How old were you when you attended your first funeral...

[Blueberry]

I was13 or 14 years old and it was my uncle's Mom..No relation, he was an uncle by marriage......

 

[CyranoJones]

I was two years old and it was my father's funeral. I've been to more funerals for family and friends than I care to remember.

 

[cati]

o

 

[newholiday]

I remember attending my cousins when I was 11. She was 10

DS attended the wakes & funerals for both his grandfathers at the ages of 2 and 4

 

[RoyalCanadian]

My first funeral was my Grandmother's -- I was 8 years old and got to miss the first day of Grade 3. The next one of which I have any memory was my father's -- I was 15 and was excused from writing Grade 11 exams.

I'm now a Lutheran minister and I've conducted about 100 memorial services or funerals in just over 10 years of ministry. Whoever said "They don't get any easier" hit the nail on the head. I have conducted two funerals for a child -- Matthew was stillborn yet perfect in every way. That was the hardest funeral I ever had to do -- I was bawling my eyes out in the pulpit, and I will thank God in heaven if I never have to put another one of those coffins into the ground again. The second child was allegedly killed by her mother in the womb -- but the mother still had to suffer through induced labour. All of that said, however, I would much rather conduct 10 funerals than 1 wedding. Trust me -- the emotions are much more genuine at a funeral and people are much more appreciative of the work of the clergy at funerals.

 

[Pugdog007]

I was 7 and a child in my class died of leukemia. I will never forget him in a casket, surrounded by stuffed animals.

I had nightmares for a long time afterwards.

 

[slo]

I was 9 and my DB was 2. It was my grandfathers funeral and I will never forget it.

 

[lucysdad]

I was around 18 when a friend died in a motorcycle wreck, the next one wasn't until my mom passed when I was when I was 35, then my dad when I was 45. However, my dd went to her first funeral the day after we brought her home from the hospital. My wife's good friend tried to hold on in her fight with stomach cancer so she could meet Lucy before she died. She died the morning of her birth and Lucy was two days old at her funeral. We're pretty sure she still got to see her that day.

 

[phillybeth]

I was 6. It was my brother's funeral- he was 4. I remember my whole first grade class in the church during the mass. Two weeks later my grandfather passed away. My poor dad, within two weeks he lost his son and his father.
In my family everyone goes to the church, but the viewing/wake and the graveside service is for adults and teens only. My first viewing was my mom's dad, I was 11 and the youngest there.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

16 and it was for my father.The preacher was also the father of a close friend and my bf at the time was there.I still can not go into a graveyard to this day or go into a hospital(I can handy the lobby and gift shop,just can't go into a room half the time).