I love obituaries.
Well, I don't really love them per se--I just love finding cool stuff in there when I'm perusing all the dead folk's names. There is just something important about listing in that wee space something about you that makes you stand out from the crowd. I mean, we all go to work, have accomplishments, and have brothers and sisters and other endless relatives to list--but I think you have to list the quirky stuff that makes you YOU. Does that make sense?
Take my new hero, Mary Bonfield Corbett--
She sounds like a nice enough lady, one that was accomplished and successful in her job. It is the second part of that sentence that wins me: She "became a passionate bagpiper". I love that. Who the heck can say that about their life? Not many, that's for sure. And it's so off -the-wall, it made me smile. And crack up. Damn! I want to learn the bagpipes so someone can say that about ME! It's just so hilarious.
And it made me turn to Joe and Em and make them promise that when they go to write my obituary, they will put something cool in there. I want them to write something that makes all those wacky obituary-reading folks out there stop and laugh. And make them wonder about ME and what kinda nut I was. I think that is how you should go out--all fun-like and not all sad and crying and stuff.
Those darn obituaries are a buggar--you only have so much space in which your loved ones get to write about who you were and what you did with the short time that you were on this good green earth. Why waste it on the boring? I say, let's put in the wacky stuff like "she could pinch with her toes" or "he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket". Those are the things we remember about our loved ones anyway, right? Well, I certainly hope so because that is what makes me ME and not some other boring corpse.
Mary Bonfield Corbett not only rocked the bagpipes, but she rocked the obituaries as well.
30 comments:
Oh, my. So early in the morning and you've got me thinking I need to re=write my obituary. But what could I say?
That is so true. I never thought about obituaries before. That is all so true. It is so good to bring smiles to people's faces and if the obituary can do that, all the better. Good post. Take care.
I love the idea of adding a little extra spice to our obituaries! I need to think of something and make sure my kids follow through. Although now that I think about it, I suspect the two of them might just do it on their own.
Here is what they could say about you, "She was a friend to all...including froggies and 47 lbs of stripey goodness..... LOL ;)
Love it! I always read the obits...have since I was a kid.Is that weird?
Looks like I need to read the obits more often. :-) Fun stuff there.
Another unsung hero. That's sad.
Celebrate that she was not an indifferent piper.
Chuck's comment-- bwahahaha!!!!!
I love the bagpipes. I mourn the loss of another passionate player. Aye, the clan!
I too read the obits every day. So many interesting people you never got to meet. Ans absolutely, "devoted daughter, wife, mother..." doesn't say half as much as "volunteer clown at the local half-way house".
I am totally with you on that! Why blend in with all the rest of the dear departed, when one can stand out and be noticed! And....if you can make someone smile while reading your obituary...well that is just the best!
Hmmmm?...here ya go Lin. This could be the start of your obit...
Aaahhhh! Life S-U-C-K-S with out her!
Wen
Babe - you rock the marimba placing
I haven't read the obits in awhile but maybe I should start back up again! Wonder if anyone ever mentions they are off to see the Happy Raccoon Village!
Do you think they buried her in a plaid lined casket?
I loved this post.. Makes you remember all the stories out there that we never know.. Even in our own families.. Yeah, I think I could be a bagpipe player..
I may have to pick up a paper tomorrow to peruse the obituaries. Right after that I'm going to sit down and write a list of fun stuff my kids can put into mine when I go
I think everyone's obituary should say more about them than who survives them and how long they lived. I too love how she loved to bagpipe.
Thanks for your note. It's following my last blog.
I gotta say, it would be hard to top master bagpiper. I better get working on those quirky accomplishments, so there is something to write when my time comes!
I like that idea of including something funny or unusual so it's not just boring like all the rest.
I got one for your obit...
Had a penchant for cement ducks dressed up in finery.
Lmao!
Lin Kautz loving wife , mother and one foot toe pincher until corective surgery ended that couldn't make the transition to the other foot but tried valantly . but the bright side was the new straighten toe improved her lap times at the pool . lol
This is exactly the reason I have always described my dad as a good cross between Crocodile Dundee and Yosemite Sam.
Vanilla--I think you can use the one you have, but just insert "naked" in there every so often. That's a guaranteed crack up. Your welcome.
Marg--Wouldn't the obituaries be so much more fun to read if we all posted what we wanted the world to know about us? And we listed all the fun stuff? I think so. :)
Violet--Gosh, I hope my family does. Although they may be more concerned with the fact that they are totally screwed after I leave this earth. I'm the only one who knows where stuff is around here.
