Inspired by "gravesite photos".. Items in coffins..

[thatchicktrish]

this thread has made so so sad When my grandfather died back in 1991 I put a pair of Mr. Potato head glasses in with him...when I was about 1 year old he put a pair of those on me and it was a family joke that if you put those on a baby, he/she will wear glasses sometime later in childhood or that their vision will get bad. A few months after my 2nd Birthday, I had to get glasses, my vison turned very far-sighted. Everyone just continues on with that joke/belief that the potato head glasses doom you to bad vision. From the moment I got glasses on until he died, he called me 4 eyes, he wore glasses also so I called him 6 eyes. I thought the potato head glasses were fitting.

 

[C.Ann]

Although this thread has stirred up some sad memories for all of us, I think it's kind of "bittersweet" as well to hear all of the touching stories of who was buried with what..

I especially liked the Grandma who was covered with the family quilt.. Wish we had thought to cover my Grandma with one of the many, many quilts she had stitched by hand..

 

[CyranoJones]

We buried my mom with her favorite rosary beads, prayer book, and family photos. Actually today would have been her 75th birthday. Hard to believe she's been gone for 30 years.

Happy birthday, Mom!!

 

[Cindy B]

When my MIL passed away, my kids wrote her a card saying that they missed her. She had pictures of her with her grandkids, her kids, and as this sounds, it was her request that the urn of her dogs ashes (it was a small embroidered box, like a mini jeweler box) . Her dog had passed away a few years ago, and she kept the ashes.

There was also some personal momentos as well.

 

[dizneenut]

When my dad died, I put a pic of my 2 older DS's in the jacket pocket of his suit. He loved his grandbabies so much. I wish he would've lived to see my 2 younger DS's.

 

[cuterlt]

Before my dad died in 2000, I thought it was kinda wierd that people would put things in the casket. But when he died, he was cremated. We had the burial before the service because he was buried at the National Cemetary near us (about 60 miles away) and we couldn't have the service before the burial. Anyway, we had a little ceremony on my front lawn (my house was kind of on the way to the cemetary) and put things in the box his cremains were in. Each of us (6 kids and wife) put in something from us - I put in a deck of cards (he loved to play bridge and blackjack) and a fishing fly, and a letter. Other siblings put in pictures of their kids, and letters. Gosh I miss him. And I still remember with fondness the "ceremony" and how close it made me feel to my family.

 

[Mishetta]

My Mom was given a beautiful tree topper angel while she was ill with cancer. My Mom just loved that angel...no matter which room she was in, that angel had to be there. Once we had to set up the hospital bed in our formal diningroom, the angel was there also.

Anyway, my Mom passed away & during the days we had her viewing, this angel (which we still had at home) just kept falling from where ever we had it placed. No one would be in the room & this angel would fall to the floor (from a very secure spot).

It did that for all of us, including a cousin of mine who was staying at my house watching my kids while I was tending to funeral business. She would be in the next room & this angel would crash to the floor. We just thought that it wanted to be with my Mom or my Mom wanted this angel to be with her...so we brought it to the funeral home & placed it in Mom's casket, along with a satin heart shaped pillow I ordered from the florist in memory of her 2 grandsons.

At the cemetery, after they slid my Mom's casket into her crypt, I took 2 roses off her casket blanket & had them slipped into the drawer with her ~ again, in honor of her 2 grandsons.

 

[DebbieB]

My Dad died suddenly in 1993 at the age of 59. The night before his funeral, after viewing hours were over, my brother slipped some items under the blanket. Included was a Pittsburgh Steeler t-shirt, a Meadows Racing Forum for the next day (a local harness racing track he loved), his "lucky Meadows pencil" and a card.

