Losing someone you love is one of the most painful things you will ever experience in life. Naturally, you want to say ‘goodbye’ to them in the most beautiful way possible. Unfortunately, funerals—just like weddings—don’t always go as planned, with both horrifying and hilarious results.
Grieving internet users introduced a bit of gallows humor into everyone’s lives as they shared the craziest, wildest, and most bizarre things they have ever witnessed at funerals. Some of their stories are bittersweet, wholesome, and funny, while others are heartbreaking, and you can read them below.
#1
Back in Connecticut when my cousin passed, my other cousin with Down syndrome kept wailing, “Our cousin is in New Haven!”
She meant to say heaven, but kept calling it New Haven, which accidentally broke the tension on an otherwise horrible day. Eventually everyone was trying not to laugh, and the jokes started rolling in:
“Well… at least she isn’t in Bridgeport.”
She meant to say heaven, but kept calling it New Haven, which accidentally broke the tension on an otherwise horrible day. Eventually everyone was trying not to laugh, and the jokes started rolling in:
“Well… at least she isn’t in Bridgeport.”
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53points
#2
My grandma's dog tried to crawl in the casket with her.
He's a 200lb Saint Bernard.
Edited to add: The problem was that he nearly knocked the casket over.
He's a 200lb Saint Bernard.
Edited to add: The problem was that he nearly knocked the casket over.
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44points
#3
My husband died in the middle of Covid, and was cremated. I had the urn. When I got to the church for the memorial service, I realized I had forgotten the urn, and it was too late to go back and get it. So my husband didn't go to his own funeral.
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43points
The relationship between humor and grief is a complex one. On the one hand, laughter, even when it is bittersweet, can bring you much-needed relief during the toughest moments in your life. On the other hand, humor itself can act as a trigger, reminding you of the person you have lost, their humorous side, and the activities you shared.
One study found that some people experienced grief episodes “whenever they thought about humor or encountered humor, as this remembrance or exposure served to recall their deceased loved one to them.”
And yet, the same study identified humor, an important social activity across all cultures and historical periods, as a “periodic way” for people to temporarily escape from or otherwise manage their grief.
#4
The priest guy walked in with his impressive embroidered robes and my 4 year old nephew exclaimed’ it’s a fancy princess!’.
43points
#5
Grandpa's funeral. Closest family members gathered in his house's Florida "sunroom". This is the part where we reminisce about the deceased and say how fond we are of him. Instead, silence. The room became more and more uncomfortable, fidgeting, people catching glances of each other's eyes... Finally my Dad says, "yeah, he was a real son of a b***h, wasn't he?" All the nervous energy in the room exploded into roaring laughter that lasted a good long time. We had fun after that, just talking to one another.
42points
#6
My great aunt would always bring a disposable camera to funerals and take pictures of the deceased and flowers, she kept each individual in their own photo album. When she passed we buried her with a Kodak disposable camera.
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39points
Humor is an activity that can massively improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. It reduces stress, lifts spirits, speeds up healing, enhances recovery, gives you an opportunity to connect with others, and even provides solace for the grieving to cope with their loss.
As Bethel Funerals stresses, “Laughing together, even in times of grief, can help build connection and empathy with the bereaved.”
If your loved one who has passed away was known for having a good sense of humor, you may want to consider incorporating it into their funeral service. A dash of gentle humor and levity, among all the respect and sensitivity, can be a heartwarming and healing experience.
“One of the major milestones on the grief journey is learning how to laugh after loss. It is important not to feel guilty about engaging in grief humour. Laughter is good for the soul. Your loved one would want you to engage with your world whole-heartedly, and laugh again.”
#7
We were at a crematorium service for a family friend. The family had picked a soft, classical piece for the final commendation as the curtains closed. Someone in the AV booth clearly clicked the wrong file on the computer because instead of classical music, the opening chords of "Highway to Hell" started blasting through the speakers. It only played for about four seconds before they cut it, but the sudden silence afterward was deafening.
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38points
#8
Technically, this didn't happen At the funeral, but immediately after.
