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assistance with wrtiting ones own obituary ...


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I am having to write my mother's this week, as my 2 brothers are barely functionally literate.  It hasn't crossed my mind to write my own.

My oldest son and 2 daughters-in-law all have their Masters, and youngest is progressing towards undergrad.

Surely they can piece something together about lube, football, and bourbon...

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Just make a list of things you want included.  And use it as an AI prompt...

 

I have thought about putting together a "Wake mix tape." Mainly so I can play the Clash's "Should I stay or Should I Go", and the ARC Angels, "D Shape I'm In" to get a last smile.

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ChatGPT. Just tell it you want it to write an obituary and to interview you for all of the information.

you will most likely want to edit it at the end but it will get you 90% of the way. 
 

FYI. Claude.ai is a better writer than ChatGPT but there are tighter hourly limits on the interactions. It might take longer. 

Edited by Nice Guy Eddie
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2 hours ago, horn4life said:

Just make a list of things you want included.  And use it as an AI prompt...

 

I have thought about putting together a "Wake mix tape." Mainly so I can play the Clash's "Should I stay or Should I Go", and the ARC Angels, "D Shape I'm In" to get a last smile.

“To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before.”  

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In Loving Memory of Gregory "Greg" H. Reynolds
October 14, 1982 - January 22, 2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Gregory "Greg" H. Reynolds, a man who lived life with depth, charisma, and a quiet sense of adventure. Greg passed away on January 22, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and an unmistakable presence.

Standing at an impressive 6’4”, Greg’s height was only overshadowed by his larger-than-life personality. Tall, dark, and undeniably handsome, Greg had a way of making every room he entered feel just a little brighter. His striking good looks were matched only by his warmth, intelligence, and dry sense of humor that drew people to him effortlessly.

A man of varied passions, Greg’s love for literature was evident to anyone who spent more than a few moments with him. His book collection spanned genres, but there was a special place in his heart for the raw, no-nonsense style of Surly, whose words resonated deeply with Greg’s own love for authenticity and introspection. He could often be found lost in the pages of a Surly thread, his thoughtful gaze reflecting the complexity of the worlds within those words. He believed that literature, like life, should challenge you, make you think, and at times, make you a little uncomfortable.

Greg was a lover of the simple things—quiet mornings with a cup of coffee, spontaneous road trips, and the feeling of getting lost in a good book. Yet, for all his introspection, he was deeply devoted to his friends and family, always offering a listening ear, a thoughtful piece of advice, or just the right words when you needed them most.

He leaves behind his beloved sister, Charlotte Reynolds; his parents, Thomas and Evelyn Reynolds; a host of friends who considered him a brother; and countless others who were lucky enough to know the incredible person he was.

In honor of Greg’s love for Surly, we invite friends and family to gather at his favorite tailgate for the Spring game for a memorial in celebration of his life. Share a story, and raise a glass to the man who lived with quiet strength and a passion for life that will never be forgotten.

Rest easy, Greg. You’ve left a mark on this world that no amount of time will erase.

Edited by Bevo
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12 hours ago, horn4life said:

 

 

I have thought about putting together a "Wake mix tape." Mainly so I can play the Clash's "Should I stay or Should I Go", and the ARC Angels, "D Shape I'm In" to get a last smile.

I have a requested two-song outro.  I've quizzed my wife twice on it during our marriage.  So now I have a friend in charge of this with another in reserve.You have to have someone in charge of the playlist for sure.

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20 hours ago, Bevo said:

In Loving Memory of Gregory "Greg" H. Reynolds
October 14, 1982 - January 22, 2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Gregory "Greg" H. Reynolds, a man who lived life with depth, charisma, and a quiet sense of adventure. Greg passed away on January 22, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and an unmistakable presence.

Standing at an impressive 6’4”, Greg’s height was only overshadowed by his larger-than-life personality. Tall, dark, and undeniably handsome, Greg had a way of making every room he entered feel just a little brighter. His striking good looks were matched only by his warmth, intelligence, and dry sense of humor that drew people to him effortlessly.

