What Is the Craziest Thing You've Seen At A Wake? (Inspired by Camcolt and C. Ann)

[4cruisin]

After reading Camcolt's thread and C. Ann's response, it amazed me what some people find ok to do at a wake/funeral. So, what have you seen that raised an eyebrow?

For me, my sister in law (ugh) showed up at my mother's wake dressed in a flaming pink/tangerine blazer with a big bright floral scarf. That was bad enough but what made it worse was that she despised my mother, had not spoken to her in 15 plus years, barely even speaks to my brother and she is married to him and cannot stand any of us. I was so appalled that I tried to kick her out but my sister and my dh stopped me. She then went around to extended family that she has not seen in years and told them she loved them. She also told my mother's neighbor whom she did not know and had never met, that she loved her. The woman is totally insane. I can't even justify that she was there to support her husband (my brother) because although they are not actually divorced, they do not have any type of marriage and all of my extended family really thought they were divorced. Is it any wonder I stopped talking to 1/2 my family.

So how about you...any crazy stories? (Yeah, I'm still bored at work)

 

[grinningghost]

1980. My cousin's girlfriend came to a family wake (on Christmas Day to boot) dressed in silver satin pants that were gathered at the bottoms. In her "attempt" to tone down the look, she ripped out the thread to make the gathers come out.

Unbelievable.

 

[lulu71]

Oh yeah...At my DH's aunt's wake, there was one of those easels with pictures of family members with the deceased. One of the pictures was DH's cousin photochopped next to the deceased in her Mardi Gras queen gown and crown because whe wanted everyone to see her in her "royal" attire.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Well, I wasn't there so I can't say I saw it first hand but..about 4 years ago at my grandfather's wake, my sister said his stepdaughter (who was about 15 or so at the time I think) gave her the finger when her mom (my stepgrandmother) wasn't looking. My sister said she nearly decked the little brat and would have if it hadn't been such a serious occasion.

I know I only went to my grandfather's funeral because my mother dragged me there. If she hadn't forced me to go, I wouldn't have gone at all, as by that time I had a deep,intense dislike for the man who'd cheated on my grandmother with a woman half his age and had kids by her.

TOV

 

[UncleKyle]

Never really seen anything crazy myself but I've heard some stories. I personally hope everyone is still talking about my funeral when I'm gone. I want an open bar next to my casket, margaritas, cheese burgers, chicken wings, and hot Krispy Creme doughnuts. With some Jimmy Buffett music playing all day long. I don't want anyone to be sad. Just want everyone to say "Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, But he had a good life all the way"

 

[jennyl772003]

At my grandfathers wake, the funeral directors were sitting down and talking to some of the mourners. Laughing and just talking about all sorts of weird stuff. It turns out, that they were friends of my uncle, and that when my grandfather died (he was in the hospital, but it was still unexpected) they were all together bowling! So the whole team had to leave. My uncle because his father just died, and the directors needed to go pick up the body. Just struck me as weird.

 

[4cruisin]

Uncle Kyle,
I like your idea. I keep telling my dh, I want to be buried in my nightgown and slippers so I am comfy and I want the best party after the funeral. Lots of food, music and laughter. It should be a celebration of my life, not a mourning of my death.

 

[monkeyboy]

Originally posted by UncleKyle
"Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, But he had a good life all the way"

 

[Saffron]

I'm with you Kyle! But I've requested that Jackson Browne's "Further Along" gets played, quietly, over and over again. " ... I've got a thing or two to say before I walk on by, I'm feeling good today, but if I die a little further along, I'm trusting everyone to carry on ..."

I haven't seen anything, but I did attend the viewing of a stranger one night. I got the nights mixed up and I didn't realize I was at the wrong viewing/wake until I was in front the casket and there was an older gentleman inside the casket instead of a young man.

 

[sha_lyn]

May 1987... My friend Pams funeral.

1. her fiance Andy was not allowed to sit with the family, but her brothers soon to be ex wife (who was PG by the man she had an affair with) sat with the family.

2 above mentioned brother brought in in hand cuffs and leg irons from prison

3 there wasn't a cover over the casket stand so we saw the matal folding stand and not the usual velvet drape

4 funeral director remove her jewlery after everyone was seated for the funeral. I thought they were going to pull one of her fingers off, they were having to pull so hard.

