Father has headstone up but he's not dead.

[bumpercarbarry]

I kid you not, this is not a wind up!

My Father is in his early 70s and had his funeral arranged for about 8 years I'd say. It's all booked and paid for, just waiting for the day to come, as he puts it.

He says he doesn't want to leave the burden/finance for someone else to pick up. All I have to do is ring the funeral directors and tell them and they will see to rest.

However, he's now gone one step ahead and has had his head stone put up in the cemetery, complete with writing on, apart from the year of death of course.

AIBU to thing this is possibly the most bizarre thing I've ever heard?

Different strokes for different folks, but jeez he takes the biscuit!

This makes me think that his entire working life has involved planning and preparation - Insurance? Maintenance Engineer? Disaster Recovery Specialist? Architect? Project Manager?

It just shouts

Brief
Design
Planning including risk management
Costing
Raw materials accumulation
Ground clearance
Logistics
Foundation
Installation
Clearance
Accessories installation
Inspection
Sign off
Clearance
Maintenance and Cleaning
Occupation

I know someone who's done this. She did it for a number of reasons:

• she doesn't want her children having to deal with this in the future and being upset about it
• she's now guaranteed that her headstone will say exactly what she wants it to say

Some people are very organised.....

If you haven't yet dug the ground up to bury someone then the ground doesn't need to settle, it already is settled.

What a strange story though!

I'd imagine so, everything's gone up!

I kinda get in although it is strange. My mum died aged 45 and We had to plan and find money for her funeral as she never let her wishes known or left money for it.
Ive had a funeral plan paid since i was 23 due to it.

I think it's great! Shows he has a pragmatic attitude towards his own death.

My old Dad was going to nake his own coffin from an old single wardrobe but sadly didn't get the time to finish it. As he said, it was only going to be burned so why spend £££££?

I am 43 in good health, I bought my plot in my late thirties and have written down everything that I want very specifically (in reality, it's also everything that I DON'T want as I want a very simple affair and with a lot of the traditional stuff missed out entirely - I don't my son/husband having to fend off comments from traditionalists or people who think it's unusual, I've told them to wave my bit of paper at and stand firm). Anyway, my husband thinks it's a bit barmy and it's now a family joke that they're going to organise 'tea and sandwiches' despite my wishes against this. However, the only funeral I've really known was my MILs who left no instructions and they are a family who refused to discuss death (my own are quite comfortable to discuss, my mum worked in hospices for many years). The MILs funeral organisation was a bit of a farce, loads of family members had different ideas, we were swayed by what we thought was the 'done thing' - it ended up costing a fortune, it was all a mish-mash and nobody was very happy with how the day went to be honest. I couldn't even sit next to my husband who had just lost his mother due to the whole thing being a mess and nobody really wanting to take control of it.

🤣🤣

Well, I do find it bizarre, but I suppose nobody could accuse him of not forward planning! He obviously likes to be prepared. 🤣🤣

Not conventional, but I like his acceptance of his inevitable death. He sounds like a thoughtful man, but I imagine it’s sad to see his headstone. Different cultures have a very different and open take on death - not sure if he’s from a different culture?

I hope he had a good life!

I think it's brilliant! I'd write some fabulous things about me, all lies of course, 'inventor of the flango' etc
Just imagine the fun you could have