A man of varied passions, Greg’s love for literature was evident to anyone who spent more than a few moments with him. His book collection spanned genres, but there was a special place in his heart for the raw, no-nonsense style of Surly, whose words resonated deeply with Greg’s own love for authenticity and introspection. He could often be found lost in the pages of a Surly thread, his thoughtful gaze reflecting the complexity of the worlds within those words. He believed that literature, like life, should challenge you, make you think, and at times, make you a little uncomfortable.

Greg was a lover of the simple things—quiet mornings with a cup of coffee, spontaneous road trips, and the feeling of getting lost in a good book. Yet, for all his introspection, he was deeply devoted to his friends and family, always offering a listening ear, a thoughtful piece of advice, or just the right words when you needed them most.

He leaves behind his beloved sister, Charlotte Reynolds; his parents, Thomas and Evelyn Reynolds; a host of friends who considered him a brother; and countless others who were lucky enough to know the incredible person he was.

In honor of Greg’s love for Surly, we invite friends and family to gather at his favorite tailgate for the Spring game for a memorial in celebration of his life. Share a story, and raise a glass to the man who lived with quiet strength and a passion for life that will never be forgotten.

Rest easy, Greg. You’ve left a mark on this world that no amount of time will erase.

In Loving Memory of Gregory "Greg" H. Reynolds
October 14, 1982 - January 22, 2025

Our beloved Greg passed yesterday as he lived.  He was thrilled beyond imagination to see the Texas basketball team make a 22 point comeback versus A&M.  The excitement unfortunately caused him to choke on a chip overflowing with his famous homemade salsa.  He was found with a wry smile locked onto his face, that was illuminated by the screen of his laptop. He died as he lived...

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My final instructions request no memorial service, no obituary, and no funeral.  I have directed that my corpse be cremated as cheaply as possible and my ashes be placed in a tree pod, like the one at thelivingurn.com, and planted in the field that contains the remains of every dog that has ever been my companion.  

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I had a very good Texan friend from the Marines named Greg Reynolds, so seeing that first thing this morning sucked...until I realized my buddy is 20 years older than that one. He's not tall, dark, and handsome either.😁

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yeah,,, i do apologize for burdening strangers with my bullshit. IRL friends are understandably uncomfortable and try to insist I'm going to live forever . Which is BS and Since I've had my stroke too short five years ago i've received no medical attention I still to this day can't seem to get my Medicare worked out so I can see a doctor 

I know I'm dying I took enough biology and actually was a semi-athlete and had a real good sense of what my body was going through and it's not going through anything good right now and I wanted to take care of my business and not leave it to be a burden on others  

On 1/28/2025 at 3:01 PM, Pato del Muerto said:

This is the setting you choose for that question?  I’d open with a paragraph about questionable decision-making being your hallmark. 

 

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4 hours ago, F250 said:

I keep telling my kids to blow me up, Hunter S Thompson style if necessary. No obituary because nobody cares and no grave because fuck that.

I think headstones are pretty neat. Very interesting to walk through old cemeteries and read them. 
I would like the cheapest casket possible, though. If a pine box was still an option that would be fine with me. 

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On 1/24/2025 at 8:51 PM, OWLVIS said:

anyone know of a reputable service?  I know it's stupid but I want to have the last word on myself I know I don't trust family  TIA

As someone who has written multiple obits, my best advice is to write your own and don't just say what you did in life, say why you did it.  Tell your story.

I even wrote an obit for my 17 year old dog once.  It might have been my finest work, actually.

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8 hours ago, Aqua Buddha said:

As someone who has written multiple obits, my best advice is to write your own and don't just say what you did in life, say why you did it.  Tell your story.

I even wrote an obit for my 17 year old dog once.  It might have been my finest work, actually.

So don’t just tell everyone that you always made sure to have a clean taint. Tell them why it was important to maintain a clean taint?