5 the funeral was not held in the chapel (funeral home over booked). The jsut started setting up chairs in the viewing room with all of us in there.

 

[4cruisin]

sha_lyn,
That is pretty terrible, especially removing her jewelry in front of everyone. Tacky.

 

[MelCald]

I was at a wake about 10years ago for a young woman...early 30s. Not many people attended, and her family sat there having belching contests and laughing. It was so sad seeing the young woman laying there with her rosary beads in hand and her family having such little respect. Weird!

 

[sha_lyn]

it was pretty bad. Really the entire situation was. She was stabbed to death by her youngest brother (not the one brought in from jail).

Oh forgot her ex, his DD and his new wife (whom he had an affair with and who was his DD age) sat with the family.

Outside the funeral home the night before the funeral was a big scene. Pam and her ex had 2 small children. they were 7 and 5 if I remember right. I completely understand asking everyone of go outside when the kids came it, but what happened after was horrible. As they were leaving kids tried to come over to us (let me explain, Andy Pam's fiancée was my BIL... I was married to his brother at the time). It was Andy, Myself, my ex and the rest of their family. Pam's ex would not let the kids come talk to us. We stood there helplessly as the ex, his wife and his DD carried the kids away screaming.

 

[Evil Princess]

Originally posted by UncleKyle
Never really seen anything crazy myself but I've heard some stories. I personally hope everyone is still talking about my funeral when I'm gone. I want an open bar next to my casket, margaritas, cheese burgers, chicken wings, and hot Krispy Creme doughnuts. With some Jimmy Buffett music playing all day long. I don't want anyone to be sad. Just want everyone to say "Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, But he had a good life all the way"

Kyle, is it horribly wrong to say that I'd be looking forward to your funeral

 

[poohbear1029]

a family member taking photographs of the deceased in the casket to "send to family in Jersey" who couldnt be there! ICK!

 

[sha_lyn]

Originally posted by poohbear1029
a family member taking photographs of the deceased in the casket to "send to family in Jersey" who couldnt be there! ICK!

Can you guys take one more example from Pams funeral? Someoen actually told Andy to get out of their way (as he was sobbing over Pams body) so they could take a picture. Her family and her Ex were all extremely tacky during the entire ordeal.

 

[CookieGVB]

For some this may not be so weird, but it creeped me out a bit.

A friend and former co-worker passed away, and the family was taking photos of her, and people were even posing with her. {{{brrrr}}}

At my father's wake, my aunt was getting VERY loud, and it was upsetting my mother. Then she came up to my mother and started babbling about how her sister-in-law was coming, but she was late, she hoped she didn't miss the funeral, blah, blah, blah. This was about 10 minutes before we were supposed to leave for the church for the funeral service, and we were to say our final goodbyes to my father.

She's the sweetest person, but a little dense, and I was practically doing a Clint Eastwood impersonation, talking through my teeth, and telling her to GO OUT and CALL THEM on their cell phone. She then said she thought my uncle (my father's only brother) wasn't doing very well, so I told her to GO AND SEE how he was DOING (through my teeth again). She finally got it and walked away, and started another loud conversation about how mad I was at her. Sweet, but clueless!

 

[holycow]

This happened a few years ago but I still laugh to this day...our dear friend passed away...her DH had been a musician and had played for some very famous people....Well, they had one of his friends come and sing...the only problem was he was an impersonator...like the ones in Vegas...So, here is this guy singing this song which was absolutely HORRIBLE! and when he is done he says "Thank you, thank you very much just like ELVIS!"

I lost it...started laughing so hard but here everyone thought I had lost it and was crying my eyes out...To this day they still say...oh, you were so upset at so and so wedding weren't you...poor dear...

Little do they know!


Holycow

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I don't think it's necessarily tacky to take pictures of the deceased. I used to think it was really gross. But, when my granpa died, we took pictures and made a beautiful album. My grandpa had suffered with black lung disease for many years and was pretty fail before he died. He actually looked better in the casket than right before he died. It did us a lot of good and it was therapeutic for my grandma. Now I did ask my grandma and I didn't do it when everyone was there. I know some are freaked out by the whole thing.

 

[Figaro]

It used to be very, very common to take pictures of a deceased person in their casket. And while I don't quite understand it, I know that for some people it is very comforting to have a final picture of their loved one, especially if the death was a long and painful one.