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30 Wild Funeral Stories About Inappropriate, Weird Or Funny Things Happening
Interview With Expert
In many people's minds, a funeral is a place of tranquility and composure. At least when they think about a traditional funeral. But more and more people are choosing to have non-traditional funerals.
Bath University sociologists found that people who've chosen to cremate their family members and have a celebration-of-life service instead of a traditional funeral feel more in control of their grieving process.
Traditional or not, people should still grieve appropriately and treat the whole ordeal with respect. Sadly, that's not the case for every funeral. Many people shared their stories of end-of-life service mishaps when one netizen asked: "What's the craziest or strangest thing you've ever experienced or witnessed at a funeral?"
Bored Panda got in touch with the Redditor who started this thread, u/AffectionateHand2206. They were kind enough to share their own strange funeral story and tell us which entries from the thread surprised them the most. Read our conversation down below!
To know more about funeral etiquette, Bored Panda also contacted Kari The Mortician. Kari Northey has been a licensed funeral home director for 20 years and has worked in the funeral business for almost 30 years.
She's a passionate educator who shares her knowledge about the funeral business with fellow funeral directors and consumers alike. She kindly agreed to tell us more about the etiquette of modern funerals. Read her expert insights below!
More info: Kari The Mortician | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
My cousin passed away some years back. He was blind and had a ton of friends, many also blind. When we sung the hymns the guide dogs present howled / bayed along, it was so beautiful.
At the wake I also saw a guide dog veeeery carefully eat a sausage roll off the table right in front of his blind owner. I laughed and the dog whipped his head around to look at me, like ‘oh s**t you can see me?’.
Joe Reaves 1 year ago
Even with all the training in the world, sausage rolls are hard to resist.
"A while back, I went to the funeral of a friend," the thread's author tells Bored Panda. "He had died surprisingly, leaving [two] young kids and an absolutely shocked wife behind." The Redditor says that this was the story that prompted them to ask others about their weird and inappropriate funeral experiences.
"The moment the service was over and during the entire funeral procession, two women who would barely even have qualified as acquaintances were heard wailing and yelling about how they'd lost their brother and close friend above the 200+ mourners."
RELATED:
#2
Several giggling ladies singing, "Spam, spam, spam" from Monty Python just under their breath when the pastor got boring. Several pews were laughing.
It was a song the deceased would sometimes sing. It was funny.
#3
Not really at the funeral, but my neighbor put her husbands dogs ashes in his coffin, labeled Colonel’s medals. The dog got buried with full military honors at Arlington Cemetery.
"It was so bad that my friend's siblings asked them multiple times to tone it down," u/AffectionateHand2206 goes on. "His children looked even more disturbed by what was happening than they had before.
"Then when the coffin was lowered into the ground, the two women pushed his kids and widow aside and pretended that they were going to throw themselves in. His siblings and a few guests intervened. The women tried to free themselves and go at it again. One even claimed that no one could understand the extent of her grief."
"It was bizarre and heartbreaking at the same time," the Redditor adds.
#4
My sister looked a lot like my grandmother.
My grandmother had a style, heels, a cigarette holder, wig, dress, pearls.
My father (not always appropriate) whispers in sister’s ear, “Why don’t you go in her closet and come out dressed like your grandmother?”
10 minutes later, we hear the click of the heels, the smell of a cigarette in a long holder, and a spot on n imitation of her voice.
My aunt, uncle, cousins all thought she was a ghost.
#5
The lady who convinced my mother to ditch chemo and use essential oils, handed out biz cards at her funeral.
#6
Not super inappropriate, but my grandfather was always a trickster. He had a great sense of humor. He had this little song he would sing to me, my siblings, and my little cousins where he would just repeat the words “poo poopy doo” over and over. At his funeral, my aunt was telling stories about him and in the middle of her telling a story, my 6 year old cousin screamed “POO POOPY DOO” in front of 50 people. Needless to say it lightened the mood a little bit and made everyone a little happier remembering him in a good way.
We asked u/AffectionateHand2206 what stories from the thread stood out to them. "There were a number of bizarre and disturbing stories, but because of my own experience, the response of u/Mental-Pitch5995 stood out to me. Especially this bit:
'When my bf died. He was young, extremely well known and popular with the ladies. An unknown woman was crying hysterically and tried climbing into the casket with him. His brothers pulled her out and me with others escorted her outside to calm her down.' It made me wonder if this kind of thing happens a lot more than I ever cared to know."
#7
At my aunts funeral they played thunderstruck by AC/DC and had a table of white rum shots. let’s just say it was exactly as she would’ve wanted. love you aunt kathy.
#8
My grandmother's funeral was out in the country. Rolling fields, a few trees here and there. As the service goes on, I see a dog, trotting through the field next to the cemetery. It's a long distance, and the dog just lopes along, while a rather boring preacher droned on and on. I'd glance to the coffin, then back at the dog, it barely seemed to get closer. I notice everyone facing that direction is now watching the dog. It just keeps trotting closer. It slips under the cemetery fence, and now crosses grave after grave until he is only a few feet away. everyone is watching it intently as it walks up to the casket, sniffs, and lifts it leg to pee on my grandmother. Suddenly every single person, in unison, leaned forward, some shaking hands and arms and made a squeal or a shout or yelled at the dog. it looked surprised and ran away.
We all started laughing.
#9
They used youtube to play one of the woman's favorite songs with lyrics on a projector. Just after starting the song, YouTube started an ad that showed a woman straining on the toilet and it was not skippable. Everyone busted up laughing. The woman's husband said she would have found it funny, too.
Another response that stood out to the Redditor was by u/Thernuk: "The lady who convinced my mother to ditch chemo and use essential oils handed out biz cards at her funeral." "I felt rage on u/Thernuk's behalf," u/AffectionateHand2206 tells Bored Panda.
The Redditor posts various questions on the AskReddit subreddit from time to time. "I'd say I am a generally curious person and I love finding things that connect people."
"And sometimes it's the shared unusual experiences that remind us that no matter how out there our experiences are or seem, there will (almost) always be someone somewhere who can relate to them. I find that thought comforting," the Redditor shares.
#10
Probably me and my brothers not realizing we were supposed to open my moms ashes box and release them, so instead we awkwardly dropped her entire box in the river like a bath bomb.
#11
The corpse farted. The family of the deceased were religious and were against embalming. Decomposing bodies produce gas, and it has to go somewhere. Your gut bacteria don't die when you do. They begin digesting YOU since your body stops producing the mucous and stuff that protects your stomach and intestinal lining. Well, all of that culminated in the loudest, most foul smelling bodily emission ever witnessed by man. Several people were puking, many on the verge of puking. People were running for the exit. This was at a tiny church that was basically a house with extra seating in the living room. Think the worst fart you've ever smelled intermingled with the smell of decaying flesh. It was so bad. I think it's the only time I have ever been envious of a corpse. Lucky bastard couldn't smell a thing.
#12
I *Caused* one. I was a photographer, a model I knew got this really long white dress with this shoulder attached train/cape thingy. She wanted to get pictures of it, and there was a large hill nearby, so I would be lower down shooting upward she would be in sparkly white flowing dress on the crest of the hill catching the wind and light. She is posing, things are going well. She looks down the other side of the hill (the hill was a drumlin, so kind of knife like at the peak). She suddenly comes running down the hill "We need to go, NOW".
