cards at her funeral.

    Miablossom , Christin Hume Report

    Nannychachi
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would have throat punched her.

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd have dragged her out by the hair. 😡

    Delicate Fcuking Flower
    Community Member
    14 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There would have been two dead people that day.

    CP
    Community Member
    15 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would have been arrested for @ssault.

    Remi (He/Him)
    Community Member
    10 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People like that should be charged with some flavor of reckless homicide. Essential oils do absolutely nothing, the essential doesn't mean important, it means the part that makes something smell a certain way. You can use them if you like how they smell of course

    Uncle Schmickle
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's very low and appallingly insensitive.

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    #11

    Man in black coat standing by a coffin on a lift in a funeral home, illustrating unexpected funeral moments. At cremation, someone's cellphone ringed playing "girl on fire" took a good 15 seconds to shut off.

    MilkAzedo , The Good Funeral Guide Report

    whodunnitfan2013
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would come back to life just to laugh at this as well.

    Uncle Schmickle
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Bloody mobile phones ! No one should have them turned on at an event such as a funeral.

    Tamra
    Community Member
    14 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've never heard of a funeral home allowing a group to witness cremation.

    Boo
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Usually there is a service held at the crematorium (Scotland). There are large heavy drapes that cover the alcove where the coffin is placed in front of doors. The funeral director says a few words, and depending on how the service is ran, some family members speak too. After the wee service, the drapes are closed and we usually file out of the building to the receiving line. What they do after that, I have no idea.

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    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    16 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It could have been worse. Tim Hawkins and "The Dog's on Fire" for example.

    #12

    Man in black suit reading from a book next to a coffin and floral funeral arrangement during a funeral service. The priest *repeatedly* refered to my grandmother by the wrong name!!! After the 4th or 5th time my Aunt got up and and quietly told him the correct name. My grandmother had attended church weekly for decades. There was no reason for the priest to not know his parishioner. Needless to say we did not pay his fee.

    3bigdogs , Pavel Danilyuk Report

    S Bow
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've had this happen too, it's inexcusable.

    Shannon Donnelly
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why do people wait until the “4th or 5th” time and then “quietly” let the person know?? That’s just d**n disrespectful and the faster (and louder) it’s corrected, the sooner everyone can get back to focusing on the person who matters- the deceased- and not the idiot who can’t be bothered getting basic facts straight.

    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People are too shocked to know what to do at first. It takes a moment to come up with a plan.

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    Kid Murray
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I really don't give a s**t what they do with me when I die. The only rule is there will be no church and no priest/minister anywhere near the whole thing. The odds of getting an actual decent Christian involved are way too steep.

    Chich the witch
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You would have to know a bit of Scottish history but a minister referred to Mary MacDonald as Mary Campbell. It did not go over well.

    Remi (He/Him)
    Community Member
    10 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Had this happen too. Just wanted to punch the priest, but as it was a 2020 funeral, it was remote

    Asri
    Community Member
    10 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet the church never collected his tithe though.

    #13

    Priest in black clerical attire conducting a funeral ceremony inside a dimly lit church setting. My best friend died last year from a random heart failure at 25.

    The pastor at the funeral went on for about 10 minutes about how we had all been responsible for him [passing] because we were sinners and that we should join his church to make amends. He didn't know any of us. It was very uncomfortable.

    jonker5101 , Getty Images Report

    Jane Doe-Doe
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That’s terrible, I would have done an official complaint

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good luck with that. His higher-ups would like likely have greatly approved of his combination of fire and brimstone with membership recruitment..

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    S Bow
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The same thing happened at the service for a work colleague. The pastor said "Ashley was a sinner and the wages of sin is death . Join my flock and I'll save you from sin. " No, actually Ashley was shot in the head by a jealous ex. I was so furious I walked out.

