1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: The discussion is strange burial requests occasioned by and we'll 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: go skip John, Paul, Joseph, So hang tight, we'll get 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: to you occasioned by. Back in April, eighty eight year 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: old Pope Francis passed and his request to the Vatican 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: was a very simple burial. And we were talking as 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: a show team, Jim, Darryl, chad Oconi, Nunkanishi, myself Ramon 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:38,200 Speaker 1: Robles about strange burial requests or atypical burial requests, and 8 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: we ran out of time and we wanted to get 9 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: to some more of these, so we'll take them in 10 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: that order. 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: Skip what's yours? 12 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 3: Good mornings are lost one of my lifelong besties two 13 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 3: years ago, six months before our fiftieth reunion high school reunion, 14 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 3: and went to his funeral and still grieving about losing 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 3: this guy we raised two doors down from each other. 16 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 3: I had no idea what gay was when I was 17 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 3: in high school, and nobody else did. But he turns 18 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 3: out he was gay and the funniest man that lived. 19 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 3: He would make any stand up comedian look bad today. 20 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 3: And he basically smoked himself to death and died at 21 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 3: the age of sixty eight. But I went to his 22 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 3: funeral and three of his buddies got up and eulogized him, 23 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 3: or as I used to say, eurologized him, and it 24 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 3: was amazing. Chaz got up and he said, you know, 25 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 3: I love Freddy and we used to garden together, and 26 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 3: we loved the garden. And I would get out there 27 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 3: with him and we'd hoe and rake and plant the 28 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 3: beautiful flowers. And if I had his ashes, I'd sprinkle 29 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 3: them all over my garden. And then Philip got up 30 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 3: and he said, you know, Freddy and I sailed together, 31 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 3: and we love to sail, and he loved sailing. And 32 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: if I had his ashes, I'd sprinkle them all over 33 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 3: the Gulf of America. And then Rod Reid got up 34 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 3: and he said, you know, Freddy and I love to 35 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 3: cook together. And he said, we'd love making spicy hot chili. 36 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 3: And I'll tell you what, if I had his ashes, 37 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 3: I'd put him in a pot of chili so it 38 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 3: could tear my ass up one more time. 39 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 4: You know. 40 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 2: He Uh, he definitely pulled. He pulled it off of 41 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: a straight face, and we got to give him credit. 42 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: Uh, let's go to John, John, what's your strange burial? 43 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 4: Request, yes, uh see pick apart. The direct kind of 44 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 4: movie he directed called uh The Bower Cable Hoag and 45 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 4: into the final scenes, the main character, Chason Wobart, was 46 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 4: close to death and he says, well, you know, dying 47 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 4: is not the hard part. 48 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:13,119 Speaker 5: You know, I'm not afraid of dying, but I want 49 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 5: to know what they're going to say about me. So 50 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 5: he had a very credible minister who's a character in 51 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 5: the film give his euigy while he was still alive. 52 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 5: So I thought that was kind of interesting look at death. 53 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's uh, I'm fascinated by how cultures deal with death, 54 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: and I think it's it's interesting to see the various 55 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: ways that we deal with something and eventuality that we're 56 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: all going to experience and and a very profound thing. 57 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 3: You know. 58 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: Some people don't market really at all, and some people 59 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: have pomp and circumstances. Some people celebrate, and some people mourn, 60 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: and some people it's it's a very interesting, it's a 61 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: very interesting thing. It's and it's it's a big part 62 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: of life. In the same way that that we have 63 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: cultural markers for birth and for marriage and for manhood 64 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: and womanhood, so too we have we have this one. 65 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: It's very interesting, Brett, you're up. What's yours? 66 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 6: My father passed away many years ago, and his one 67 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 6: of his last ten years of his life, he he 68 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 6: liked to hand out two dollar bills, mainly to kids 69 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 6: at family reunions or whatever. So he always carried a 70 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 6: pocket full of two dollar bills, and we put these 71 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 6: two dollar bills in his in his obituary bulletin for 72 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 6: the funeral, and so everyone got a two dollar bill 73 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 6: at the you know, at the funeral. So they thought 74 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 6: that was cool. So at five hundred bucks, who cares? 75 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 6: It was a neat little gesture. I did have a 76 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 6: morbid curiosity like you with the what's the weirdest request? 