So, on the other side of the hill was a cemetery, and there was a service going on. They looked up and saw this ghostly woman on the hilltop. Started gasping and pointing. Yeah. That was one of four times I caused issues with the public doing photography shenanigans,.
Kari Northey, an educator and a licensed funeral home director with 27 years of experience under her belt, tells Bored Panda that funeral etiquette today is quite different from what it was back in the day.
"It was a formal event years ago and attendees wore suits and dresses and arrived promptly for the events," she explains. "Now, just like with the more casual dress code on airplanes and restaurants, people will wear jeans or sweats to attend a funeral and arrive late."
#13
My best friend’s grandfather died and they had a military funeral for him, which I attended. It was a small funeral, so I sat with the family. I had noticed a butterfly flying around where we were sitting, and as the man leaned over to hand the flag to her grandmother, it landed on his shoulder. It stayed there until he stood, saluted, and turned to leave. I don’t know if anyone else noticed it, but I thought it was a particularly beautiful moment.
#14
At my mom’s funeral which my dad only agreed to because her sisters were being a******s about my agnostic mother not having a proper funeral one of them walked up to me and said “Aren’t you so sad you never had kids and gave your mom a grandbaby.” Had to bite my tongue to keep from saying yeah so sad my stillborn daughter and eight miscarriages didnt give mom a grandchild.
#15
At my husband's funeral, they were folding the flag over his casket, and one of the guys were bragging about how good he was, never dropped a flag, and always perfect creases on and on. As the corners came together, he caught it on the casket, ripped the flag, it hit the ground.
Someone behind me said, "That was xxx (husband's name) telling you to humble yourself because we are all tired of hearing how perfect you are." Everyone looked at me, and I just smiled because that was my husband to a T!
Kari The Mortician also tells us about how the practice of families sending 'thank you' notes to those who sent flowers and donated in memory of their loved ones has slowly faded away. "Now, just like with weddings, showers, and gift giving, 'thank you' notes are not often sent and those who generously give receive no nod of thankfulness."
#16
My friends dad died, and we were in the back of the altar. i looked up and saw his literal father standing next to me. i did not know until later that his father had a twin.
Auntriarch 1 year ago
My father in law had a non twin brother who looked exactly like him. I knew about this uncle, but my mum didn't, she damn near fainted when she saw him.
#17
My cousin died of a heart attack aged late 20’s/early 30’s.
Her father walked up to the casket at the funeral and as he was just about to reach it, he jolted backwards and fell over. Heart attack. His pacemaker worked and he was up and about again in about 2 minutes.
For about 60 seconds, all hell broke loose. Women crying, screaming, chaos. There were about 100-150 people just finding their seats when it happened.
He was actually joking about 3 minutes after, saying his rhythm was ‘off’, and felt s****y for the few days prior, the pacemaker set his rhythm properly again and except for the punch in the chest from the pacemaker, actually felt much better than he did previously!
It was seriously a ‘movie’ moment - one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had.
#18
My mother switched her wedding ring with my dad’s ring while he was in the casket.
There's also been a change in funeral processions. "[They] were a solemn showing within the community of one last reverent ride to the cemetery," Kari adds. "And now it has become unsafe with distracted drivers and drivers who are never taught the etiquette or more importantly the law of funeral processions."
#19
At my Grandpa's funeral, my grandparents' friend tried to sign me up to sell Mary Kay under her while I was crying beside his grave.
At the same funeral, the preacher giving the eulogy talked about whether or not my Grandpa spanked his kids enough. He said "Daddy was a hard man, but was he hard enough? Did he spare the rod too many times?" And then mentioned my dad and his sisters by name and said they should ask themselves that question when they think of their Dad. We were all like, WTF.
#20
You wont believe me but someone's phone went off with the ringtone "Staying Alive".
innosins:
At my Grandma's funeral, someone had Linkin Park's 'In The End' as their ringtone.
#21
My Uncle, a really great guy, passed away one summer. Huge family turnout for the Catholic funeral mass. My father was executor, and handled all the details of the burial & mass. My Uncle requested in his paperwork that his remains be cremated, no viewing, just a mass and last rites at the grave. At that time, you weren't allowed to be cremated and have a mass of Christian burial...
My father followed his wishes, but failed to inform (or purposely didn't tell) the Church - or our relatives - of the arrangement. This included my *mother*, who was my Uncle's youngest sister. Never got to ask him why he didn't say anything. But he and my Uncle were practical jokers, and tight as ticks; so I think he was going to make it happen regardless of the consequences.
Day of the mass at the Church, my mother told me and my brother to go to the hearse and be pall-bearers with some other cousins. The driver and assistant said they didn't need any of us, and to wait at the Church entrance. Brother and I stared at each other - what were these guys gonna do; lift the casket themselves? Then they opened the rear door of the hearse, and... there he was. No casket, no box, no urn; just a compressed brick of ash and (I assume) some binding cement. Like a solid, rectangular cinder block.
Too much went on after that for me to detail here. Suffice it to say there was loud discussions that day, Traditional Catholic relatives made a scene in the parking lot; other not so traditional ones laughed uncontrollably, and my mother was staring holes through my father (she was pissed at him for at least two months.) The priest was actually the coolest head there that day; he allowed the ceremony to go on; and even brought the remains into the Church as if it were in a traditional casket.
Everybody - angry or not - still went to the restaurant for the reception; my family *never* passes up a free meal. More loud discussions and accusations. Lots of stories about my Uncle and his brothers and sisters. Many children driving their drunk parents home. But nobody was crying. From the moment his remains were taken out of the back of the hearse to the end of the reception; no one cried. And a lot of people were laughing.
Craziest funeral I've ever attended.
When it comes to things people should never do at funerals, Kari The Mortician says interrupting solemn moments is one of the biggest faux pas. "I have seen someone ask a grief-stricken parent who is standing alone saying goodbye to their teenage child if they would give them the service folder that the parent is holding."
#22
My brother in laws girlfriend locked her self in a car, cried and screamed threatening to kill herself.. AT my father in laws funeral. She was fine five minutes later and explained to my in law she did it because she’s not used to not having all the attention (she thought her being pregnant would make people forget that the father died?).
#23
My family owns a funeral home. Years ago, you had to use records to play music at funerals. of course, when there were no funerals, and people were just cleaning up, etc., they would play other records.
My grandfather had a funeral going on, and told his father to just play the record that was on the turntable, because he had set it up the day before.
Unfortunately, someone had changed it. It was the song “Give me five minutes more.”
Hysterical now, evidently not so hysterical at the time.
#24
Strangest and most infuriating was listening to the preacher giving the eulogy and talk about how my friend was in Hell because she committed [self-harm], and how we're "not supposed to worry about that now".
When you're not a member of the grieving family, you should also be aware of where you sit down, Kari says. "It is terribly selfish to sit in the family area if you are not family [and] intrude on the private immediate family moments when they are not your immediate family." Kari also says it's inappropriate when families start fighting over cremated remains or who will receive the jewelry or the flag of a veteran.
#25
Someone trying to "quietly" open a can while they were doing the closing prayer.