    Shannon Donnelly
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You took the high road. I would have very likely had a highly inappropriate outburst right then and there. How dare he blame a m****r victim for dying?!?! 🤬

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    Tamra
    Community Member
    15 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I attended the funeral of a friend who was a member of AA and had 35 years of sobriety. He spent those 35 years making amends and dedicating his time and help to dozens of other alcoholics in need. He gave them a safe place to sleep, drove them to meetings and doctor appointments, and sponsored them. He was the kindest, most selfless person I'd ever met, and directly improved the lives of those around him, myself included. At his funeral, the pastor used the opportunity to tell everyone how my friend wasn't responsible for his good deeds, but it was Jesus who helped those other people. Rather than honoring our friend's life, this d0uchebag spent an hour selling Jesus. I was so angry then, and still am.

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    23 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh heck no! I'd have dragged him out of there.

    T Barth
    Community Member
    Premium
    22 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why the down vote? Here's a up vote!

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    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    17 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh one of those priests 😡ie religious lunatics forcing it down people’s throats , n to do it at a funeral of all things DISGUSTING ,

    Drop Bear from Hell
    Community Member
    12 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How could anyone sit there and remain silent? I couldn't and wouldn't.

    Bookworm
    Community Member
    10 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was about to ask if I'm the only one who would say something.

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    Chich the witch
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A younger me might have remained quiet. present me would very likely stand up with a "Now wait a f*****g minute you t**t"

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    #14

    Person placing a ring on another’s finger outdoors, unrelated to funerals or funeral events. A marriage proposal to the recently widowed. She accepted.
    I know this is a thing in some families where if a guy dies, a single, male, relative, of the deceased, will end up marrying the widow. Why this is a thing, I dunno but know it is. So, the divorced brother proposed to his deceased, brother's wife and she said yes. I doubt there was any cheating going on there. The two are still happily married as well.

    Maxpowr9 , Andre Jackson Report

    Norfolk and good
    Community Member
    1 day ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's called a levirate marriage. It used to be common practice for a widow to marry her dead husband's younger brother, as back then, the eldest son would inherit the bulk of his parents' estate. It is still practiced in some parts of the world today. Henry VIII married his brother's widow. Although, his brother had been dead for seven years by then so that's something.

    Beady El
    Community Member
    Premium
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hamlet was not a fan of this practice

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    brittany
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    there is something in the bible that if the dead man and his wife had no children, his living brother was to marry the widow and any children resulting from that union would be raised as if fathered by the dead man. cant recall the verse but it is something along those lines

    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes, that's where the whole "It's a sin to waste your seed" thing comes from. It wasn't an indictment against m**********n. It was about your duty to get your dead brother's wife pregnant so she could inherit your brother's estate.

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    Pferdchen
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My widowed grandfather married my widowed aunt (his daughter-in-law). My mother was less than thrilled and referred to it as a "marriage of convenience." No infidelity was suspected, they lived in different American states. But still...

    Lukas (he/him, it/its)
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think it's a religious thing, in the bible I'm pretty sure if a man dies without his wife having a kid, the brother is supposed to marry her to give his deceased brother an heir or something like that, it's been a long while.

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    16 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Holy Richard III Act 1 Scene 2, Batman!

    Sahitya Madhavan
    Community Member
    20 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Happens in India, too. I find it quite weird.

    Colleen Glim
    Community Member
    23 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Brings a whole other meaning to keeping it in the family.

    Dr. Wu
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My Uncle, after his wife died, went back and married her younger sister.

    Nils Skirnir
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Read the Pentateuch/Torah for a summary

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    #15

    I'm a funeral director. This happened.

    We brought a man into our care who had died of AIDS complications in 1999 or so. His parents were immigrants from Eastern Europe who were very conservative and had not known their son was gay. He had moved to Milwaukee from their little town in the sticks about ten years earlier. Cancer was what his mom and dad were told. His friends in Milwaukee had their own services that the parents didn't attend, and I worked with the parents on a Mass of Christian Burial and interment in his hometown. The decedent's brother and sister met with the priest and asked him not to mention their brother's "lifestyle" during his homily, and explained why. He agreed.