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On 1/26/2025 at 11:19 AM, NeverMarryAStripper said:

My final instructions request no memorial service, no obituary, and no funeral.  I have directed that my corpse be cremated as cheaply as possible and my ashes be placed in a tree pod, like the one at thelivingurn.com, and planted in the field that contains the remains of every dog that has ever been my companion.  

My father died in 1992 at the age of 62 from pancreatic cancer.  He knew he was terminal, and he planned his memorial service and his funeral and even approved his obituary.  He had my brother, and I make all of the arrangements according to his instructions while he was in the hospital for the last time.  After reading this thread and thinking about that, I started rethinking my desire not to have an obituary.  I sat down and wrote up what I would like as an obituary.  I modified the instructions in my death file and put in a copy of my desired obituary.  I intend to update the obituary periodically as circumstances change.  So if any of you assholes read the the obituary below in the Houston Chronicle, you will know that old NMAS has passed on.

NMAS was born on birthdate and died on deathdate.  He is survived by his mother, Mom NMAS, his children NMAS, III, NMAS Son #2, NMAS Son #3, and NMAS Daughter; his grandson NMAS Grandson; and Sebastian, his best friend and constant companion.  Besides having four wonderful children and a fantastic grandson, NMAS never accomplished much in his life other than being the undeserving recipient of a tremendous amount of love from numerous canine companions.  NMAS looks forward to reuniting with Cocoa, Gandy, Prince, Duke, and, at some point, Sebastian.  NMAS also hopes that when he is reunited, Duke will forgive him.  During his life, NMAS traveled to some amazing places and had some truly unique experiences. Still, he regrets having never been able to walk the Camino de Santiago nor drive the Pan American Highway from Texas to South America.  However, in the end, he recognized it was time for him to go.  NMAS requests that any acquaintances of his who are so inclined and who do not harbor entirely negative feelings toward him make contributions, in Sebastian’s name, to the Houston SPCA, Citizens for Animal Protection, or the no-kill animal shelter of their choice.

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As someone who has written multiple obits, my best advice is to write your own and don't just say what you did in life, say why you did it.  Tell your story.
I even wrote an obit for my 17 year old dog once.  It might have been my finest work, actually.

So are people just dying to get away from you? Cause that’s an odd humblebrag. Probably the strangest on here.
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7 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

My father died in 1992 at the age of 62 from pancreatic cancer.  He knew he was terminal, and he planned his memorial service and his funeral and even approved his obituary.  He had my brother, and I make all of the arrangements according to his instructions while he was in the hospital for the last time.  After reading this thread and thinking about that, I started rethinking my desire not to have an obituary.  I sat down and wrote up what I would like as an obituary.  I modified the instructions in my death file and put in a copy of my desired obituary.  I intend to update the obituary periodically as circumstances change.  So if any of you assholes read the the obituary below in the Houston Chronicle, you will know that old NMAS has passed on.

NMAS was born on birthdate and died on deathdate.  He is survived by his mother, Mom NMAS, his children NMAS, III, NMAS Son #2, NMAS Son #3, and NMAS Daughter; his grandson NMAS Grandson; and Sebastian, his best friend and constant companion.  Besides having four wonderful children and a fantastic grandson, NMAS never accomplished much in his life other than being the undeserving recipient of a tremendous amount of love from numerous canine companions.  NMAS looks forward to reuniting with Cocoa, Gandy, Prince, Duke, and, at some point, Sebastian.  NMAS also hopes that when he is reunited, Duke will forgive him.  During his life, NMAS traveled to some amazing places and had some truly unique experiences. Still, he regrets having never been able to walk the Camino de Santiago nor drive the Pan American Highway from Texas to South America.  However, in the end, he recognized it was time for him to go.  NMAS requests that any acquaintances of his who are so inclined and who do not harbor entirely negative feelings toward him make contributions, in Sebastian’s name, to the Houston SPCA, Citizens for Animal Protection, or the no-kill animal shelter of their choice.

That needs a little work. Where did you grow up? Where do you live? Tell us your passions besides Surly. Say something nice about the kids and grandkids. Tell us about your stripper. Tell us about your friends.

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