Josephine Blogs 1 year ago
All depends on context. It could have been the deceased's final wishes to be "sent off" at the end of their funeral by their friends sharing a beer. It could also have been a diabetic with low blood sugar and didn't want to pass out.
#26
Went to my granduncle's funeral in Ireland as a ten year old boy. turned out he was a hero in the IRA back in the day, and six masked IRA guys emerged and fired shots with automatic rifles over the grave. best funeral ever.
Onan Hag All 1 year ago
Not if you lived in the UK during the IRA's bombing campaign. The IRA were scum.
#27
My brother committed [self-harm]. At his funeral we had a receiving line so people can say their condolences to his widow and family. Some old guy who may have been an acquaintance of my dad, walked up to my brother's wife and just said, "So how did he do it?".
Kari The Mortician also mentions one more worrying recent trend that is inappropriate in the eyes of many funeral guests. "More and more people are taking selfies at funerals or sharing photos of the deceased to receive attention on [to] themselves when it is not the time or place." Out of respect for the deceased and the grieving family, it's best to put your phone down during the service altogether.
#29
Not super peculiar or strange but my stomach growled so loud during my grandpas funeral, DURING THE FINAL PRAYER, that the Karen next to me gave me a disgusted look. Super embarrassing but makes me laugh now. Pretty sure grandpa would’ve laughed too lol.
Anna Ekberg 1 year ago
Like anyone could control their stomach growling. I would have laughed too.
#30
The female relative who came to the visitation straight off of a day on the lake - wearing her bikini top, jean shorts, and flip flops.
LittleWombat 1 year ago
You CAN have the funeral home staff ask people who are inappropriate to leave.
#31
I (thankfully) don’t remember it, but when I was 2, one of my drunken aunts put me in the coffin with my dead mom and made me kiss her.
#32
My son was seven, I had prepped him on cremation during the car ride to the funeral home and explained why we were going to the visitation. So, we shuffle through the room, hug the family, and walk up to the urn. My son does his best “ta-daaaaa” pose, complete with jazz hands, and says “Here’s the ashes!” Thankfully, no one was outright angry and most just chuckled because kids are kids, but I was mortified at the time.
#33
During my grand-uncle's funeral, an elderly cousin rose out of the pew, tore the entire family a new r****m, and promptly had a heart attack and needed an ambulance called to the funeral home (they died a month later).
Or the time, during my grandfather's funeral, when the preacher chose that time to politic and attack women and gay couples...there were several gay family members in attendance. The deceased was my grandfather on my mother's side (meaning my grandfather's daughter, which the preacher, despite mentioning my uncles, failed to mention or acknowledge my mother, her family, and accomplishments). My grandfather was a very, 'God created and loves everyone,' and a 'church and state are separate for reason,' type person. That service didn't go over well.
Sinnsyk Jakte 1 year ago
I really think we ought to be able to yoink preacher's with a crook when they overstep. At least reserve the right to tell them to shut their trap.
#34
At my cousins funeral, one of my relatives literally tried jumping in the casket with him. Really traumatizing experience I might add.
Robert Birnberg 1 year ago
They had to be Italian....We do that kind of 'Joey, I'm coming with you' thing all the time.
#35
My (now ex) mother-in-law decided to wear 3 inch heels to the gravesite. It had rained for a week before. She’s a tiny woman but those heels sank right down and she got stuck.
#36
At grandma's funeral, one of my aunts came and fell to the floor, when she got up, she said "s**t i almost die too".. People around her started laughing histerically, and then went back to crying lol.
#37
We took my FIL ashes in a plane piloted by my BIL. This was all illegal but we did it. When my wife through the ashes out of the front window 1/2 of them ended up on my face.
#38
Back in the 70's, my grandpa used to entertain the neighborhood kids by burying twinkies in the ground and saying "let's grow a twinkie plant". At his funeral, all of us were given handfuls of twinkies to throw into the hole with him. Also I had a friend who worked part time at a cemetery. He said it's surprisingly common for pallbearers to drop the casket and / or slip in the hole.
#39
After the funeral, my parents had a double urn. Dad's ashes I guess were stored until Mom died. So there they both were united in death in a double urn n at the front of the church. They were very close, pretty moving funeral.I was the one taking it home, interment later ( another story). Car *flies* up our lane in a cloud of dust. Funeral home guy gets out with wooden ern- it's Dad's ashes. I guess someone called " Er, wasn't this guy supposed to be in a double urn? " Transferred ashes right there in our driveway with a funnel. Poor guy was *really* upset and kept apologizing while dust Dad flew around although most of him went in there. I don't think funeral guy believed me when we laughed SO hard, told him no, no one's angry. Dad would have gotten a giant kick out of being misplaced at his own funeral too.
#40
At the funeral of my great-aunt Allene (pronounced al-een) apparently nobody thought to tell the guy delivering the service how to, you know, actually pronounce her name. He kept saying it "i-leen". So we started giggling. Every cousin, every grand-niece and nephew, her brother. We couldn't stop. We weren't crying because of the beauty of the service.... we were crying trying to hold in the laughter.
Mi So 1 year ago
At a great- great something’s funeral (aunt? Grandmother? Can’t recall), the minister kept saying Ethel. Her name was Myrtle; Ethel was her sister (thankfully pre-deceased her or it would have been really awkward). He was a stand-in for the family’s usual minister, so made a few errors. He also emphasized that she was “tea-total” & “never a drop of alcohol passed her lips”. He was REALLY going at this description & my mom is struggling to maintain composure. The great-great had LOVED my mom’s Christmas cake, which was regularly doused in alcohol as it “seasoned” from summer to December every year.
#41
My wife's maternal grandfather died and had a church funeral. The Vicar gave a nice but somewhat generic eulogy, but it mentioned her grandfather often so it seemed personal. About three months later, my wife's material grandmother died and also had a church funeral. The same Vicar gave the exact same eulogy and didn't even bother to change it at all, he mentioned her grandfather again throughout but never her grandmother at her grandmother's own funeral. I don't know if the Vicar was senile or just lazy, but my wife was beyond appalled.
Beak Hookage 1 year ago
Unless the grandma was just a material girl, I think that was supposed to be "maternal"
#42
My grandfather was a sailor and his dying wish was that his ashes would be scattered on the winds in the sea. Another thing to know about my grandfather was that he was a jokester. So there we were on the beach in the middle of the winter, my mom was wearing this very long heavy jacket. As we are scattering his ashes out of nowhere this huge wave comes up and sweeps my mom, my grandma and my sister nearly into the sea. As we try to get them up, another wave comes up and wets the rest of us. But my mom took the grunt because her jacket became heavy with water, she was not amused. I swear my grandfather was there and was probably laughing his a*s off. We were miserable at that time, but now remember it as grandpa's last joke on us.
#43
At my grandmother's funeral because I was more familiar with the idea of releasing the ashes. She, however, was in an elaborate urn that was to be buried, so that really should've tipped me off. As they were digging the hole, I (while surrounded by several much more applicable persons) was inexplicably handed the urn. Once the hole was ready I was told to bring it forth, and as I made my way up there, in a haze of grief and nerves, tried to pry that bad boy open. I'm so relieved today at how well-sealed it was.
