Your Funeral Your Way
Have it your way — be it a burger or your funeral.
Burger King launched a memorable commercial campaign in 1976. You may remember the jingle? “Hold the pickle. Hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset us. All we ask is that you let us have it your way.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJMsFGH4eoQ
Your Funeral, Have it Your Way
The same could be said for the way we approach funeral plans and pre-planning. Although traditionalists may prefer the tried and true products, services and formal tone the funeral industry has relied on for countless years, other people (maybe you?) prefer a more customized approach. One recently deceased man, Shay Bradley, posthumously gained notoriety for doing just that. Struggling with a fatal disease, he knew death was imminent. So, he recorded himself and left instructions with family to play the recording as his casket was lowered into the ground.
“Hello, hello — let me out. Where the f - - k am I? Let me out, let me out. It’s f - - king dark in here. Is that the priest I can hear? This is Shay, I’m in the box. No, in f - - king front of you. I’m dead.”
The Joke Was On Him
In the midst of their grief, his friends and began to laugh – thankful for one last joke from the good-natured prankster. Family members later explained that Shay wanted to give his loved ones a chance to laugh instead of cry at his funeral. To top it all off, he finished the recording with his own rendition of the Lionel Richie song, Hello. In his version, he sang, “I just called to say goodbye.”
Your Funeral Your Way
Can you come up with an original idea for your own funeral?
Whether or not this type of end-of-life joke appeals to you is immaterial. What matters is that you feel free to express your own personality in your end-of-life memorial, funeral or life celebration. As we start to close the chapter on 2019 and venture into 2020, now is the perfect time to start making decisions for your own last hurrah. Shay isn’t the only creative member of the dearly departed. Here are a few others who have balked tradition in favor of a more personalized approach:
Polka Time
It’s your funeral. Have it your way.
One man who spent years as a polka singer arranged for his funeral attendees to dance one last polka at his wake. The funeral directors removed the chairs to make room and everyone danced.
Obit Selfie
One woman penned her own obituary, asking that it be read at her memorial: “I was born. I blinked. And it was over.”
One-of-a-Kind Coffin
Some casket-makers specialize in creating colorful, one-of-a-kind coffins. They feature a wide variety of a vast range of designs, from flowers to butterflies and stars to animals. Some companies allow photographic customization.
So, what strikes your funeral fancy? Let us know. All we ask is that you let us have it your way!
About Foothill Funeral & Cremation in Glendora, California
Whatever you believe about what happens when you die, we can take care of what you leave on earth. When the time comes, if you so desire, we would value the opportunity to help you pre-plan for yourself or a family member or friend. Feel free to contact us now to pre-plan your own memorial or at your time of need (626) 335-0615. Our relationship with United Methodist Church and Sacred Heart provide great places for mourners to host funerals and memorials. You’ll love the grandiose yet intimate settings in both locations.
