Susan Boyle Chooses Her Own Funeral Song
Although only 49, Scottish singer Susan Boyle has revealed the song she would like to have played at her funeral one day. "It would have to be 'Nellie the Elephant'. She packed her trunk and said goodbye to the circus. You've got to leave them laughing. Funerals don't have to be sad. Peter Sellers made them smile with 'In the Mood' ' so I could do it with 'Nellie the Elephant'."
Boyle went on to say she would like to make the congregation laugh at her funeral when she passes away and thinks the children's novelty track would be the perfect choice to make mourners smile. Boyle shot to fame last year when her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent became an internet sensation. She later went on to win the competition and release a number one CD, I Dreamed a Dream.
More and more celebrities are reportedly planning aspects of their own funerals, or even the entire ceremony. Actress Brittany Murphy’s husband Simon Monjack died in May 2010, just five months after her unexpected death. He pre-arranged his burial site to be next to his late wife at Forest Lawn in Los Angeles. Music at the service included a recording of Monjack playing piano while Murphy sang.
Reality star Jade Goody began planning her funeral as her cancer worsened. She died in 2009, at the age of 27.
It’s not just for the famous. Many funeral planners report an increase in this type of personal planning. Some clients choose the music they would like played, while others pre-arrange everything about the service from the flowers to the casket to the family’s thank you notes to be sent out afterward.
This growing trend is reflected in the many online sites designed to help people plan their own funerals. It doesn’t have to be morbid. Many of these sites cater to baby boomers who have a sense of humor about the process, and want to keep it light. This is apparent by their slogans. www.mywonderfullife.com reminds us, “You only get one chance to make a last impression”, and at www.myfunkyfuneral.com, they claim to “put the fun back in funeral”.
-Alicia King
Author of Sorry For Your Loss: What People Who Are Grieving Wish You Knew
I enjoyed reading your story....my mothers best friend planned her own funeral when she new she wasn't going to survive cancer and it was the most special life celebration funeral I have been to....Her children have create a memorial ebook to honour their mother and have put photos of her funeral in the book which still brings them joy everyday. LET MEMORIES LIVE ON FOREVER www.memorialebook.com
ReplyDeleteThan you. What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteAnother growing trend is the before-death service. This life celebration ceremony takes place before the person passes. It can be a beautiful way to honor relationships and say goodbye. Hospices are key, as it obviously only applies to the terminally ill.