Are you an obituary reader?

[siouxi31]

My friends and family make fun of me all the time because I'm a daily obituary reader. I'm pretty much the town crier those who have died.
The 2nd thing I do in the morning is go online to read the obituaries in our newspaper and then check a popular home-town funeral home's website to see if anyone I know died.
Maybe it has to do with my father dying when I was so young. He was a business man in town and his funeral was one of the largest that funeral home had ever seen. I feel obligated to pay my respects to the families of those who have died.
If I don't read the obituaries daily, I feel as if I'm doing a disservice to those who died.
Does anyone else have this quirky obsession and do you get made fun of for it?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I do skim the obits in the Herald each day. I am always amazed at how many are young, like 60 and less (scary when one is 61, LOL).

 

[siouxi31]

I can't tell you how many Dan Murphy's I found in the Trib. When I see your name I check to see if it was my neighbor (also a Dan Murphy) and I go directly to the Disboards to make sure it's not you! Your name has caused some heart palpitations.

 

[goofy4tink]

I do, and have for many years. But now I just say I have to read them to get a 'heads up' in case someone that would use my particular church for a funeral dies. I'm the altar guild directress, so head up all funeral stuff at the church. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I am. I have been since I was a kid. A sick obsession, I guess.

About 15 years ago, I dated a guy who was a "mama's boy." It was driving me crazy. I remember telling my mom about it, and how bad it was. His mom was 73 at the time. My mom said "Don't worry, she can't live forever" Meaning, we were young (or at least was, he was 12 years older than me) and eventually, some YEAR she wouldn't be around any longer.

A few days later, I was reading the obits, and I yelled out to my mom "THEY CAN LIVE FOREVER!!!" The obit was of a 75 yo old woman, she was SURVIVED by her 101 yo MOTHER! It was the WRONG time in my life to read that! LOL

We moved on, and I am happy to say, his mom is STILL here. She moved out to be with him in Seattle a couple of years ago, after a few years of being estranged from him. He finally discovered a backbone. I think she is 88, turning 89 in April.

 

[goofy4tink]

I can't tell you how many Dan Murphy's I found in the Trib. When I see your name I check to see if it was my neighbor (also a Dan Murphy) and I go directly to the Disboards to make sure it's not you! Your name has caused some heart palpitations.

Maybe Dan could add a 'Q' as his middle name..not very common and you could be sure if it was, or wasn't, him!!!! Dan Q. Murphy...has a certain elan to it, don't you think Dan??

 

[noseybuddy]

I don't buy the newspaper that often, but when I do, I read that section. I think it must have something to do with age. When I was younger I never bothered to look. Now getting older I do.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I can't tell you how many Dan Murphy's I found in the Trib. When I see your name I check to see if it was my neighbor (also a Dan Murphy) and I go directly to the Disboards to make sure it's not you! Your name has caused some heart palpitations.

My clock is running. Read the Herald, less names, LOL.

Good idea there, Diane, I will change the J (Joseph) to Q (maybe Quinn, or Quigley)

 

[mommy22gurlz]

Yay I'm not crazy!! I do this every single morning...all my friends are like "your morbid girl get a grip!" But the first thing I do at work is grab my coffee and get on the obits page of our newspaper!

I'm 31 but you'd be surprised at who I find in there that I knew at one point in my life, or so in so's grandma or father is in there. You just never know! One of my coworkers, an older guy tells me he checks it daily to make sure he's not in there!

Thanks guys for knowing I'm not alone with this little crazy obsession of mine!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I read them daily in the local paper. I do home health and often see my patients names there.

I also read the large obits in the Baltimore paper. Some people have led really interesting lives.

 

[tevagirl]

I'm a obituary closet reader. Kept it a secret for years. I thought there was something wrong with me!

 

[bettyann29]

Im also a closet reader!

I always kinda thought it was morbid, but Im drawn to that section of the paper every time I read it.. I like reading about everyone and the highlights of their life..

 

[jonestavern]

Yep, I read the obits & have since I was a teen.
I read them for the biographical info. Some folks have led fantastically interesting lives. It really makes me reflect upon my own life--

Have you noticed the difference in content from state to state or city to city?
for example, here in NH, we'll give a lot of personnal info--favorite pastimes, characteristics--loved to babysit her grandchildren, enjoyed Sunday drives etc, sometimes,in a memorial article, a short description of the funeral --
but no cause of death. In RI, generally, that personnal info is not as elaborated upon & most of the time, the cause of death is given or referred to (as in case of suicide the obit will often read, died 'suddenly' or 'unexpectedly')--

well, it's an 'I'm here' thing, too!
cheese 'n' crackers, once I slid down the other side of 45, the confirmation thing definitly became a factor

I like the 'Q' idea! Quentin, Quinn(as in "The Mighty..."), Quackers--tribute to Donald--, Quincy ?????

Still kicking-
Jean

 

[sjh801]

I do. My mom always did it and we kidded her about it sometimes. But she was the one that everyone counted on to tell them the news. When she began losing her sight I made sure to check them for her in both the Pittsburgh paper and in our local weekly one. Now I check them online daily.

It is true that different areas and different funeral directors write different kinds of obituaries/notices. I remember that my sister and I laughed when we read some in Hawaii and they listed "aloha wear acceptable". Maybe we should have said "Steeler Wear preferred" for my Mom.

 

[gradtchr]

I read them everday as well and on once occassion have been able to make the funerals of a good friend from high school whose notice was only in on the day of the service.

There was one obit that stands out and I hate to say but I laughed so hard at it and still do thinking back. The lady had several children who had restaurants in the area and the obituary turned into a huge commercial for these restaurants. I kid you not it had the daily lunch specials listed, with a note at the bottom all restaurants will be closed the day of the funeral out of respect to our mom. Now anytime we drive by these locations we just LOL.

 

[Disney Ella]

I read them too! My favorite was this man who had worked in advertising in twenty years. After being in a serious car accident, he decided he really didn't like advertising and life was too short to do something he didn't like. So he went to clown college and worked as a clown for a few years - with his wife's blessing! After that, he and his wife opened a gift shop for a few years, then he moved on to something else after that. Now there was a man who wasn't afraid to take a chance!

Another one that has really stuck with me is one for a woman in her seventies. The only information about her life or accomplishments was "Her family said she was a good cook." I just thought that was very sad. You live for 70+ years and all people can say about you is that you were a good cook.

 

[Disney Doll]

I read them every day. I am a nurse, so I look for patients that i have cared for.

I also look for the names of folks I know personally...at 43(almost 44) I am sad to say that I have gone to too many funerals for my contemporaries...cancer seems to be taking people younger and younger. I also look for the names of parents of my contemporaries. At 44, most of our parents are getting into at least their mid-60's(if they had children young) and can be as old as mid/late-80's (if they had children later in life). My own parents are nearing 80, but healthy, thank God.

And I agree that i like to know so I can go and pay my respects. I remember how comforting it was when my D-in-laws died to have people come to the wake and tell us how they had affected their lives. Makes you realize that none of us live in vain, and what is a little thing to you may be huge to someone else.

 

[vald1977]

Yep, I read them everyday. Glad to know I'm not the only one.

 

[tiggerlover]

Yes, I read the obituaries every day, have been doing so since I was a teen.

 

[Stitchfans]

I don't read the obits. I am the horoscope reader. Fascinates me how they can be so accurate sometimes.