    So the Mass starts, and the normal rituals get going, and then it's time for the priest to speak at length. A traditional Catholic homily in a conservative church like that one isn't a normal eulogy. It's purpose is to "bring glory to the Father," and if the deceased is spoken of at all it is about his or her devotion to God and how that was evident from earthly actions. The priest got to a certain point in his pretty much boilerplate remarks, and then took an audible breath and told everyone that he was feeling moved by the Holy Spirit to speak freely. He spoke about decisions that people make that are contrary to God's Plan, and how that inevitably results in corruption, and you can probably guess the rest of it. He never actually mentioned AIDS or sexuality, but it was pretty much right there if you read even a little bit between the lines.

    He did not go in procession to the cemetery, rather went in his own car and was waiting for us when we all pulled up. I don't think I had even turned off the engine to the hearse when the brother got out of his car, rushed to the front of the line of cars, and got in the priest's face, who then drove away without performing the burial rites. I was told later that the brother went with, "How dare you?" and the priest countered with, "I follow the Spirit. I had no choice." Honestly surprised the brother didn't lay him out.

    There are some things that happen at work that you just wish were happening on your very last day on the job.

    anon Report

    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He follows the spirit - of judgemental self-righteousness.

    tameson
    Community Member
    12 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why did the siblings even tell the priest he was gay? He didn't need to know that.

    Chich the witch
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I suspect to see that it wasn't mentioned in case the cleric heard it from someone else.

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    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Again, God has a special place in hell for preachers like this. "Judge not lest you be judged." Trust me, this preacher had something shady going on and he made himself feel better by thinking, "I'm not a 'practicing' homosexual."

    #16

    Hand holding a glass of whiskey in a dimly lit setting, illustrating unusual moments at funerals. At an open casket wake, a friend of the deceased attempted to give her a drink of single malt whiskey. She ended up being forcibly removed as she wouldn't stop and spilled a lot of the alcohol in the casket. It was as horrible and inappropriate as it was heartbreaking - for everyone.

    ohenry0923 , YesMore Content Report

    Ham Fright
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Saying "Whittle your whiskey around Like blazes, with a t'underin' Jaysus, do ye think I was dead?"

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    16 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Old joke: Grandpa was a master distiller. When he fell into a vat of whiskey three helpers tried to help him out, but he fought them all off bravely and drowned. He’d asked to be cremated so we did and the pyre burned for three days.

    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    In my family's religion, open casket funerals are abhorrent. I have to say I agree. I've never been to one where the deceased looks like the deceased. And it's all very morbid.

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yikes. I wonder if she'd been sampling it ahead of time. That's awful!

    #17

    Woman covering her face while sitting by a window, expressing grief and emotion related to unexpected funeral moments. At my grandpa's funeral in 2006 a random drunk woman that no one in our family knew stumbled in and started singing show tunes, then crying til she was escorted out.

    meowkait , Getty Images Report

    Brian Droste
    Community Member
    1 day ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now that is how it should be with a disruptive person. Wheather it is a friend, just a aquiantance or even a family member. If they are being disruptive they should be escourted out of the funeral home or whatever place they are in.

    Firefly
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe she wasn't a random woman, but one that knew the grandpa VERY well and handled her grief poorly.

    Mike F
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    🎶Gather around, I've got a story to tell...🎶

    #18

    Woman grieving beside a coffin during a funeral service with a gold cross on the wall in a somber setting. At my cousins funeral, one of my relatives literally tried jumping in the casket with him. Really traumatizing experience I might add.

    PraisePancakes , Kateryna Hliznitsova Report

    #19

    Person in black shirt opening a foaming soda can, illustrating unexpected moments at funerals not going as expected. Someone trying to "quietly" open a can while they were doing the closing prayer.

    Midnight_Moon29 , Eduardo Ramos Report

    Niels AirMax
    Community Member
    11 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want people to get seriously wasted at my funeral! 🤘🏻

    ILoveMySon
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Was it Juanita from the movie "Sordid Lives"?

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #20

    Woman in green dress and headscarf standing thoughtfully near floral arrangements inside an ornate funeral setting. At my grandma's funeral. There was a woman that had a really bad relationship with my grandma, but one of my aunts invited her to the funeral.