As a kid, I went with my family to my great-grandfathers funeral
Within a half hour of it being over, many of my relatives just descended on his house and were like, hauling s**t out to their cars. The poor guy wasn't even cold.
I've never seen my father so angry. Even as a kid, I thought "this is so f****n wrong.".
As a kid, I went with my family to my great-grandfathers funeral
Within a half hour of it being over, many of my relatives just descended on his house and were like, hauling s**t out to their cars. The poor guy wasn't even cold.
I've never seen my father so angry. Even as a kid, I thought "this is so f****n wrong.".
32points
#9
Big catholic family. A couple of the younger siblings gave your typical eulogy, nothing notable. Then the eldest daughter went up and proceeded to reveal that her father was the perpetrator of horrific s****l, emotional, and physical a***e to basically the entire family and nobody ever spoke about it. Jaws were on the floor.
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32points
However, because comedy is so sensitive to context and people’s sense of humor, you have to be incredibly careful that you do not overstep boundaries or make inappropriate comments.
Something you think might be entertaining gallows humor might insult someone in mourning. Meanwhile, something darkly humorous that you might avoid saying aloud because you want to have tact might actually make someone who is grieving laugh out loud. These are all incredibly sensitive situations that require a lot of empathy and emotional intelligence to navigate as you support others.
What are the most bizarre, heartwarming, horrifying, or hilarious things that you have personally witnessed at funerals? What advice would you give someone who is grieving right now? If you feel like sharing your experiences and insights, feel free to do so in the comments.
#10
Preacher wasn’t supposed to be a pall bearer but joined at the last minute. Ended up falling into my grandmas grave and almost being decapitated by the coffin. Had to climb/be pulled out of the grave the deliver the graveside service. Fortunately my family has a good sense of humor. Grandma never liked that preacher anyway and probably would be happy knowing she almost took him out .
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31points
#11
When we got to the cemetery after my mom's funeral for the graveside ceremony, we knew immediately that they had her casket over the wrong grave. Our family has a section of plots on the opposite corner of this particular cemetery.
Most of the people there besides immediate family had no idea this was not the correct gravesite, so the ceremony went on as though nothing was unusual. They actually lowered her casket into the wrong gravesite. My siblings and dad and I were horrified. Then after everyone left, they raised her casket back up, and my brother stayed behind to make sure they buried her in the correct plot.
They used a crane to carry the casket from one side of the cemetery to the other, and my brother said the casket was swinging around and almost hit a tree. The poor man is traumatized for life. But she is at least buried next to my grandparents in the correct place now.
Most of the people there besides immediate family had no idea this was not the correct gravesite, so the ceremony went on as though nothing was unusual. They actually lowered her casket into the wrong gravesite. My siblings and dad and I were horrified. Then after everyone left, they raised her casket back up, and my brother stayed behind to make sure they buried her in the correct plot.
They used a crane to carry the casket from one side of the cemetery to the other, and my brother said the casket was swinging around and almost hit a tree. The poor man is traumatized for life. But she is at least buried next to my grandparents in the correct place now.
28points
#12
My grandpa unfortunately died of a brain tumor in 1989 at the age of 59 and only about twenty minutes after his mom died at a nursing home up the road from where he was with my grandma. This caused a bit of an issue with the will for my great grandma as my grandpa died within such a short time of his mom.
At his visitation, held one day after his mom's funeral/ burial, my grandpa's sister decided to show up with her attorney to inform my grandma that she would be taking her to court over my grandpa's share of the estate. Needless to say my grandma was dumbfounded as it was the funeral for her husband and this woman's brother and she was showing up with an attorney threatening legal action. She didn't even stay for the visitation and was a no-show at the service and burial the next day. Her daughter came and apologized profusely for her mom's actions and how she couldn't believe she did that.
After a long and lengthy legal battle, my grandma lost pretty much everything that was supposed to come tm my grandpa from the estate. After the sale of the house, the land and a bunch of stuff inside, she was allowed to take some of my grandpa's childhood toys and anything he has purchased as an adult that was stored in my great grandma's barn.
My mom and uncles just got some of the stuff back two years ago after my grandpa's sister was finally dragged to hell.
