Like many people, I subsribe to some listservs — group e-mails lists where people with interest in a particular topic can share views.
One of my favorites comes from Northwestern University’s Readership Institute. Basically, it’s a bunch of newspaper editors who share comments and opinions on, well, newspapers and their Web sites.
Usually, it’s pretty dull stuff. But some humor sometimes creeps in.
One issue this week was obituaries. After a few serious posts – after all, death is a serious topic - an editor from coastal Georgia changed the subject:
“Once we took our obits to a paid service, the language has gotten out of control. People “going home to be with the Lord,” “shedding their earth suit to go dance with the angels,” being “called home to their heavenly father.” It’s almost comical if people weren’t actually dying! I’m not making this up, folks.”
At this point, let me stop and explain The Evening News’ policy. Unlike most newspapers, we still provide free obituaries for everyone who dies in our circulation area. Our staff writes the obituaries, and we stick to fairly standard wording. People “die” in our obituaries.
We do offer paid obituaries for people who want to include more details than the basic information that we put in the free version. Since they’re paying, they can say whatever they want, within reason.
Well, you can imagine the response on the listserv. A bunch of veteran editors have seen a lot of different ways for people to go to heaven. For example, this one was offered by another Michigan editor:
“…, 78, of Shepherd, on Saturday, April 21, 2007, was successfully transplanted from this life into the Kingdom of Heaven, where she now awaits reunion with those who remain.”
My favorite post, though was this one from an Oklahoma editor:
“I keep waiting for the obit that starts out:
‘John Doe descended into the fiery depths of Hell on Friday, April xx, 2007. . . .’ “
Dan, my favorite is one that didn’t make it into the paper, but it was worded this way on the obit form:
“John Doe was taken into the sweet bosom of Jesus yesterday……..”