When People Add Politics to Obituaries
An obituary is usually a good source of information for genealogists. It typically contains the full name of the deceased (including her “maiden name”). You can easily find birth dates and death dates on an obituary, as well as a list of people who are closely related to the deceased. Once in a while, an obituary becomes a unique form of political statement.
In May of 2016, an obituary was published about a woman named Mary Anne Noland. Her maiden name was Alfriend, and she was described as “a faithful child of God”. The obituary lists several relatives that she was survived by, including her husband, siblings, and sons.
The reason Mary Anne Noland’s obituary has gotten so much attention is because of its first sentence. “Faced with the prospect of voting for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Mary Anne Noland of Richmond chose, instead, to pass into the eternal love of God on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at the age of 68.” It was intended as a joke and a means of passing along Mary Anne’s sense of humor.
Katherine Michelle Hinds died in April of 2016. Her obituary lists surviving relatives, and includes details about things she loved. “Katie worked as a veterinary technician and had a special love for animals. She also had a phenomenal gift for photography with an artist’s eye.”
The obituary for Katherine Michelle Hinds ends with “In lieu of flowers, do not vote for Donald Trump.” It also suggests that people donate to the Chattahoochee Valley Humane Society to remember Katie.
Carl C. Crocetti passed away in May of 2016. His obituary includes: “Carl requested in lieu of flowers that people elect NOT to vote for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election in November.” It turns out that Carl Crocetti made a last request to his companion Ann Marie Bonnano before he died. It was “That Donald Trump would be the president”.
Larry Darrell Upright passed away in April of 2016. His obituary notes that he was a Shriner, an avid golfer, and a loving husband, father, and Grandaddy. The last line of the obituary says: “Also, the family respectfully asks that you do not vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016.”
Charlotte McCourt died in July of 2010. Part of her obituary includes: “Active in her community, she assisted in many political figures’ campaign efforts.” Her obituary concludes with: “We believe that Mom would say she was mortified to have taken a large role in the election of Harry Reid to the U.S. Congress. Let the record show Charlotte was displeased with his work. Please, in lieu of flowers, voter for another more worthy candidate.”
Image by Jo Naylor on Flickr.
Related Articles at FamilyTree.com:
* Advantages of Writing Your Own Obituary
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