At his visitation, held one day after his mom's funeral/ burial, my grandpa's sister decided to show up with her attorney to inform my grandma that she would be taking her to court over my grandpa's share of the estate. Needless to say my grandma was dumbfounded as it was the funeral for her husband and this woman's brother and she was showing up with an attorney threatening legal action. She didn't even stay for the visitation and was a no-show at the service and burial the next day. Her daughter came and apologized profusely for her mom's actions and how she couldn't believe she did that.
After a long and lengthy legal battle, my grandma lost pretty much everything that was supposed to come tm my grandpa from the estate. After the sale of the house, the land and a bunch of stuff inside, she was allowed to take some of my grandpa's childhood toys and anything he has purchased as an adult that was stored in my great grandma's barn.
My mom and uncles just got some of the stuff back two years ago after my grandpa's sister was finally dragged to hell.
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27points
#13
My great-grandfather, the deceased, pulled a no show to his own funeral.
It's a bit of an insane story, as my great-grandfather was a self-avowed atheist with two Catholic kids and one New Age (my grandmother, the eldest). The Catholics hired a priest, booked a cathedral, paid for a mass, etc. while my grandmother moved his body from funeral home to funeral home, over something insane like 6 states to avoid that.
We are reasonably certain, that at some point, his body spent time in the trunk of her Buick, as cremains if nothing else. Because there was absolutely NO stopping that woman when she was on a tear. And despite dozens of phone calls to my father to reign in his mother, there was no chance of this. At all.
Hilariously and somewhat ironically, her d***h ran a similar plot. Her Baptist-convert daughter booked a church, chose bible verses, scheduled a service, ordered flowers, etc. for her mother, while my father quietly arranged for a cremation. At no time, to my knowledge, was grandma in the trunk.
But I wouldn't put it past Dad, he was a chip off the old block and had access to many a work truck.
I've been insisting on a viking funeral barge to keep on this glorious family tradition.
It's a bit of an insane story, as my great-grandfather was a self-avowed atheist with two Catholic kids and one New Age (my grandmother, the eldest). The Catholics hired a priest, booked a cathedral, paid for a mass, etc. while my grandmother moved his body from funeral home to funeral home, over something insane like 6 states to avoid that.
We are reasonably certain, that at some point, his body spent time in the trunk of her Buick, as cremains if nothing else. Because there was absolutely NO stopping that woman when she was on a tear. And despite dozens of phone calls to my father to reign in his mother, there was no chance of this. At all.
Hilariously and somewhat ironically, her d***h ran a similar plot. Her Baptist-convert daughter booked a church, chose bible verses, scheduled a service, ordered flowers, etc. for her mother, while my father quietly arranged for a cremation. At no time, to my knowledge, was grandma in the trunk.
But I wouldn't put it past Dad, he was a chip off the old block and had access to many a work truck.
I've been insisting on a viking funeral barge to keep on this glorious family tradition.
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27points
#14
Someone put on Spotify at my aunt’s funeral. She had died young, it was a sad time. They were playing some calm and emotional stuff.
If only they had Spotify premium…cause all of a sudden we were getting hit with loud and bubbly commercials for tide detergent. So funny in hindsight.
If only they had Spotify premium…cause all of a sudden we were getting hit with loud and bubbly commercials for tide detergent. So funny in hindsight.
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24points
#15
Mine was at my uncle's funeral. He passed suddenly from 3 back to back large heart attacks.
My aunt, his sister, had a mental break, started hugging and trying to life his corpse out of the casket... Three of my uncle's had to grab her and drag her out of the funeral home kicking and screaming. She literally ripped gouges out of the wooden hand rail with her nails. Her husband just stood there.looking gobsmacked.
She had been drinking heavily for days before... Then again, she was drunk 90% of the time anyways, so that wasn't really an excuse. This wasn't the first sibling she had lost either, but this was the first freak out.
Meanwhile, my deceased uncle's wife is now coming apart at the seams. She had been holding on strong till then but the... Drama just broke her. She matched outside and b***h slapped my aunt. She had always been a kind, patient pacifist up to that moment.