77 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 6: So I asked the funeral director and he told me 78 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 6: the weirdest one he ever had was he buried a 79 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 6: very big man and the guy wanted beer in his casket, 80 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 6: so they put almost two kegs of beer. It took 81 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 6: about twelve guys to carry him to the grave. It's 82 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 6: all funny games unless you're and so it was sloshing 83 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 6: around in the casket, and it was all funny unless 84 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 6: you were on the on the Paul Bearer crew. So 85 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 6: but anyway, that was. 86 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 2: Think of something. If you look up. 87 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: Paul Bearer's drop casket, there's. 88 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 2: You know, there's the algorithms. Now. 89 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: I saw one a couple of weeks ago where they're 90 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 1: walking toward the hole and you know, they put down 91 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: that artificial turf, the green turf to get you there, 92 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: and somebody slipped on it. 93 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 2: It had a little it had a little slack in it. 94 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: Somebody slipped on it and they fell into the hole 95 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: with the casket. Thank goodness, the casket went first and 96 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: them on top of it because they couldn't get their 97 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: hands pulled loose from the carrying rack. 98 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 2: But they all go in together. It is I mean, 99 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 2: it's funny now, but it wasn't funny for the people. 100 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: Probably somebody probably broke a at least a finger, wrist, 101 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: elbow something out of the deal. 102 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: It was not pretty to watch. That is that it's 103 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 2: funny for us to watch. 104 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: I'm saying it was probably not pretty if you were 105 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: there at the time. Listen, I've been a pallbearer, and 106 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you something. The choice of who a 107 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: Paul Bearer is going to be is made for all 108 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: the wrong reasons. It's an honor you know that you 109 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: give to a person in the family that he's going 110 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: to be Uncle Buster's Paul bearer. But sometimes that is 111 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: done without regard to your ability to carry your end 112 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: of a very heavy, heavy casket. And well, yeah, you 113 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: can imagine what could go wrong. Paul, you're on the 114 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: Michael Berry Show. What is the strange burial request you 115 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: have or you have witnessed? 116 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 7: My wife and I went to pre need Counseling, signed 117 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 7: up for a final, final process, and she talks me 118 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 7: into if I precede her, She talks me into. 119 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 8: A casson orse drawn casket here at the Houston Veterans Cemetery. 120 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 8: And I tried to talk her out of it, and 121 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 8: bless her heart, she said, this is for your children 122 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 8: and your grandchildren's closure. But bless her heart, she wants 123 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 8: me to take her ashes if she if she dies 124 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 8: before me out to Hunter Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National 125 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 8: Park and when the wind is blowing right, let her 126 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 8: ashes blow right back into good old Texas. 127 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: How about that? How about that? That's a good story. 128 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 2: Let's go finally to Joseph. Joseph, You're only Michael Berry Show. 129 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 3: Go ahead, sir, hery good mornings are. 130 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 9: My father passed away probably in old four December of four, 131 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 9: but we had an old fashioned and Irish wake for him, 132 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 9: which after he got back from the enbalmers, we laid 133 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 9: him out in the living room of the house in 134 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 9: his casket, open casket for a week, and the neighbors, 135 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 9: his friends and family could stop by at their own 136 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 9: convenience and say goodbye, and you know, I wish there 137 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 9: they're farewells to him, And to me it was it 138 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 9: was kind of a neat thing because I was I 139 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 9: stayed there the whole week and and got a lot 140 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 9: of closure just sitting around having a beer with him 141 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 9: and talking to him, even though he couldn't talk back. 142 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 9: But uh, it's a lot different than just walking by 143 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 9: somebody at the funeral home for for five minutes for 144 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 9: two seconds, you know, you you have more time to 145 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 9: uh to really say goodbye. And it was a it 146 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 9: was a real blessing to me. 147 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's uh, that's that's that's what the 148 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 1: process is supposed to be about, right to bring closure 149 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: for the living in something that can be very very emotional. 