    She started receiving people as if she was a family member and tried to put herself at the center of everything.

    MarsNirgal , Andrej Lišakov Report

    #21

    Hand holding smartphone displaying Snapchat app, symbolizing unexpected moments at funerals captured or shared online. Using snapchat filters on the deceased during an open casket funeral. It made my blood boil.

    anon , Sanket Mishra Report

    #22

    Honestly, we were all pissed that this woman showed up at all. The dead guy *hated* her.

    She showed up wearing a Little Mermaid t-shirt and Pikachu hat. While the priest spoke, she stood up and paced in front of him a few time, then say next to the dead guy's grieving fiance and told her "no one is more upset about this than me."

    Someone discreetly pulled her away and sat her down three rows back where she loudly sobbed, wailed, sniffed and professed her grief.

    When the service ended, she stood up in front of the casket and invited everyone in the room to a party she was hosting that night.

    sheilathetank Report

    otiose
    Community Member
    21 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Escorted out? Throat punched!

    Drop Bear from Hell
    Community Member
    12 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd love to know the relationship between the woman and the deceased.

    #23

    At my great-grandmother's funeral, her son showed up to the funeral wearing khakis and his bright orange Tennessee Vols shirt. Then he started yelling at my mom when she asked him who the pallbearers were going to be, mainly throwing a fit about who was in the will... Mind you we hadn't even left the funeral home yet and were literally needing to know who they would be at that very moment.

    Needless to say we don't talk to that side of the family anymore.

    Ranku_Abadeer Report

    We ride at dawn biatches
    Community Member
    15 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My cousin was bearing bright pink on my grandpa's funeral. I thought it really wasn't the dress for the occasion

    Chich the witch
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    May just be me, but If I have a service when i shuffle off and people show up in drab suits etc I will come back from the dead and tell them to lighten up! I expect to see some Hawaiian shirts people :p

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    #24

    My grandma died a few years ago and we decided on a burial. After the interment ceremony, the groundskeeper asked us if we would like to leave before they finished packing the dirt. MY FAMILY SAID NO!

    Cut to us horrifically watching my grandmas casket get repeatedly dirt punched by an excavator.

    It was more disturbing than inappropriate.

    zebratacos Report

    Jenna Kay
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is horrifying, ... but dirt punching? That's hysterical!

    Mike F
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's a good thing they never attended a "country" funeral. They take turns filling in the hole.

    Betsy S
    Community Member
    10 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've seen customs where all the mourners dance on the grave, to pack it down and protect it from wildlife. Turns from somber into joyous celebration of the life of the deceased.

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    Chrystina Sumpter
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It is a tradition in my husband’s family that the family does not leave the cemetery until the grave has been filled. When my mother-in-law passed, a childhood friend of my brother-in-law brought a mini bottle of Jack Daniels, my mother-in-law’s drink of choice, to put in the coffin. He also brought a full size bottle of the same to the cemetery, which we all passed around as we stood in the cold watching the grave being filled. It was a fitting tribute to a wonderful woman.

    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    23 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why would you want to stay and see that?

    Robin Roper
    Community Member
    52 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is not horrifying or disturbing. My husband, his siblings, their spouses and all the grandchildren helped to cover their father's/grandfather's grave. We sat around and told stories and sang some of his favorite hymns. They grew up on a farm and felt it was the last thing they could do for their father. It was lovely.

    Chich the witch
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've watched way too many zombie movies :P

    #25

    The pastor took the opportunity to say that if we didn't start going to church we were all going to Hell.

    dkalt42 Report

    liam newton-harding
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There is no thing quite so "christian" as a pastor schilling for his living. Carnival Barkers are more honest, at least they entertain you.

    Andrew Keir
    Community Member
    11 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is why I've asked for a humanist service. "Just the facts, ma'am".

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    Nannychachi
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Jesus saves. Church doesn't.

    Chicken Nugget
    Community Member
    21 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don’t hate me, but I think good doctors, good police, good firemen and other good souls save. The thought that we have to follow a book and jesus to give us good in our hearts that is already there doesn’t.