 

[Mickey527]

My dad died last week. We put some pictures that his grandchildren drew, some photos and a flower to give to mom when he sees her in heaven.
When mom died three years ago we all put in a momento (picture, statue, etc..) but I know that all dad wanted was to be with mom so the flower for her is what he would want.
And just before he left this earth he began talking to someone, and not aware of me being in the room with him. I told him it was time to go to mom and he just quietly stopped breathing. So I am sure he is with mom and happy now. Peggie

 

[Chattyaholic]

My Grandfather died about 13 years ago, and I remember putting a couple Brach's pink wintergreen mints in his suit pocket because he always carried those in his pocket to give his grandchildren.

 

[Pooh's Pal]

When my better half passed, 8yrs.ago next month, his best friend put a Tunafish hook in his pocket, for the Big Tuna he never caught, but always dreamed of catching! (he worked in a office during the week, but the weekends he thought he was a world class tuna fisherman!)
It took me 5 years to talk him into going to WDW and finally booked and payed for a trip, then he suddenly passed 10 days before the trip at age 48...I had a picture of my daughter at 6 and myself with Mickey and put that in too......just to remind him of what he'd missed and attached a cross pin my daughter had received for her 1st communion.

(We did go on the trip that year and continue to go to WDW and every trip we go to Pirates and think of dad! )

 

[Margie J]

When a friend's father died this summer his family placed a deck of cards in his hands. He was ready for a few rounds of poker with his buddies.

I had orchids placed in the coffin with my mom. Those were her favorite flower, a reminder of her honeymoon in Hawaii.

 

[Serena]

We put letters, photos, pictures, and her favorite bean bag piglet.

 

[Jasminesmommy]

When my Grandma died she was buried with her glasses.She always had themand even had one of those chains you use to wear around your neck and when my Grandpa died he was buried wearing his dads watch that he cherished more then life.

 

[elmosmom]

All of these memory's are sad but so touching. When my Dad passed away I sent his Zippo lighter and Hall's cough drops. My son was 7 that summer and he laid a red rose on his grandpas hands.
I sent pretzels with my father-in- law, his favorite treat.

 

[arminnie]

When my mother died 6 years ago I don't know that I would have thought of putting anything in the casket but there was a small drawer in the casket that we picked out that was just for that purpose. I put in my first little bible that I got at church when I was about 7 years old. My sister put in a copy of a tape made when she was a dj in college.

She was buried in a navy suit and several of her Navy buddies thought it was her old uniform at first. They gave her a military farewell at her funeral.

 

[DewToo]

My Grandfather was always the one I went to when i had a loose tooth, so my dd learned the same thing. He was always very gentle at getting them out and all kids look forward to the tooth fairy.

When he died my dd had a loose tooth, she pulled it the day of his funeral and we put it in his coat pocket.

Shannon

 

[Pin Wizard]

Wow! With grandpa, grandma went and put his cap on his head and his glasses on because she said he always wore them.

My oldest sister...I honestly don't know. Rosary for sure.

With my dad, I'm honestly not sure! I think his death was the most traumatic for me. Everyone has rosary beads with them in their hands. I bet dad must have one of those heart shaped pillows with roses on them. I have his American Legion cap...my most prized possession for eternity! And he had the military send-off also. That really brought the tears!

My husband...The rosary like everyone else and definitely the heart shaped pillow with roses. It never dawned on my to put anything else in. I'm sure he would have liked a fishing line with him. LOL! Always went fishing whenever he could.

My mom...rosary and the pillow again...I think. I had seen soooo many family members go at that point that I didn't want to see. My sister went in first and looked, then before I went in they closed the casket. I was soooooooooo tired of closing my eyes at night and seeing my loved ones laying in caskets! It was horrendous!

 

[AmazingGrace]

We buried him with one of his NasCar hats with all his pins he had gotten from Watkins Glen two weeks earlier, and one of his NasCar jackets.

 

[goofy4tink]

My mom had a cross made out of palms that she had outside her front door that she touched before entering her apt. I put that with her so she could have it at her new home. And a lock of my dd's hair. My mom and my dd had a remarkable relationship. A rose for each of the grand-children and her favorite cross.

In a funny way this is making me feel better about losing my mom. Thanks for the thread.