A.Marie--Yeah, and could we add something about liking a good vodka gimlet too?
Melodie--I do too! That's where I find this stuff! Let me know if you see any good ones by you.
Diane--There is! You just have to look for it. Isn't the bagpipe thing wacky??
Chuck--Isn't that great? A "passionate bagpiper". Wow. I like that. :)
Rebecca--I love bagpipes too! Maybe I will learn after the kids leave home. :)
Grace--I sorta like "stirred up the PTA and the school board on a regular basis" or "made a damn good meatloaf". I'm gonna start making notes...
Hot Rocks--Who doesn't want to make people laugh? I'm gonna start a campaign to make obituaries fun!
Wen--Yeah!! And then you are gonna laugh and laugh.... :D
Pricilla--Yeah, but I don't want to do that again next year. Maybe I can write "she pushed a marimba, but she complained about it so much they didn't ask her the following year." That would be good! Hee! Hee!
Beaded Tail--"Internment is at Happy Raccoon Village" :D I kinda like that! Hee! Hee!
Diana--I wonder?! I'm sure they had pipes playing her out, right?
Shauni--Can you imagine the funeral or the memorial service if we put in hilarious facts about the departed? I would think it would be a nice send off remembering all the funny stuff. I'd like to learn the pipes too--AND curling.
Ann--Me too. I'm sure there are going to be some eye rolls in our direction, Ann.
Marilynne--I know space is a premium, so why waste it on boring stuff. Put in the good stuff, I say! :D
DJ--I'm sure you have them already, it is just a matter of identifying them. Take for example "she made a mean meatloaf" or "loved to fold laundry". It doesn't have to be as dramatic as the bagpipes, but they could still be hilarious things to write.
Karen--Yep. Who wants to be boring??? NOBODY!
Lola--Ugh!! I hate those ducks!! How about "she talked to frogs"?? I tell mine "good morning, frogs" every single day.
Paul--Hahaha! I like that, Paul. Perhaps they could move you to the obituary writing job at the Trib!
Ratty--PERFECT! And then have those two photos in there next to his name. :)
I guess Canadian newspapers are different. There are obituaries that are two or three columns long. The more you pay, the longer you can write. I once saw a 4 column obituary about someone's cat. I love my cat but....
xo Catherine
Catherine--They do that here too--charge by the word. But I'm thinking those words are expensive here in Chicago because the obits are typically really small. That said, I think some well-chosen words can make the WORLD of a difference! I like the cat column, but like you, I don't have that much to say about the little guy.
I love to read the obits too and an constantly thinking about what mine would say. I would hope it says that I lived life to the fullest and died at 100+ years old :)
Okay, and here I thought you were drawing the link between her being a piper and dying of lung cancer. I thought that was uh, weird and sad. But I'm with you I'd like mine to be fun too so now I too have some thinking to do... :)
Jennifer--Well, I'm not so sure about the 100+ years, but I want it to say that I was fun!
Leanne--Oh NO!! :O I loved that she went and did something funky and fun in her life and became passionate about it. I LOVED that. I'm not laughing at her--just WITH her!
Mary Corbett was my aunt and her sister, my mother, somehow stumbled upon this blog post and shared it with me. I think I can speak for the entire family and Mary herself by saying that your post and thoughts would've tickled her immensely. What wasn't said in that too-short obituary is that Mary learned how to play the bagpipes at the unusual age of 48, an age many say is too old to learn such a difficult instrument. Not only did she learn how to play the pipes passionately, she went on to play in the esteemed Shannon Rovers and even founded another Chicago pipes band. My wife and I were very lucky to have Mary play the pipes at our wedding, as she had for many other cousins and relatives.
Thank you for spotting something in the "wee space" of Mary's obituary and interpreting it in a way that is so reflective of the positive, fun and—at times—wacky life that Mary lived. You nailed it!
John--Hi, pally! What a sweet note that you left me! I'm so glad to hear that our friend Mary was as fun as I imagined her to be by her obituary. I loved that her family honored her by writing of her extra-ordinary talent and her passion for something so fun. I'm sorry I didn't know Mary Bonfield Corbett because she certainly seemed like a hoot. I hope we did her justice here at the Duck and Wheel because we love people who are fun and love to laugh at things in this all-too-serious life. I am sorry for your loss, but glad we put a smile on your face during this difficult time.
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