#44
I once had to attend a funeral on behalf of my office. The college-aged child of one of our board members had committed [self-harm]. Coincidentally, the office had just recently told me they were eliminating my position but asked me to stay for a few extra weeks to wrap up some work. At that point I was the most expendable person to be sent off on a diplomatic mission. A colleague who I really hit it off with agreed to road trip down to the funeral (it was a couple of hours drive). We had such a blast on the drive down, talking and joking, that we found it really hard to adjust to the reality of the situation we were going into. And when we got to the closed casket service, we saw that they had a framed picture of the deceased in his football uniform, which instantly reminded us of the "I love my dead, gay son" scene in the movie Heathers. That set off the most inappropriate laughing fit in both of us that we were struggling to control. One would think we had smoked spliff on the way down there as the deep well of laugher just kept overflowing. It was all we could go to keep grabbing tissues to cover our faces to make like we were upset and crying. It was horrible. Our plan had been to show up for the wake, pay our respects, and then duck out before we got roped into attending the long, Catholic funeral mass. But my car got blocked in and when the procession began to pull out, I was afraid that all of the cars behind me would follow me if I turned the wrong way. So we kind of had to go to the church. The whole thing was like the lost episode of Seinfeld. If I already didn't know that I wouldn't be working in that office much longer, I would have been sure they would have fired me after that train wreck of a funeral appearance.
Beak Hookage 1 year ago
I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral - can't understand what I mean, well you soon will.
#45
When I was 19 I had a high school class mate kill himself. Everyone pretended they didn't know why. The funeral home was so packed it couldn't house everyone. Most of them were filled with people that did nothing but s**t on the kid but "wah....let's be sad". The dad also acted like it was a "shocker" but he is the one that kicked his kid into living in the shed in the backyard for being caught with a bag of weed.
#46
I saw several woman faint, and the wife threw herself on the coffin in the funeral home and sang a song in Spanish. She was carried out.
#47
Witnessed a fight at the funeral service. Someone my husband worked with for a long time passed away unexpectedly so we went to the funeral. We knew that he was going through a divorce, but both his almost ex-wife and his girlfriend who I guess he cheated on his wife with were there, and when the wife was speaking, the girlfriend got up to speak, and it turned out into a huge fight I mean, like punches were thrown Stuff was knocked over. It was like something out of a reality TV show. My husband and I just kind of ducked out because we didn’t know what was going on and everybody from the family was screaming at each other.
#48
My grandma who is very young and not even close to senile decided it was appropriate to sing the Meow Mix theme at my great uncle’s funeral. The whole entire song. My great uncle hoarded cats, dead and alive. Along with their urine. It was a weird day.
#49
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.
Sinnsyk Jakte 1 year ago (edited)
I know funerals are for the living, but I wouldn't mind someone tryin' to give me one for the road, even if I can't taste it.
#50
Uncle’s funeral. He passed away at age 62. His crazy ex-girlfriend from 20 years ago was drunk and shouting “it was your baby!”
I knew it was her because she did the same at my wedding reception before passing out in the bushes behind the building.
#51
Hmm - my dad's funeral. God I have never forgotten. (Scenario - open coffin, etc. people walking around) I walked up, scared as I was to see my dad ..in a casket. I was a kid. I had elder sibs around me. I was just looking at the flower arrangements walking around. I heard a huge breath - sigh - that came from my dad's coffin. I stopped in my tracks and looked at Dad and was stunned. My brother came to me a few moments later noticing that something was off. I asked him - did you hear that? No, what? Nevermind. Sorry not funny like the ones I've been reading. Some of these are way too funny!
#52
I have a list...this is all one funeral. The deceased's husband calmly stood up, walked to the casket, paused, and then threw himself on the floor, shouting, "I will be with you soon!" in the middle of the rosary. One of his friends showed up in full Renaissance Faire garb. They put her in the grave backward, then had to raise her to turn the casket around. They nearly dropped her, and her brothers had to assist the workers. His friend also helped. He did not. After the burial, he and his friends had a very happy, loud photoshoot by a tree. He showed up late to the wake, flopped down on the couch in the room everyone was gathered in, and slept for 4 hours.
#53
My mom isn't a native English speaker. Nor is she one to think too hard. She organized her FIL's "celebration of life" and thought it was suppose to be an actual celebration... like a party. So, she hired a DJ and had him play fun music. She even tried to get people to dance with her. My teenage a*s didn't have the heart to tell her how inappropriate it was. I had hoped all of the non-participating, frowny-faced, white people would have given her a clue.
Lil Miss Hobbit 1 year ago
This is actually kinda sweet. Maybe that's what the deceased would have wanted anyway.
#54
A story from a friend who helped arrange things and keep the peace during the event: Guy died, and it turned out he had TWO wives and TWO separate families who didn't know about each other prior to his death. For some reason, they decided to have one funeral. One family sat on the right and one on the left.
#55
You guys won’t believe me but idgaf. My dad passed when I was 26. At his funeral, a 30-something-year-old man walked up to me and very unceremoniously, almost smugly, told me that my dad was also his dad. I quickly excused myself from this f****d up situation.
Fast forward ~2hrs to the reception. There’s a weird guy, maybe in his early 30’s, in my house who just kind of showed up with the crowd. I ask him who he is. Choking back tears, he tells me that My Dad’s Name was his father but he “hadn’t seen him since he was a kid”. I ask him if he knows the guy from earlier, thinking in a panic that maybe my dad had a secret second family. He has no idea what the hell I’m talking about. I tell him to please enjoy my liquor cabinet, I don’t have the mental energy for this.
I never spoke to either of these men again, don’t know their full names or contact info, have never mentioned any of this to a single soul, but apparently I have half siblings running around out here.
Jaaawn 1 year ago
I discovered 4 half siblings when I was in my 20s and making contact and trying to build relationships with them was one of the worst things that happened in my life. Just because you share the same DNA and blood doesn't mean you share anything else in common. If anyone here reading this has discovered previously unkown half siblings then please think for a long time whether or not to pursue them.
#56
At my grandmas funeral my husband and I asked the owner of the funeral home if we could use their restroom (Use it separately obvs). He looked at me annoyed/confused and said, “I guess, but we built the restroom before there were equal rights”. He was an old white man from a very rural Midwest town. I’m a white woman and my husband is from Mexico. Apparently he never planned to let women or POC use the bathroom?? Bizarre Also the number of old white people who told my husband, “you must be so cold!” Bc we were in the midwest during the winter and he has brown skin. Lol those people were too much.
Michael Largey 1 year ago
Equal rights have always existed. Just some jerks didn't recognize them.
#57
I saw a woman lean over the open casket and take a top down photo. It was just weird to my mom and I. We had never seen anyone take photos of the deceased.
#58
Not super crazy but I watched four people pushing a hearse through the cemetery to the cathedral because the engine broke down on the way to the funeral. I also didn't realize until after the funeral that my car had a big sticker on the back that said "BUT DID YOU DIE?".
#59
My brother set up a tripod and camera at grandpa's funeral to record himself. He went up to make a speech, and tried to weave in everything possible about my grandfather being Christian. And of course his relationship was the closest of anyone in the family (not true). Then he went on a tirade about "muslims" and how my grandfather hated them. 100% false. My grandfather didn't give a damn what anyone's religion, race, culture etc. He had several friends that were Muslim, Jewish, not religious etc. It was so f*****g offensive to try and assign hatred to such a great man. It took everything I had not to get up and stop him, but my family is so toxic they would have blamed me and thrown a fit for the next 5 years (no joke). .
