[or-roots] Browsing Old Cemeteries

[cady978 at aol.com]

I have a paperback titled "The World's Funniest Epitaphs",  compiled by Ronald Bremer, which contained most of these.  I'm sure many of them are bogus, but they are funny and have been put to good use at Halloween-themed meetings and parties by "walking tombstones", as we called the performers.  

One favorite was - "Here I lie between two of the best women in the world; my wives. But I have requested my relatives to tip me a little toward Tillie".

Barbara


-----Original Message-----
From: Darlene Casteel <darlene at thecasteels.net>
To: or-roots mail list <>
Sent: Sat, Jan 16, 2010 10:04 am
Subject: Re: [or-roots] Browsing Old Cemeteries


Thank goodness my ancestors who made it to the Oregon Territory way back when don't have any such interesting inscriptions, but my husband's gr-gr-grandfather buried in Pocahontas Co., IA has one very similar:   "Kind friends beware as you pass by  As you are now, so once was I  As I am now, so you must be  Beware, therefore, to follow me". 
 
Darlene

----- Original Message ----- 
From: cklooster at aol.com 
To: or-roots at listsmart.osl.state.or.us 
Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: [or-roots] Browsing Old Cemeteries


Les...
In the 1960's my aunt had a slim little book called something like "Comic Epitaphs" and I recognize some of these from that book.  On the other hand, my 3rd great grandfather, Joseph Whealdon, is buried in the pioneer cemetery in Centralia, WA.  On this Quaker's grave, the inscription reads:  "Stranger pause as you pass by; as you are now, so once was I.  As I am now; so you will be.  Pause awhile and think of me".
 
I do believe that at least some of the inscriptions you quote are likely to be true.  We tend to think of epitaphs as something that survivors conferred upon their loved ones, but in many cases, epitaphs were written (as were obituaries) by the individual before they died.  If there was a sense of humor involved, I can easily see an atheist deciding that his obituary should read "all dressed up with no place to go".  
 
Carla 






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