150 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: The subject was strange burial requests, and we went to 151 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: break with a full board of calls, and we held 152 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: some of them over. Having gone through a few of those, 153 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: I got a lot of emails, and I felt like, 154 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: if you take the time to write the email, then 155 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: I'm going to try to share those and I'm just 156 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: going to pull a few of those out to share 157 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: with you on this bonus podcast reminder. A bonus podcast 158 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: is content that did not air on the radio that 159 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: we did just for the podcast. So if you're looking, 160 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: if you're a regular listener to the radio show and 161 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: you use the podcast to supplement and go back to 162 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: things that you missed, you can always go to bonus 163 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: first for things that you know you missed because it 164 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: hasn't aired yet. William Wrights had the father of a 165 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: close friend that had at his funeral played Elvis' music 166 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: the whole service. Turns out, my friend's father was Elvis's 167 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 1: escort when he was assigned to Germany while in the 168 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 1: US Army. For the first two years, whenever they went 169 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: to an Elvis show in Vegas, they were seated in 170 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: the front row. I enjoyed this topic. Lindo writes, my 171 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: husband wants to be cremated, have his ashes put into 172 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: fireworks and shot over a pond on our ranch while 173 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: bagpipes play amazing grace only one issue to grant all 174 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: that wish we just sold the ranch. Well maybe put 175 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 1: that into terms, I guess. Doug Wright Sam Houston up 176 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: in Huntsville will accept bodies for science at their criminology department. 177 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: My deceased father in law's body was donated at his 178 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: request with minimal red tape. They laid him down to 179 00:11:54,600 --> 00:12:00,319 Speaker 1: rest in the cadaver decomposition Decomposition study field. That was 180 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: in reference to where the bodies go that are donated 181 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 1: to science. Jacob Rights being a part of an ocean 182 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: reef for eternity. I thought this was pretty cool and 183 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: something I might consider later on. I will give you 184 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: the link to what he posted, which was eternal reefs 185 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 1: dot com eternal reefs dot com. Darryl Kunda on our 186 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,559 Speaker 1: team says, I've been to the Moravia store. It's a great, 187 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: tiny little dive bar. 188 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: Okay. 189 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: I like Moravian culture. Raman, do you Texas State has 190 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: a body? What which Moravian it's it's the old Czech 191 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: families that came in west of west of Houston. There's 192 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: several There is a community called Moravia, but there are 193 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: lots of Moravian descendants there. Texas State has a body 194 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: farm where people take their cadaver dogs to train to 195 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: find dead bodies. They do various things to the bodies, 196 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: like burning them or leaving them out in the elements. 197 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: Bodies can be donated. Hmm, yeah, you drive a hard bargain. 198 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: Funeral requests and Bible studies. Seven years back, a gentleman's 199 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: request was to be cremated and put into a douche 200 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: bottle so his wife could run him through her one 201 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 1: more time. Sorry for the spelling. Okay, all right, okay. 202 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: My husband's family are lot Via immigrants, and their funeral 203 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: tradition is to take photos of the dead person in 204 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: the coffin. At the appropriate point in the service, all 205 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: pass in front of the open coffin and take pictures. 206 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: We have lots of pictures of unknown dead people in caskets. 207 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: I told you there's strange traditions. Brent writes, I would 208 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: like to have an outdoor funeral, have my body strapped 209 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,079 Speaker 1: to a parachute and drop from a plane and land 210 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 1: at the cemetery, hopefully close to the hole in the ground. Okay, 211 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: let see Genie rights. Not all these can be read. 212 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: Check out the option in Texas to decompose naturally in 213 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: big tanks. The family can visit and then be given 214 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: containers of composts that the deceased person of the deceased 215 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: person to use. 216 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 2: In the yard. 217 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: In Austin, I don't know the name of the facility 218 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: wrapped in willow basket allowed to decompose naturally. Trees planted 219 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: on the decease. New trend is no funeral or memorial. 220 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: I saw a story on that sometime back. You got 221 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: to get licensing for that. But they have these kind 222 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: of free range cemeteries and so the body will be 223 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: placed out there and decomposed naturally or with the assistance 224 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: of buzzards or whatever else. The Zoroastrians, which is a 225 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: group out of originally out of Iran, they ended up 226 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: being driven into India. In Bombay, they have a and 227 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: I still call it Bombay, and we'll always call it Bombay. 