#60
I'm a minister so I've had my share of awkward funeral experiences. A few come to mind... At one funeral, the only people that showed up were the wife and her two kids. They were very poor and originally from another state and the husband/father had a massive heart attack. I tried to preach it as if the place were full, but it was just a sad situation. Another one was for a former d**g addict who's liver had given out on him just as he was trying to stay clean. It's time for the funeral to start and the wife is in her car trying to get herself together because she's high on pills. Meanwhile, the urn with his ashes haven't made it yet because her neighbor was supposed to bring them and no one can locate her. So I finally just flat out tell her we have to start, ashes or no ashes, and proceed with the funeral. The funeral itself, is another story of itself.
#61
Saw embalming fluids leak from her eyes when we (immediate family members) first approached her casket. We were already crying as we approached her, and when the embalming fluids leaked out like that, people said it was her crying with us. She was only 24-years-old when she lost her battle to lupus. I know she was not ready to go.
#62
Neighbor passed away. Went to his funeral. As the hearse pulled away from the funeral home towards the grave, the guys sister screamed and cried and chased the hearse while pounding the rear window. She was a huge (tall and built) Caribbean lady and needed to be restrained by 4 people. I was there with my other neighbor and we couldn't believe it.
Jaaawn 1 year ago
Heartbreak from the loss of a loved one is like no other feeling in the world. Here in the West we are supposed to show 'restraint and to just 'behave' (effectively suffer in silence) whereas other cultures wail loud and do things like this, basically the things we feel like doing ourselves (it did say she was Caribbean.)
#63
Ok I can finally laugh about this now - Saw an obit for a Women I casually knew . Got to the wake and looked in the casket -I had no idea who the deceased was . Talk about embarrassing! I was asked in the receiving line how I knew her . I had to make up something quick so I told her daughter- “From the factory - to which she replied -“My mother never worked in a factory “! I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
#64
I’m usually the spectacle along with my sister. We get the nervous giggles. At one funeral the recorded music seemed to be coming out of the heating ducts and we pretty much lost it when “How Great (Grate) Thou Art” wafted through. Luckily we can laugh silently. But I was sitting next to my godmother and she thought I was upset and put her arm around me. Without thinking I said, “that’s OK, I’m laughing.”.
#65
My sister called my grandma white trash at my grandpas memorial service for marrying her sisters (our great aunts) ex… they went on 1 date and it’s way trashier to insult a mourning widow to her face.
#66
I can't remember how old I was.. maybe 9? My grandfather passed and bc I wasn't allowed to go to my grandmother's funeral years before because I was considered too young to be there for that, I insisted I speak at his funeral. My mom agreed and I did pretty good but I've always wondered if it was inappropriate to bring up the time he threatened me with a butter knife because I tried to uphold my mom's instructions to not let him have any hard candy.. for some reason why I don't remember? I made it light-hearted, and I feel like I went about it the right way as I remember easy, light laughter, but I've always wondered was I out of line, distasteful?
#67
My husband's coworker died, and we went to the funeral. The coworker's boyfriend who was suspected of abusing her in the past and giving her the d***s she accidentally overdosed on had a freakout at the lunch reception while Evanescence "My Immortal" played. Screaming, limbs flailing, tearing down photo billboards of the deceased. Just a royal mess, I can never hear that song again. Then there's the one for my uncle who was Zoroastrian. The event was really nice, included a brief description for everyone of the religion's tenets (good thoughts, words, deeds) and a lot of messaging about general love and acceptance that transcends divisiveness. Then my uncle's second wife comes up and brags about how she pestered him for years to convert and "when he was finally on his deathbed I convinced him to repeat after me, 'I accept Jesus,' so I know he's actually in heaven right now." All my family was mouth agape just wtf awkward cringe.
#68
Fortunarely pretty much every funeral I've been to has been pretty normal. The only thing I've got is more funnily awkward than anything else. So my great grandma passed away when I was about 15-16, learning how to drive. My parents agreed to have me drive the car when we went in the funeral procession because it's a new thing to experience as a new driver (and hey, I needed hours on the road.) I was told that when they motion you to pull out of the parking lot to GO, and to be decently quick with it, because the procession won't wait for you. When it was my turn, I panicked a little and slammed on the gas, car in park, and revved the living S**T out of the engine of my mom's car in the parking lot of a funeral. My grandma would've found it absolutely hilarious so I only felt a little extremely embarrassed. Now it's really funny to look back on.
#69
It's my uncle who has the story -- went to the funeral of a Pentecostal guy he knew and a dude with whom I once piled lumber at a mill attempted to resurrect the deceased via the power of the Lord-uh.
Buttered Toast 1 year ago
I swear, if none of my friends or family try to resurrect me at my funeral, I'm haunting every single one of them.
#70
Went to the funeral for a friend's wife, he brought his new girlfriend who he "just met" to the funeral.
#71
Cars following too close heading to the cemetery, 3 just in front of us rear ended each other, at least one broken arm. At the end of the ceremony there was a loud noise from a clear sky, sounded like dry leaves being blown around. Everyone heard it. We all just looked at each other.
#72
At my brother's funeral graveside service right before the preacher prayed and they would lower the casket into the ground.... His son says very loud so all could hear. "For anybody that knew my dad...give me a big "HELL YEA" And he got a couple "HELL YEA's" During the same funeral my sister was on the phone calling a tow truck to pull my nephews truck out of a ditch the he ran into as he parked at the graveside service. There is more but this is enough for now.
Joe Reaves 1 year ago
If you're old enough to drive a truck, you're old enough to call your own tow truck not have mommy do it.
#73
I did something rather stupid, recently. Went to a funeral for my friend's dad, a distinguished, kind, beautiful man of nearly 100 years old who had a colorful and interesting life. Had my glasses pushed back on my head as I bent down at the casket kneeler, but they slid off and quickly bounced under the casket itself. I gently grabbed the casket side as I tried to elegantly reach down and get my glasses but they were further back than I expected and I ended up pulling the side of the casket apart. There was a ripping sound and a thin piece of wood pulled back from the casket interior as well as the fabric material as I floundered about praying I wouldn't topple the casket over onto myself. Tried to quickly push it all back together before anyone could see what had happened but the ripping sound and rocking casket gave it away and we all had a good laugh but not really. The family members were not pleased.
#74
Some b***h who had never even met the deceased (her boyfriend’s former boss) couldn’t stop bawling when literally not even the family was crying. and that b***h was me.
#75
At my ex FILs funeral, the preacher who had known them both for years started going into how difficult it was for him to have lived with my late MIL, as she could be a contrary woman.
Stephanie Did It 1 year ago
Maybe there should be a policy for the family to pre-approve a printed version of the eulogy before the speaker opens his or her mouth.
