Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

Don't know about you, but I buy the local paper which comes out once a week. Where is the first page I head for? yep! The Obituary Page. Spot someone we know, then it's on the phone to my brothers or sis-in-laws (who are all local too) and it's a case of "Guess who's died!!".

How morbid is that? I feel very sad for that person and his/her family but it then get's me depressed later when I think, God, I was in school with her, or...Flippin heck, I remember him always coming to see the brothers at home.

I wonder why I do it? Am I alone? does anyone else seek out the Obit page or is it just sicko me?

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

I do know what you mean Shrops. No one likes to hear of someone they know dying but somehow we enjoy telling others. An odd human trait I suppose but I'm sure you are not alone.

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

Must admit Shroppie, I don't actively seek it out, or buy a paper because of it. If I happen to have a paper I will glance at that page, but there is rarely anyone I know mentioned.

Having said that, it is perhaps a good job some people pay more attention to the Obituaries, because if was only through a friend of mine ringing me that I knew my ex husband had died! And I only found out through someone else also, that the poor bloke had been dead on the floor in his house for a couple of days before anyone found him!

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

On Friday after midday, l sometimes go online to look at the Obituaries in my local paper.
Most l don't know but then there are the 'shocks', like you say SG, the ones you went to school with, or friends of your own age, that you knew socially.
I always try to attend their funerals but l wouldn't like to be classed as a 'professional funeral attendee'.
You do see lots of people at the funerals that you haven't seen for years though and that's nice!

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

I don't buy newspapers and the local freebie is no longer delivered

The husband of one of the sis-in-laws was in the car buying/selling business for many years, so they moved to Eastbourne because people often move there when they retire .... and DIE.

I'm told that it's very usual for car dealers to feverishly scan the local obituaries in order to sniff out any bargains

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

Phew, thanks LD. Sometimes I sit here and feel quite ashamed. At my age, it must be a human trait. I turn to the obit page, hoping there is no-one I know and yet..... wanting there to be a name I recognise so I can get on the phone to tell the others first. Really rather sick as I said, and after phoning them I then sit and think about that person that I/We knew and feel very sad.

I just wondered if it was me so I am relieved to know I am not the only one. (Got to be an age thing, surely?) especially as this is a very small town where everyone knows everyone else.

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

I occasionally check obituaries - but mostly, as long as mine is not there, I ignore them !

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

I think it's the same when we hear of celebrity deaths, it's sad but we just have to tell someone.

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

I've got to say I've never done that, can't even tell you where the obits would be in the papers. Now births I look out for, anyone tells me they have a new baby on the family I can't wait to tell others or to see piccies etc.

Re: Gawd! How Morbid is That!!!

We are a bit morbid today ain’t we.
No I never look at the deaths in the paper, the wife does though, is it a woman’s thing?
The way I see it is if someone not related to me dies it’s their own business, when you gotta go you gotta go, no sense in telling the world about it, in the meantime life goes on for the rest of us who have to cart around this mortal coil, although it would be nice to read an obituary headline like “Open up those pearly gates Peter, I’s a comin’ home”