I get it—you might be thinking, “I’m not planning my funeral this Tuesday, so why should I read this?” But here’s the secret: obituaries are the ultimate community gossip column, minus the drama. They’re a window into the lives of the people who built your town, fixed your plumbing, or waved at you from their porch every evening.
Let me give you an example from their page. I once read about a man named Bill who, every Saturday, would put on a ridiculous cowboy hat and hand out free coffee at the farmer’s market. The obituary didn’t just say “he was kind.” It told you about the hat. It told you about the coffee. It made you feel like you knew him, even if you never met him. And honestly, that’s a gift.
It’s Not Just About Saying Goodbye
When John Pagan & Son write an obituary, they treat it like a celebration, not a eulogy. They’ll mention how someone always wore mismatched socks, or how they could whistle the theme from “The Andy Griffith Show” perfectly. It’s the small, silly stuff that makes a person real. And if you’re reading this, thinking, “Wow, I hope someone remembers my weird sock habit,” you’re already getting it.
Plus, let’s be real—these obituaries are often hilarious unintentionally. I saw one where the deceased’s favorite hobby was “arguing with his wife about the thermostat.” Another one mentioned a woman who “never met a crossword puzzle she couldn’t finish, or a cat she didn’t want to shoo off the counter.” It’s like reading a comedy sketch about everyday life, written with love instead of punchlines.
Priscilla Pagan Obituary | Dobbs Funeral Home | 2017