#76
It was very surreal, but at Grandpa's funeral, when I got there, everyone was chitchatting, people paying their respects. Open casket. Little by little people noticed me. I've always been like a wallflower in the spotlight with the family if that makes sense. Chattering turned to whispers, whispers to silent as I walked to the doors of the chapel of the funeral home. People stepped back, walked out of the chapel, and I walked in and up to Grandpa's casket. Completely alone, everything and everyone was completely silent. Everyone watching from the doorway. It didn't occur to me until later when someone asked why everyone did that. Family friend said "don't know, it just felt right. She was the apple of his eye. She deserves it I guess?" Super surreal. It wasn't until I walked back out like 5 minutes after my time with Grandpa someone hugged me, someone squeezed my shoulder, people asked how I was holding on. Seemed more people, family included, were more focused on me than my dad and aunts and uncles and other grandkids.
#77
My great grandfather passed away when i was about 7 years old. he was buried with a hat on his head that had tits in a bikini and tons of beer cans and bottles. imagine seeing a dead man wearing that at the age of 7. not to mention my family ate, talked and laughed all while he was sitting in the front of the room still in his casket. OPENED may i add. it was strange to say the least.
#78
The funereal home being asked to give my mom Light red lipstick and gave her clown grade.
#79
A friend's son committed [self-harm]. At his service, the son's best friend went to the podium to say a few words. He mumbled a bit then held a briefcase up over his head, yelled "I finally got you! This funeral is the bomb!" and threw the case on the floor.
Mass panic ensued. It's a miracle nobody was hurt as the entire place emptied out in seconds.
#80
A childhood friend OD’ed at Christmas - there was a musical montage at the start of the funeral, which included a state school fight song followed by the Star Spangled Banner, to which someone in the front shouted “alright goddammit play ball!!!” after the song wrapped - it was his Dad. 🫠 The deceased had a chalky appearance (open casket) & there was a Joker playing card placed above his heart. Weirdest funeral I’ve been to, & I’ve been to more than most (large Deep Southern family).
Nils Skirnir 1 year ago
Yeah. Son of South Carolinians here. Funerals are big events down there. Used to be even bigger before they paved all the roads.
#81
Not crazy, but I guess strange but during my grandmothers funeral last year, the topic wasn't my grandmother. At least not by some family members. They began mentioning me, stuff about my life, car, a job, some girl I got busy with (by some strange miracle). It was like bullying style. I'm not usually confrontational and I was caught off guard by it. It kept going until another invite there told them to drop the subject and that it was disrespectful.
ucp 1 year ago
At my grandfather’s funeral, the conversation was all about me and my future progeny. I was 21, and at university. We have an unusual surname, and my grandfather was the only one (of four boys) to have a son. My father had just one son, me. So the talk at the funeral was about me providing make heirs. Even to the point of referring to a family trust. Massively disrespectful. I’m now nearly fifty, and my wife and I agreed, when we got together shortly after this funeral, not to have children. I’ve never seen a penny from any family trust.
What do you think ?
Stephanie Did It 1 year ago
I'm the one who caused the mystery at my FIL's funeral. He had a lifelong habit of tucking a toothpick above one ear. I chose a quiet moment when no one was paying attention to linger at the open casket just long enough to tuck a fresh toothpick over his ear, and gradually the room buzzed with everyone wondering how it appeared since clearly the funeral home hadn't put it there. It will always be my little secret.
Fussy1 1 year ago
Not going to be your little secret for long 'Stephanie Did It'!. Lol
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Vanessa MacKenzie 1 year ago
which one of the actual funny not awkward parts of the funeral stories would you like us to reinact? 😁
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The Starsong Princess 1 year ago (edited)
I have a few - when the minister started prating at my aunt’s funeral and everyone bowed their head, my five year old niece said loudly “what are you all looking at?” Our whole row burst out laughing. My aunt would have thought that was hilarious. The second one - My cousin had these two old aunties, Aggie and Jane, on the other side of her family that I would see every five years or so. Jane passed away when I was away at school. But, a few years later at my grandmother’s, I saw Jane come in. I said to my cousin “I thought your Auntie Jane passed away?” My cousin said “No, that’s Auntie Aggie. She’s wearing Jane’s wig. She said it’s a perfectly good wig with lots of wear left in it.” This struck us as hilarious and we laughed so hard that my mother told us to leave the room and compose ourselves before the service started
Trisec Tebeakesse 1 year ago
I became a superhero at a funeral. It was a dozen years ago now, for my Great-Uncle Ray. He was the last living veteran of WWII in the family, and also the only Eagle Scout, BSA. (Until my son earned it a few years later.) In any case, during the wake, I experienced growing abdominal pain. I was not missing the funeral, so I went the next day in a miserable state. I went directly to the hospital afterwards. I self-diagnosed Appendicitis, but did not know the root cause. In any case, something in my Uncle must have morphed into me - because it turned out to be Stage III Colon cancer. I obviously survived (and still in fine health), but my superpower now is that I beat cancer.
Littlemiss 1 year ago (edited)
My husband's younger brother died. As the siblings went to scatter their brothers ashes a huge gust of wind blew out of nowhere on what was a calm still day. The ashes up everywhere, they were coated in them. Both siblings were gagging and choking on the ashes. It was my brother in laws last practical joke on them they figured. He went out as he lived, recklessly.
Steve Hall 1 year ago
I grew up a country boy and learned very young that the best fights can be seen at funerals. Always think before you speak because there is always someone nearby that doesn't like you.
Papa 1 year ago
The only weird one I can think of was at the funeral for a young man who had died in an automobile accident, leaving behind a wife and three small children. One of the widow's uncles asked her if he was texting her when driving, and if that had caused the accident.
Cecil 1 year ago
How can ppl be so clueless? This should have resulted in Uncle being committed
Load More Replies... Sharkfin6 1 year ago
I hope this text box is big enough. I just need to get this out. My very average, loving fiance has this completely BONKERS list of demands for his funeral. Some of those demands include, but are not limited to, and are subject to change and increase is dramatics: handing out little trinkets to guests containing a mini- ouija board with a note saying "lets keep in touch"; hiring a couple of actors to come in mid-service and stand ominously at the back of the room wearing long trench coats, dark sunglasses and fedoras, saying nothing to anyone; being laid FACE DOWN in his casket so that anyone that disliked him can have the opportunity to kiss his rear one last time; have all his friends go up to make speeches telling wild, embellished stories about all the wild times they spent together and ending with "i cannot believe this BIOTCH had the AUDACITY TO JUST UP AND DI3 LIKE THAT"; his casket is to have a confetti canon activate once it's lowered into the ground.
Bethany J 1 year ago
These are all fantastic ideas. The being laid face down part might be my favourite
Load More Replies...
Stardust she/her 1 year ago
In Hindu culture we mourn the dead for 13 days. One of my great uncles died and towards the end of the 13 days we went to visit his family and everyone were so normal as if nothing had changed. Some people were in fact talking about how they didn’t like the way he spoke with them back when he was alive
Lee Banks 1 year ago (edited)
I have a sister that is not allowed to sit next to me, during funerals. We make everyone laugh for the people we love. Last time, we threw grapes at the head of the guy who was making it about himself. Edit: We are grown. It was deserved. We'd had other behavior, at previous funerals. Both deceased persons would have approved. The only reason we can't sit next to each other is every other person that loves the departed laughs, too.
Becky Scherer 1 year ago
Close friend of my husband (he was supposed to stand up in our wedding, but sadly passed before). He was a civil war reenacter so they set off a blank on a small cannon afterward. Set off car alarms in the neighborhood. He would have laughed so hard.