My aunt, his sister, had a mental break, started hugging and trying to life his corpse out of the casket... Three of my uncle's had to grab her and drag her out of the funeral home kicking and screaming. She literally ripped gouges out of the wooden hand rail with her nails. Her husband just stood there.looking gobsmacked.
She had been drinking heavily for days before... Then again, she was drunk 90% of the time anyways, so that wasn't really an excuse. This wasn't the first sibling she had lost either, but this was the first freak out.
Meanwhile, my deceased uncle's wife is now coming apart at the seams. She had been holding on strong till then but the... Drama just broke her. She matched outside and b***h slapped my aunt. She had always been a kind, patient pacifist up to that moment.
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23points
#16
My aunt asked the sound guy to play "My Way" during the slideshow at my uncle's funeral Sinatra, his favorite song. He clicked the wrong file and my uncle's own drunk karaoke recording of it from a 2009 birthday party started playing instead, off-key, laughing through half the lyrics. By the second verse the whole room was crying and laughing at the same time, and my aunt said it was the only moment all day that actually felt like him.
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23points
#17
At my husband's funeral I met my half brother for the first time. Apparently my Dad called him and told him he should go. My Dad couldn't make it because his dog threw up and my stepmom was too upset thinking the dog was sick and she couldn't be alone, so I guess him sending my brother that I never met was the next best thing? Never saw or spoke to my brother again, but it was nice that at least someone showed up for me.
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22points
#18
Oh the day of my grandfather's funeral, the cemetary called our house. They told my mother they had accidentally resold our family plot and there was nowhere to bury my grandfather. My mother burst into tears and handed the phone to my father who yelled into the phone that they were going go fix this *now*. They called back later and said they "made some room" and the burial could go ahead as planned. I still have no clue how you "make some room" in a cemetary and I'm pretty sure I don't want to.
22points
#19
A guy who graduated a year or two ahead of me, joined the military and was k****d.
He had been engaged. She was a mess but keeping it together.
During school, he had a semi-stalker. A girl who would not leave him alone no matter how many times he tried to shake her.
The stalker girl showed up at the funeral. She cried and wailed throughout the whole service. At the end of the service when people were leaving, she ran down the aisle trying to get to the casket. Someone tackled her and she laid in the middle of the aisle wailing and weeping as people stepped around her to get out.
He had been engaged. She was a mess but keeping it together.
During school, he had a semi-stalker. A girl who would not leave him alone no matter how many times he tried to shake her.
The stalker girl showed up at the funeral. She cried and wailed throughout the whole service. At the end of the service when people were leaving, she ran down the aisle trying to get to the casket. Someone tackled her and she laid in the middle of the aisle wailing and weeping as people stepped around her to get out.
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22points
#20
A girl I knew in high school passed away due to a drunk driving incident. I was bullied a lot, but she was one of the people that was nice, so I put on nice clothes and went.
Middle of the funeral, several things happened.
Her parents started screaming at one anothee and blaming each other for her d***h.
Her sister pulled the canvas awning down on top of everyone because "she was grieving" (hint: no she wasn't, she was being a spoiled cu next Tuesday).
Two of her guy friends kissed the casket which started a brawl between them both; even though she was dating an entire third person.
Two girls got into a car accident on their way to the graveside because they ran a red light.
It was the most disorganized, ridiculous funeral I'd ever been to. I hung back and after most people had left (including my ride so I walked home, it wasn't far), I said my peace to her.
RIP Jewel. You were nice to me and I still have the pretty blue checkered dog statue you gave me.
Middle of the funeral, several things happened.
Her parents started screaming at one anothee and blaming each other for her d***h.
Her sister pulled the canvas awning down on top of everyone because "she was grieving" (hint: no she wasn't, she was being a spoiled cu next Tuesday).
Two of her guy friends kissed the casket which started a brawl between them both; even though she was dating an entire third person.
Two girls got into a car accident on their way to the graveside because they ran a red light.
It was the most disorganized, ridiculous funeral I'd ever been to. I hung back and after most people had left (including my ride so I walked home, it wasn't far), I said my peace to her.
RIP Jewel. You were nice to me and I still have the pretty blue checkered dog statue you gave me.
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21points