Miscellaneous Forum

Tonight I switched day and night shifts so I could go to the memorial service of an old friend, I expected the usual clergy thing followed by a quiet reception. I am talking about mid 80's couple here, the memorial service was a catered food event with beer, wine, and gin and tonics. All of her friends who loved her together (she died 6 months ago so not alot of grieving going on)no "service" just a grand celebration of this wonderful womans life. That is the way I want to go..,a keg of guinness and happiness.

Oh yes me too Ellen! I certainly don't want anyone to wear black. And I would like my 'happy' music in the background and everyone remembering the good times :o)

'with beer, wine, and gin and tonics'. Seriously ?

Never witness such memorial over here but if one pass away of old age, it seems to be a 'happy' type of service conducted by the immediate family. But with beer etc, it sounds happier I guess. I hope this won't encourage unnecessarily ; ))

I will come with cigars instead of flower, Ellen ('touch-wood').

When my maternal grandfather, whom we were extremely close to, passed away four years ago, the service was mostly traditional, except: a)he was late to his own funeral! He had decided to be cremated, which goes against Catholic norms, so my grandma had to get special papers signed to have the ashes included in the service at the church... and it turned out they didn't get it done in time, so they had an empty urn on the altar; my sister, cousin, aunt and I all almost cracked up at the same time, when they started playing "Ava Maria" -- after the ceremony was over, we were talking about how we all had thought about Thanksgivings past, when we would start the holiday season by listening to the (first) Barbara Streisand Christmas album, and he would always say during AM "For a Jewish girl she sure sings this well!" After the service, we all went to hall where his Knights of Columbus group usually met, and a few guys had Guinnesses in his honor, but the best part was everyone talking about him and all the delightful quirks in our family.

When our best friend was killed in a car accident, many years ago, he had this positively ghastly funeral that reflected nothing about an incredible young man who'd been so impossibly full of life. After the service, those dozen or so closest to him gathered at the country farmhouse he and his wife has been renting, emptied the barn of everything burnable (even tore down part of a fence) and built a HUGE bonfire. We kept it burning until sunrise - playing his favorite music, toasting him with many beers and sharing our fondest memories, laughs and tears. It was the send-off we knew he would have preferred, and we were sure he was smiling down on us from wherever he was!

This reminds me of the funeral for my dear cousin who passed way too early (in her fifties). Carol was a special person and so full of life and fun to be with. The day of her funeral, after Mass, the priest was remembering Carol and what a wonderful and fun person she was and then told us that she had a special request. He excused himself for a minute and went to the side of the chapel to do something. All of a sudden polka music was playing and the priest started dancing around the altar. At first we didn't know what to think, but then we all started clapping to the music. I'm sure Carol was smiling down on us.

me, i want family only as in just 4. i came into the world alone and want to go out alone.
that being said my hubby has said already what he wants to do with my ashes, he wants to make them into a clay pidgeon target to he can literally shoot the *** out of me..... haha knowing him he would actually hit me.

so a clay pidgeon target im destined to be........

LOL!