Mi So 1 year ago
My great aunt asked my parents to handle her affairs for her, after her passing. One task was to take her ashes back to where her parents are buried, to be buried with them. My parents took on the long road trip, & had arranged with a minister to do the burial when they got there. The time came & they were standing graveside, just them & the cemetery workers, waiting….and waiting….just waiting & not knowing what to do because no minister. He had gone to the wrong cemetery, only realizing his error when he couldn’t find an open grave, or my parents. He was horribly embarrassed when he finally arrived at the correct location. Fortunately, another of my great aunt’s requests was no funeral, and only my parents at her burial, so all was fine. But I’m sure that minister never made that mistake again!!
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
Went to a colleague's sister's funeral. The pastor grinned the whole way through the service. Found it disrespectful. At the commiseration in the church hall after my dad's funeral, my dad's sister asked my mother for his clothes. She wanted to give them to some guy in her retirement home. My mom was gobsmacked.
Ivy at Eve 7 months ago (edited)
Years ago, when I was still young and innocent, a drama happened in our village. A 2 year old boy was run over by his father in a tractor, he had not seen that his little boy had run to him. During the funeral, the priest went on and on and on how this was a punisment of God.... On a lighter note, on her death bed, my grandmother explicitly told her kids (especially the daughters) that she didn't want a wreath. The first thing her daughters did... exactly, because that was what you did. There was another wreath from her sister (with early onset dementia). The 2 wreaths leaned against a hedge, the one from the sister at the edge. They were on top of a small hill and somehow, the one her daughters ordered rolled downhill. No gust or wind and to this day, I'm convinced my grandmother had a hand in it. Still smile at the image of the undertaker running after it.
Skadi Lifdis 1 year ago
At my grandpa's funeral: first off, the mortician did a terrible makeup job, so grandpa was green. Everyone had told my young cousin he was just sleeping before the funeral but she was bright enough to know it was a funeral and asked our older cousin when was grandpa going to die. She told her "Oh sweetie, Grandpa already died" to which she started bawling. After she calmed down, she slowly walked up to the casket, stood there for a moment, and then reached out and poked him in the cheek. She looked back with a huge grin and shouted "Hey! He's kinda squishy!" and poked him again. The entire church started loudly sobbing, as our cousin rushed up to get her and I slunked down trying my best not to laugh. The rest of the funeral was terrible - the priest skipped whole sections of verses in the eulogy and seemed like he'd rather be anywhere besides there.
Uncle Schmickle 1 year ago
My Dad had a great sense of humour. My mate has a crazy sense of humour. As we drove into the cemetery for Dad's funeral, my mate played bells ringing from his phone and called out " bring out your dead ". If you're a Monty Python fan, you'll know the scene this refers to ! We all had a good laugh, especially the cemetery manager who WAS a Monty Python fan. Dad would have loved it.
Kimberly Herbert 1 year ago
BG: My sister and I were raised Catholic. Dad's family was mostly Episcopal. So various services we went to for them (Weddings, Baptisms, Confirmations, Funerals) had a somewhat familiar pattern. Well my Aunt's MIL passed and we went to her Baptist Funeral. My sister and I genuflected as we entered the pew. Got slapped by the women behind us. The preacher saw it and got there before our parents. Parents were talking to family members and we were told to go sit by our cousin on the family row. The preacher got there before our parents, Aunt and Uncle. He wouldn't accept their excuse that we had been "disrespectful". He told them to leave right then. Found out later this was a last straw situation and the women were actually kicked out of the church congregation.
Lene 1 year ago
My paternal grandma was very fond of smoking and drinking. Not an alcoholic but did like her little morning drink and was never shy to try out a new whiskey or brandy. At her wake there was no alcohol at all. It broke my heart for her because I know that she'd have wanted us to at least have a beer. Instead there was coffee and sodas. My bf and I drove to his sister's place (5min drive) and then I had a beer and finally I calmed down. My maternal grandma died of cancer but kept telling everybody that it was going fine and she expected to come home from the hospital any time. Her siblings sat there, at her funeral, in total chock because they all thought it was going fine with her and *boom* she died. The wake? I got a can of Christmas beer in my bonusdad's van with him and my mom. Nobody had arranged for a wake after the funeral because it's a broken family and everybody hates everybody. So for me, the wake was in a van. Smh.
Joy 1 year ago
My dad's side of the family is super religious. My aunt died and even though she was super religious as well, she was a very, very open minded and liberal one. She had her pastor oversee her funeral. Her pastor is a lesbian and brought her wife with her. When my uncle went up to speak a few words about my aunt, he decided to warn everybody about the end of times. Fun stuff!
Mila Sliacka 1 year ago
Just came across this article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12753389/amp/Drunk-priest-barely-able-stand-overseeing-funeral-stillborn-child-devastated-relatives-fined-Polish-police.html TLDR: drunk priest fell asleep during funeral.
Stephanie Did It 1 year ago
I'm the one who caused the mystery at my FIL's funeral. He had a lifelong habit of tucking a toothpick above one ear. I chose a quiet moment when no one was paying attention to linger at the open casket just long enough to tuck a fresh toothpick over his ear, and gradually the room buzzed with everyone wondering how it appeared since clearly the funeral home hadn't put it there. It will always be my little secret.
Fussy1 1 year ago
Not going to be your little secret for long 'Stephanie Did It'!. Lol
Load More Replies... Vanessa MacKenzie 1 year ago
which one of the actual funny not awkward parts of the funeral stories would you like us to reinact? 😁
Load More Replies... The Starsong Princess 1 year ago (edited)
I have a few - when the minister started prating at my aunt’s funeral and everyone bowed their head, my five year old niece said loudly “what are you all looking at?” Our whole row burst out laughing. My aunt would have thought that was hilarious. The second one - My cousin had these two old aunties, Aggie and Jane, on the other side of her family that I would see every five years or so. Jane passed away when I was away at school. But, a few years later at my grandmother’s, I saw Jane come in. I said to my cousin “I thought your Auntie Jane passed away?” My cousin said “No, that’s Auntie Aggie. She’s wearing Jane’s wig. She said it’s a perfectly good wig with lots of wear left in it.” This struck us as hilarious and we laughed so hard that my mother told us to leave the room and compose ourselves before the service started
Trisec Tebeakesse 1 year ago
I became a superhero at a funeral. It was a dozen years ago now, for my Great-Uncle Ray. He was the last living veteran of WWII in the family, and also the only Eagle Scout, BSA. (Until my son earned it a few years later.) In any case, during the wake, I experienced growing abdominal pain. I was not missing the funeral, so I went the next day in a miserable state. I went directly to the hospital afterwards. I self-diagnosed Appendicitis, but did not know the root cause. In any case, something in my Uncle must have morphed into me - because it turned out to be Stage III Colon cancer. I obviously survived (and still in fine health), but my superpower now is that I beat cancer.
Littlemiss 1 year ago (edited)
My husband's younger brother died. As the siblings went to scatter their brothers ashes a huge gust of wind blew out of nowhere on what was a calm still day. The ashes up everywhere, they were coated in them. Both siblings were gagging and choking on the ashes. It was my brother in laws last practical joke on them they figured. He went out as he lived, recklessly.