228 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,119 Speaker 1: They have what's called what's known as the Tower of Silence, 229 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: and what it is is a tall silo. My wife 230 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: took me by there and inside the silo there is 231 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: no roof. You just see the perimeter of the silo. 232 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: It's taller than the other buildings around. But you notice 233 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: a lot of birds flying in to the inside that 234 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: silo from the top, and they hang the dead bodies 235 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: of the Zoriastrians, and the birds come and they pecked 236 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: them away until they're gone. The Zoroastrians are the group 237 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: originally from Iran that Freddie Mercury's family were part of 238 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: in India. They ended up in Tanzania. I think they 239 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: ended up in East Africa, but they his family, as 240 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: you know, were Indians. David writes, a few years ago, 241 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: my nephew in high school lost his life. His surviving 242 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: was in the Special Forces. John had his little brother's 243 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: ashes made into a small capsule to wear around his 244 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: neck throughout his service to our country. Bobby writes that 245 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: sixty four ferrari that the woman was buried in would 246 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: be worth about four hundred dollars today in today's market. 247 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: Certainly not the most desirable ferrari since it's a force eater, 248 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: but a beautiful sixties ferrari nonetheless, and that story if 249 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: you didn't hear our show live on the air. Was 250 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: a woman who died in nineteen seventy seven. A socialite, 251 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: she was buried in San Anton in a white nightgown 252 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: or negligee, It's unclear in her sixty four ferrari and 253 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: they actually lowered the ferrari into a concrete case to 254 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: keep grave robbers from come grave diggers from coming in 255 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: robbing it. Roy says, from my experience as a death 256 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: investigator with the Harris County Medical Examiner, regardless if you 257 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 1: are a registered organ donor life gift still has to 258 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 1: get permission from your legal next of ken. 259 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 2: They will make the decision. 260 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: On a side note, they can take your corneas without 261 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: your permission by law. If your body goes to the 262 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: medical Examiner, they can snatch your cornia unless you put 263 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: your name on the no take list with the Eye Bank. Well, 264 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: they don't want my corneas anyway. I can guarantee you that. 265 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: Robbie writes, my step cousin loved fishing and was excellent 266 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: at carpentry and building things such as cabinets, pantries, tables. 267 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: They had him in jeans and flannel shirt with a 268 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: pencil behind his ear, a tape measure on his pocket, 269 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: and a Roden reel in his casket. Okay, Mark says, 270 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: my brother worked in maintenance at Disneyland and people will 271 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: dump ashes in It's a small World, or the Haunted Mansion, 272 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: amongst other places. He had to vacuum it all up. 273 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 1: Do you know where that is? You're a Disney guy. Okay, 274 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 1: well that would be unpleasant. I'll tell you. My wife, 275 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:19,400 Speaker 1: being from India, the Ganges, which is considered a holy river, 276 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:24,439 Speaker 1: people will will pour the ashes in the Ganges. And 277 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,400 Speaker 1: it's a filthy river to start with, but it's even 278 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: more filthy. You'll see what looks like somebody emptied out 279 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: a vacuum cleaner when ashes are dumped in, and it's very, 280 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: very nasty. Christopher writes, there's a company that makes artificial 281 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: reef structures that will mix your ashes in the concrete 282 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: of said structures. This would allow me to fish forever, 283 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: and my kids could fish with me whenever they wanted. 284 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: Patrick writes, oh, that's something unrelated to this. Bobby Knight's 285 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 1: request was when he left Indiana as head coach, I 286 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 1: told the press he wanted to be buried upside down 287 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: so they could all kiss his ass. Trip Zivy says, 288 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: I want to be buried under a sapling live oak 289 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: so my remains grow into a wise old oak. All right, 290 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: Terry says my husband and I enjoy your show like you. 291 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,400 Speaker 1: I'm a fan of celebrations of life. When a deer 292 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: one passes, when I pass I want a few things 293 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: at my celebration. One of those air filled advertising columns 294 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: that have a face and arms and wave around. It's 295 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: called a wind socket or wind sock. They make me laugh, 296 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: and I want people to remember to laugh amidst their tears. Secondly, 297 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:41,200 Speaker 1: I want my son in law to tell a. 298 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 2: Few dad jokes. 