I don't find them interesting in a morbid way, but I truly enjoy learning about other people's lives, and the things they found most important (usually the things written in an obituary).

Today I read a local obituary about a man who was born in Germany, fought the Russians on the Eastern Front, was captured and spent years in a Russian POW camp in Siberia, finally being released in 1949. After he was freed, he married a girl in Berlin, and escaped with his wife and child under barbed wire to the American sector (they put tape over their child's mouth so nobody would hear the cries). They eventually emigrated to Utah where he lived the rest of his life. Fascinating story.

https://www.russonmortuary.com...es/Herbert-Schroeter

Anyone else enjoy reading the obits?

I read my local one, just to make sure I'm not listed.

I am like you 4x5, I read them and enjoy learning about the lives other people have lived.

It used to be I read a lot about WW2 and Korean Veterans but now it is more and more Vietnam Vets.

A mild thread drift but have you tried Newspapers.com?

I got a subscription to find my ancestors obits and such and was very successful. The write-ups like you mention helped me find sibling names, maiden names, etc.

I then drifted into looking for old articles about events in the past and reading the views and stories of others.

I find it fascinating to look up individuals and read about them. It's very therapeutic.

I actually found the article of when my Great Grandfather died in a coal mine accident in upstate PA. in 1922.

In times past I did read obnituaries. Back in the days of regular printed newspapers delivered to dad's stoop.

This past weekend I wrote an obit for a best friend who died in February. It was for submission to a small-town newspaper where we briefly lived. It is not as easy as it seems.

If written immediately for a loved one who experienced an unexpected death, it may be geared more to how much the person loved all those left behind. With lots of hot air about how nice they were.

Wait a few months, when maybe you see things differently, and you write not for those left behind, but for posterity of the deceased. What they did, what they accomplished.

quote:

Originally posted by Warhorse:

I read my local one, just to make sure I'm not listed.

If I don't find my name listed, I just get my day started.

I sorta like reading them when thought is actually put into it.

Tell you what though, I enjoyed writing my dad’s. It was very healing and I included all of his accomplishments that he was most proud of, I’ll post it later for your enjoyment lol.

I read them just like the OP. However, since I am an undertaker, you can see why.

One of the reasons I chose this job was I like to read headstones at cemeteries for the same reason, but didn't want to be a gravedigger.

Like Mark Twain, I've read a few I heartily approved of.

I've also read a couple about people I knew quite well and was disgusted by the amount of outright bullshit written about them.

But to get back on topic, yes I've read a few that were amazing.

I think you and I might be birds of a feather. I even like to visit cemeteries and read the headstones. The older and more remote they are the better. You should visit the cemetery in Iosepa, Ut. It is mostly Pacific Islander settlers. Fascinating story behind that place...

Here's the cemetery at Camp Floyd out by Cedar Fort not too far from us. I took this pic three years ago-ish



These graves are from the pre-civil war era when Utah wasn't even a State. They are men who passed from a fever that swept through the camp.

I also visit cemeteries. They are an excellent source of history. I particularly seek out the headstones of veterans, not only to pay my respects, but to see if they died during wartime.
I then research the date to see what battle was going on at the time. This is most interesting (to me, anyway) in Civil War veterans.
The local fishwrap allows people to write vast, novel length obits that describe every mundane aspect of the deceased life. But I still read them.

Years ago when I lived in New Jersey the company I worked for had the news paper delivered to the shop.
At the end of the day When I came back to the shop I would go in my office and while doing paperwork I would look through the obituaries. I always found it fascinating reading about peoples lives and what type of work they did. I always wondered if some day someone would read mine and find my life fascinating to them. Kind of a little morbid.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I think you and I might be birds of a feather. I even like to visit cemeteries and read the headstones. The older and more remote they are the better. You should visit the cemetery in Iosepa, Ut. It is mostly Pacific Islander settlers. Fascinating story behind that place...

Here's the cemetery at Camp Floyd out by Cedar Fort not too far from us. I took this pic three years ago-ish



These graves are from the pre-civil war era when Utah wasn't even a State. They are men who passed from a fever that swept through the camp.

Yep - I also enjoy walking through cemeteries. There's a headstone in the Lehi Cemetery for someone who died in WWII as pilot of a Douglas SBD. The headstone even has an engraving of the aircraft. I've always wondered about him, but I've never been able to find out any more about him.

I'll have to plan a roadtrip to Iosepa some day. Sounds interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I also visit cemeteries. They are an excellent source of history. I particularly seek out the headstones of veterans, not only to pay my respects, but to see if they died during wartime.
I then research the date to see what battle was going on at the time. This is most interesting (to me, anyway) in Civil War veterans.
The local fishwrap allows people to write vast, novel length obits that describe every mundane aspect of the deceased life. But I still read them.

A couple of months ago we took our first trip to the south. We spent a Sunday walking around the cemeteries in Georgetown, SC. It was quite a memorable experience for me, seeing the graves of soldiers who fought in the Civil War. One tombstone in particular stood out for me because the inscription indicated that the person buried there was with General Lee at Appomattox Courthouse.

A friend of a friend died many years ago. I met him on a few occasions. He died because of choices he made but he was unemployed his entire life. He lived with his Mom and then with his Aunt until he died.

His obit stated that he was an "entrepreneur"

Coincidentally, today I just found out my second cousin died in Feb 2018 at 90 years old. I found out by checking his name online and saw his obituary.

He was a Navy fighter pilot and served as our family historian. His daughter never notified us. Very sad news.

I consider myself a historian and enjoy reading obits. I have learned so much about people and our history.

I have read a couple about "ordinary" people who turned out spectacular. One was about a poor farm boy who got a scholarship to college and went on to get over a hundred patents and invented the hydrostatic transmission. One lady was the first woman to graduate from a certain college with a degree in math. During WWII, she worked as a codebreaker and broke a Nazi code.

I find so much history in them.

We also stop at small rural cemeteries. For some interesting ones, if you're ever near Silverton, Co. walk their hillside. Guess I'm just morbid. While 4 wheeling we go past (through, really) Tomichi, Co. Among the best are the folks killed by dynamite explosions and avalanches. Not like the hobby and thrill seekers, many of them were "safe" in their homes when the wall came down the mountains.

I don't live where we have the natural disasters that leave the dead. Worse, the tradition here seems to have been wooden headstones that don't seem to survive the years.

Traditions seem to have changed over the years and we no longer go to any lengths at explaining the cause of death. These days, we just assume the deceased passed from AIDS if no reason is given. Not good to die early.

quote:

Originally posted by 4x5:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I think you and I might be birds of a feather. I even like to visit cemeteries and read the headstones. The older and more remote they are the better. You should visit the cemetery in Iosepa, Ut. It is mostly Pacific Islander settlers. Fascinating story behind that place...

Here's the cemetery at Camp Floyd out by Cedar Fort not too far from us. I took this pic three years ago-ish



These graves are from the pre-civil war era when Utah wasn't even a State. They are men who passed from a fever that swept through the camp.

Yep - I also enjoy walking through cemeteries. There's a headstone in the Lehi Cemetery for someone who died in WWII as pilot of a Douglas SBD. The headstone even has an engraving of the aircraft. I've always wondered about him, but I've never been able to find out any more about him.

I'll have to plan a roadtrip to Iosepa some day. Sounds interesting.

I’d very much like to visit his grave. Kinda where is it?

Visit the cemetery in Spring City, Utah, if you get a chance. Several headstones from those killed in indian wars. There's also an interesting monument up Salina Canyon near Accord Lake about a cowboy, Jack Addley, and his dog being killed by lightning.

I read the obituaries everyday.