Incorrect information in a funeral service
@thinkingoutloud (6127)
Canada
April 2, 2011 2:23pm CST
A very close friend of our family recently passed away. She had been my mom's best friend over the years and was like a second grandmother to my daughters and my niece. We attended the visitation at the funeral home and there were a number of photo collages, made by her own grandchildren, posted on the walls. It was a nice thing to see all the old pictures. We also attended the funeral service and were dismayed at some of the things said by the priest. He didn't know the woman at all. Although their family regularly attends his church, he is rather new there and doesn't yet know his congregation.
He was told by the family that the lady had loved children and animals, which was true, and he incorporated that into her eulogy. But then, he started talking about how she loved baking - which she didn't at all, she actually hated anything to do with cooking - and made reference to the fact that he had seen her photos. Evidently, because she was a heavy woman, he just inferred she must have loved baking and eating. He kept talking about how she was now in her new home now and probably baking. He made several other remarks about her that weren't true but, again, he had seen all the family photos and just guessed.
It gave us a very odd and sad feeling because he said we were there to celebrate her life but it sounded like he was speaking of someone else completely. When my parents passed away, my father had a close friend that was a minister and he did his service. My mom was a member of her church and her minister had known her throughout her cancer and treatment. Also, at Mom's funeral, several of us spoke so it was very personal. It must be very difficult for any officiant to do a service for someone he/she doesn't know or to have little information to go on. I also wonder how it made the family feel to hear their loved one eulogized with so many things that were either wrong or just made no sense for her. Have you been to a funeral where the things spoken about the deceased were incorrect? How did it make you feel?
1 response
@savypat (20216)
• United States
2 Apr 11
That poor guy, a more experienced priest would have known to make his remarks more general. I hope that someone brought this to his attention gently, we all have to learn our profession. It is kind of funny though and if there was a get together afterwards a good laugh would have been had by all. When I have gone to these get togethers many good memories are the subject of conversations and many lighter sides of life are memtioned. That way everyone goes away feeling joy in the memory of a life.