Steve Hall 1 year ago
I grew up a country boy and learned very young that the best fights can be seen at funerals. Always think before you speak because there is always someone nearby that doesn't like you.
Papa 1 year ago
The only weird one I can think of was at the funeral for a young man who had died in an automobile accident, leaving behind a wife and three small children. One of the widow's uncles asked her if he was texting her when driving, and if that had caused the accident.
Cecil 1 year ago
How can ppl be so clueless? This should have resulted in Uncle being committed
Load More Replies... Sharkfin6 1 year ago
I hope this text box is big enough. I just need to get this out. My very average, loving fiance has this completely BONKERS list of demands for his funeral. Some of those demands include, but are not limited to, and are subject to change and increase is dramatics: handing out little trinkets to guests containing a mini- ouija board with a note saying "lets keep in touch"; hiring a couple of actors to come in mid-service and stand ominously at the back of the room wearing long trench coats, dark sunglasses and fedoras, saying nothing to anyone; being laid FACE DOWN in his casket so that anyone that disliked him can have the opportunity to kiss his rear one last time; have all his friends go up to make speeches telling wild, embellished stories about all the wild times they spent together and ending with "i cannot believe this BIOTCH had the AUDACITY TO JUST UP AND DI3 LIKE THAT"; his casket is to have a confetti canon activate once it's lowered into the ground.
Bethany J 1 year ago
These are all fantastic ideas. The being laid face down part might be my favourite
Load More Replies... Stardust she/her 1 year ago
In Hindu culture we mourn the dead for 13 days. One of my great uncles died and towards the end of the 13 days we went to visit his family and everyone were so normal as if nothing had changed. Some people were in fact talking about how they didn’t like the way he spoke with them back when he was alive
Lee Banks 1 year ago (edited)
I have a sister that is not allowed to sit next to me, during funerals. We make everyone laugh for the people we love. Last time, we threw grapes at the head of the guy who was making it about himself. Edit: We are grown. It was deserved. We'd had other behavior, at previous funerals. Both deceased persons would have approved. The only reason we can't sit next to each other is every other person that loves the departed laughs, too.
Becky Scherer 1 year ago
Close friend of my husband (he was supposed to stand up in our wedding, but sadly passed before). He was a civil war reenacter so they set off a blank on a small cannon afterward. Set off car alarms in the neighborhood. He would have laughed so hard.
Mi So 1 year ago
My great aunt asked my parents to handle her affairs for her, after her passing. One task was to take her ashes back to where her parents are buried, to be buried with them. My parents took on the long road trip, & had arranged with a minister to do the burial when they got there. The time came & they were standing graveside, just them & the cemetery workers, waiting….and waiting….just waiting & not knowing what to do because no minister. He had gone to the wrong cemetery, only realizing his error when he couldn’t find an open grave, or my parents. He was horribly embarrassed when he finally arrived at the correct location. Fortunately, another of my great aunt’s requests was no funeral, and only my parents at her burial, so all was fine. But I’m sure that minister never made that mistake again!!
T'Mar of Vulcan 1 year ago
Went to a colleague's sister's funeral. The pastor grinned the whole way through the service. Found it disrespectful. At the commiseration in the church hall after my dad's funeral, my dad's sister asked my mother for his clothes. She wanted to give them to some guy in her retirement home. My mom was gobsmacked.
Ivy at Eve 7 months ago (edited)
Years ago, when I was still young and innocent, a drama happened in our village. A 2 year old boy was run over by his father in a tractor, he had not seen that his little boy had run to him. During the funeral, the priest went on and on and on how this was a punisment of God.... On a lighter note, on her death bed, my grandmother explicitly told her kids (especially the daughters) that she didn't want a wreath. The first thing her daughters did... exactly, because that was what you did. There was another wreath from her sister (with early onset dementia). The 2 wreaths leaned against a hedge, the one from the sister at the edge. They were on top of a small hill and somehow, the one her daughters ordered rolled downhill. No gust or wind and to this day, I'm convinced my grandmother had a hand in it. Still smile at the image of the undertaker running after it.
Skadi Lifdis 1 year ago
At my grandpa's funeral: first off, the mortician did a terrible makeup job, so grandpa was green. Everyone had told my young cousin he was just sleeping before the funeral but she was bright enough to know it was a funeral and asked our older cousin when was grandpa going to die. She told her "Oh sweetie, Grandpa already died" to which she started bawling. After she calmed down, she slowly walked up to the casket, stood there for a moment, and then reached out and poked him in the cheek. She looked back with a huge grin and shouted "Hey! He's kinda squishy!" and poked him again. The entire church started loudly sobbing, as our cousin rushed up to get her and I slunked down trying my best not to laugh. The rest of the funeral was terrible - the priest skipped whole sections of verses in the eulogy and seemed like he'd rather be anywhere besides there.
Uncle Schmickle 1 year ago
My Dad had a great sense of humour. My mate has a crazy sense of humour. As we drove into the cemetery for Dad's funeral, my mate played bells ringing from his phone and called out " bring out your dead ". If you're a Monty Python fan, you'll know the scene this refers to ! We all had a good laugh, especially the cemetery manager who WAS a Monty Python fan. Dad would have loved it.
Kimberly Herbert 1 year ago
BG: My sister and I were raised Catholic. Dad's family was mostly Episcopal. So various services we went to for them (Weddings, Baptisms, Confirmations, Funerals) had a somewhat familiar pattern. Well my Aunt's MIL passed and we went to her Baptist Funeral. My sister and I genuflected as we entered the pew. Got slapped by the women behind us. The preacher saw it and got there before our parents. Parents were talking to family members and we were told to go sit by our cousin on the family row. The preacher got there before our parents, Aunt and Uncle. He wouldn't accept their excuse that we had been "disrespectful". He told them to leave right then. Found out later this was a last straw situation and the women were actually kicked out of the church congregation.
Lene 1 year ago
My paternal grandma was very fond of smoking and drinking. Not an alcoholic but did like her little morning drink and was never shy to try out a new whiskey or brandy. At her wake there was no alcohol at all. It broke my heart for her because I know that she'd have wanted us to at least have a beer. Instead there was coffee and sodas. My bf and I drove to his sister's place (5min drive) and then I had a beer and finally I calmed down. My maternal grandma died of cancer but kept telling everybody that it was going fine and she expected to come home from the hospital any time. Her siblings sat there, at her funeral, in total chock because they all thought it was going fine with her and *boom* she died. The wake? I got a can of Christmas beer in my bonusdad's van with him and my mom. Nobody had arranged for a wake after the funeral because it's a broken family and everybody hates everybody. So for me, the wake was in a van. Smh.
Joy 1 year ago
My dad's side of the family is super religious. My aunt died and even though she was super religious as well, she was a very, very open minded and liberal one. She had her pastor oversee her funeral. Her pastor is a lesbian and brought her wife with her. When my uncle went up to speak a few words about my aunt, he decided to warn everybody about the end of times. Fun stuff!
Mila Sliacka 1 year ago
Just came across this article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12753389/amp/Drunk-priest-barely-able-stand-overseeing-funeral-stillborn-child-devastated-relatives-fined-Polish-police.html TLDR: drunk priest fell asleep during funeral.
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