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    SlothyK8
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mother's siblings each gave eulogies for both of my grandparents at their respective funerals. They did not celebrate my grandparents' lives. They spent several minutes explaining that, because my grandparents were Catholic and not evangelical, they were going to hell and so was everyone else who wasn't "saved". I stopped talking to all of them.

    #26

    My partner's stepmum's funeral.

    I was standing next to my partner to support him when one of his distant relatives, before even giving condolences or a greeting or anything else, asked "are you two married?"

    "No..."

    "Oh but you're together?"

    "Yes."

    "What a shame."

    The same woman then approached us at the wake and started going on about how nice it was to see young love blossom after a family breakup and how "exotic" I was (I'm Asian, he's white) because my partner had broken up with the mother of his child. She heavily implied that I was just a rebound and that he would be "back to his normal self soon". When my partner corrected her and told her that we had been together for 5 years, she visibly became uncomfortable and said "Oh. How nice.".

    verballyabusivecat Report

    Zig Zag Wanderer
    Community Member
    19 hours ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If anyone asks myself and my partner if we're married, I always answer "Yes.... Oh, but not to each other, though!" The reactions are often priceless. (it's actually true, too)

    Ervin Conn
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My favorite one was when people would ask my wife and I if we were married or brother and sister (We look at lot alike). We would answer in unison - yes. Life lessons in minding your business. Free of charge.

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    Laserleader
    Community Member
    9 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My partner and I were together for 10 years before married, and after a while we just told people we were married just to prevent having to explain. Been married for 10+, so it really wasnt even needed.

    #27

    I worked at a funeral home several years ago. One of the services happened to take place on the day of the Columbia Shuttle disaster, so there was a lot of chatter about it amongst the attendees. A relative of the deceased woman got up in front of everyone during the service and postulated that the shuttle and its crew had been struck from the sky by this lady's soul as she ascended to Heaven.

    We_are_the_Odd Report

    Greymom
    Community Member
    18 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If the lady’s soul was inclined to do something like that she would definitely NOT be ascending to heaven!

    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's no nutter like a religious nutter.

    #28

    Woman in black lace dress and oversized sunglasses posing outdoors, capturing unexpected moments at funerals. A narcisstic family member arrived late (after everyone else was at the graveside for the burial, and probably lurking behind a tomb to pick the perfect time after the priest had just started talking), wearing an enormous hat and sunglasses and low cut gown like she was attending the Golden Globes red carpet or something, and loudly making an absolute scene of how devasted she was, daaaaaarlings and just generally making it all about her.

    Zhirrzh , Jay Soundo Report

    Nannychachi
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Another one that needed throat punched.

    Greymom
    Community Member
    18 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For once BP actually did a really good job matching up the picture to this one, although she does need a big hat!😅

    #29

    The preacher at my wife's grandfather's funeral. He mentioned in the eulogy at least a solid dozen times that he (the grandfather) was poor. So very, very poor. Never had a dime. But loved his family. But was soooo poor. My wife's brother got so sick of it he actually stood up, in the front row, and just gave everyone a look like 'What'?.

    anon Report

    Chich the witch
    Community Member
    8 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Probably annoyed that the old guy didn't give enough to the church.

    Tyranamar Seuss
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some religions think poverty is a virtue. Probably thought he was exalting grandpa.

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    #30

    I worked at a Cemetery one Summer when I was in High School. This usually involved mowing/weedeating, but they also had me help on the setup/teardown of burial equipment.

    The worst I saw was just a screaming argument that appeared to be sibling upset one took advantage of their now deceased Mother.

    The most interesting thing was observing how culturally different groups handled the burial.

    White families always left right after the preacher was finished. So we would lower the coffin with everyone gone. Black families always stayed until the dirt started going on top. Only had one Asian funeral and it was a cremation.

    Barfhelmet Report

    Grace Sssssss
    Community Member
    1 day ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Jewish families shovel the dirt themselves, at least some of it. It symbolizes the last kindness they can give their loved one.

    Note: this post originally had 37 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.