299 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: We are lovers of dry humor. Lastly, when I'm cremated, 300 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: I want a vial of glitter added to the ashes 301 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: so that when it is tossed, my ashes will sparkle. 302 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: Thanks for your spectacular show. 303 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: Becky writes. 304 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 1: My granny's friends were passing away, and every time she 305 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: attended their services, she said there was always a fly 306 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: buzzing the casket. So she asked to have a flyswater 307 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: in her casket. And on the day of her surface service, 308 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: we placed a flyswater in her casket and not one 309 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 1: fly was seen. Well, how about that, Brian Wrights. Ever 310 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 1: see that eighties movie sob They kidnapped the body from 311 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 1: the funeral home and put it in a dingy in 312 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: a dinghy, sorry, in a dinghy, launched it and shot 313 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:31,199 Speaker 1: flaming arrows at it. Jason writes, my mentor in the 314 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: law was Tom Locke, who passed from cancer almost two 315 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: years ago. His final wish was to have his ashes 316 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: put into the tailpipe of his Harley Davidson and blown 317 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: out into the park where him and his retired military 318 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: working dog played. Rick says Michael. A few years ago, 319 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: I had a good friend roommate that was famous in 320 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: his social circle for always being late. Anywhere he went, 321 00:20:56,080 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 1: people would often say the old cliche scratch he was seven, sorry, stretch, stretch, 322 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: he was six y three, will be late to his 323 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: own funeral. He told me a couple of times that 324 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: in the event of his passing, he wanted me to 325 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: hijack the hers so that it could be said that 326 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: he truly was late to his own funeral. Michael writes, 327 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: when my pops was sick with cancer, he went to 328 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 1: the cemetery with my mother to pick out burial plots. 329 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: When he found out the cost, he said, to just 330 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: bury him deeper in the ground so there's room for 331 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: my mom in the same single plot. He did request 332 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: that when my mom dies, to dig him up place 333 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: her at the bottom, as he never liked her. On 334 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: top true story, Ben says, we went to high school together. 335 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 1: He's just telling about Coach Pivato, our football our high 336 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: school football coach. When Coach Piveto died, at his burial, 337 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: his sons told people that they could leave, but that 338 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 1: anyone that stayed would be able to help shovel dirt. 339 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 2: Back onto the grave. 340 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,880 Speaker 1: I was able to throw a few scoops in myself, 341 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 1: and that was only That was the only time. 342 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 2: At a burial I ever saw that. I'm about that. 343 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 1: Kathy writes, my mom just passed away this spring. She 344 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 1: didn't want to have a funeral. She always loved having 345 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: an afternoon coffee and something sweet to eat, Georgia peach. 346 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 1: But we lived in Beaumont, Texas since the seventies, so 347 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: that's what we did. She planned everything. It was called 348 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: Barbara's Last Afternoon Coffee. Just wanted to share at my 349 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,360 Speaker 1: mother's funeral. She didn't ask for this, but she had 350 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:30,160 Speaker 1: asked my wife ears before. My mother and father wanted 351 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: to pay for their own tombstone. It's important to them 352 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: that they not leave us any burdens. So she asked 353 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: my mom, and she asked my wife. My mom asked 354 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: my wife, what should I have put on my headstone? 355 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: She asked everybody, but nobody else paid attention to her request. 356 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: And my wife said, well, you love to read, so 357 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,120 Speaker 1: how about you do Oh the Places We'll go? The 358 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: line from doctor Seuss And my mother loved it, and 359 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 1: so that was on her on her tombstone. Well, when 360 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: she passed, she was ready to go, and she said, Michael, 361 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: she called my wife and I to the to the 362 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,200 Speaker 1: hospital late at night. She was in Houston and she'd 363 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,919 Speaker 1: just gotten some really bad news. She had lou Garrig's disease, 364 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: a version of lou Gererig's disease, and it was she 365 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: was basically dying from within. It was very painful, and 366 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: she'd had a very painful procedure that day and said, 367 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: I want to go home. I don't want any more medicine. 368 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:28,880 Speaker 2: I want to die. 369 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: So they told us it could be three or four days, 370 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: it could be two weeks. 371 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: But it won't be long if that. If she does that, 372 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 2: doctors gave their. 373 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 1: Blessing, not that they needed to, but they agreed it was. 374 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 2: She was in bad shape. 375 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 1: So my wife the next morning, we couldn't do it. It 376 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 1: was almost midnight, so we called an ambulance company we knew, 377 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,119 Speaker 1: and my wife went and rode with her back to 378 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,719 Speaker 1: Orange in the ambulance, and which my wife said was 379 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: very uncomfortable that thing. They were driving fast and it 380 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: was knocking around. I sped in the Orange before them 381 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: to tell my dad, good news, Mom's coming home from 382 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: the hospital today. Bad news is she's gonna die. And 383 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 1: so that was. That was a lot to process and 384 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: to get the house ready for her arrival. Anyway, so 385 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: she said she had told us what she wanted for 386 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 1: the funeral, and that was, you know, she didn't want 387 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: anybody but the immediate families. She didn't want a big deal. 388 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: She didn't want to announce, she didn't want people to 389 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: come and look at her body and all that. So 390 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: I honored that wish. But my wife's idea was we 391 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: bought every copy. There were only twenty people at the funeral. 392 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: They're only supposed to be five or six. But you 393 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: know a few of her friends found. 394 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 2: Out about it. 395 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: Anyway, So we read from doctor Seuss, Oh the places 396 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:49,920 Speaker 1: we'll go, and I thought that was a really nice 397 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: It was something she would have approved of. So anyway, 398 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: David Gay Dave says, they Viking funeral. They send them 399 00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 1: out in a boat and then an archer shoots a 400 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,159 Speaker 1: flaming era into the boat. That was a reference to 401 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: Chance Mock, the former ut In Woodland's quarterback, saying he 402 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: wanted a Viking funeral. Mike writes, I moved from Vegas 403 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: in twenty one to Dickinson. I enjoy fishing and shark 404 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: fishing quite a bit. I requested my family to cut 405 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: me up in chunks to be used for bait. Fly 406 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: me out on a drone, drop me and watched via 407 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: first person view FPF. Family enjoyed dinner. It's on me 408 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,479 Speaker 1: tonight for the last time. Don't cremate me so you 409 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 1: can blow me one last time. Don't bury me as 410 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: the land is only for a one hundred year rental. 411 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: Okay Czar, here's some strange funeral requests that I saw 412 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: out of Ania musicians, and it was it's too complicated to. 413 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 2: Read on the air. 414 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:54,479 Speaker 1: Robert writes A choir friend died several years ago and 415 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: requested that the choir and the attendees close the service 416 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: by singing the Hallelujah. Cour it was marvelous. Troy says, 417 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: good morning, Zara. I have my funeral planned and I 418 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: want people to walk out, saying that was the most 419 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: fun funeral I've ever had. I want the casket wheeled 420 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,199 Speaker 1: in with pall bearers swaying the casket while Spirit in 421 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 1: the Sky is still playing. Bill says, oh, it's a 422 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: long I can't get all that in there. Miriam says, 423 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:28,879 Speaker 1: we live in Andalusia, Alabama. And when he handed the 424 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: clerk his mail in ballot, he asked her if she 425 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: was a Democrat. She said, I'm sorry, I'm not, and 426 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: he jumped for joy. He passed November first and was 427 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: buried on election day. Joe says Stevie ray Vaughn, Willie 428 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: the Wimp and his Cadillac coffin. 429 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 2: That is a good tune. 430 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: I can't play that here because we can't use music 431 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: on a podcast. But in any case, last one, Lawrence writes, 432 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: I'm alignment at center point. There's a guy Joe that 433 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 1: retired and his dying wish was to be cremated and 434 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: put and a doll. There we go again, that same 435 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 1: joke again, and I think we'll stop there. How about that? 436 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: You can always send me an email Michael Berryshow dot com. 437 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: It says, send Michael an email. You can request information 438 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: on our Palm Beach trip, which will be at the 439 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: end of October, and you'll get an answer from Emily 440 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: on that. You can buy our merch and you can sign. 441 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 2: Up for our daily blast. 442 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: That's all at Michael Berryshow dot com.