How do you want to be remembered?

[bondi688]

Beef over female rocket scientist
A controversy erupted over the obituary in NYT for Yvonne Brill, prompting the newspaper to rewrite it.
"Yvonne Brill was a brilliant rocket scientist who invented a propulsion system for satellites in the early 1970s and received a National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2011. Yet her New York Times obituary, published in the newspaper on Sunday, begins like this:
She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job and took eight years off from work to raise three children. "The world's best mom," her son Matthew said.
Many readers criticized the Times and obit writer Douglas Martin for leading with Brill's contributions at home rather than, you know, to the field of rocket science."

To me , being remembered by her family as the best Mom is just as important and endearing. What a tempest in a teapot! Some people has to find outrage over anything.

Is it more a tribute or important to be remembered and mourned by your family and friends on a personal level or because of your professional and business achievements?

[heeyy_joe]

In a certain town there was a man in the I.O.O.F. that everyone in town always called by the nickname "ODD".

He really got so tired of it that one of his last wishes was that his tombstone be blank except for date of birth and death. He thought this would be the end of people calling him ODD. Of course, every time someone would say "hey that stone has no name on it" the other person would reply "that's ODD".

[Nodak]

Viral obit
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sun...25#fbLoggedOut

[Meadbh]

Yvonne Brill was born in Winnipeg. Here is how she was remembered in the Winnipeg Free Press:

Renowned Manitoba-born rocket scientist Yvonne Brill dies at age 88 - Winnipeg Free Press

I do not know how Dr. Brill herself would have liked to be remembered. But it seems to me that (without any disrespect to the domestic arts) achievements in rocket science are more unusual and therefore more newsworthy.

As for me, I want to be remembered for making a difference.

[powerplay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nodak Viral obit Harry Stamps Obituary: View Harry Stamps's Obituary by The Sun Herald

and 3257 entries in the guestbook, what a legacy!

[urn2bfree]

I want to be "remembered" before I am gone.
Afterwards, I won't know and do not care.

[haha]

I want to be remembered as god.

[W2R]

After I die, I will be gone. It will not matter to me if I am remembered at all, much less in a complimentary way.

Funerals, obituaries, and remembrances are for the living, not for the dead.

[jon-nyc]

Fondly, by my child.

[Moscyn]

Fondly indeed, by my spouse, parents, siblings, neices and close friends. Others, I don't really care.

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Yvonne Brill was born in Winnipeg. Here is how she was remembered in the Winnipeg Free Press: Renowned Manitoba-born rocket scientist Yvonne Brill dies at age 88 - Winnipeg Free Press I do not know how Dr. Brill herself would have liked to be remembered. But it seems to me that (without any disrespect to the domestic arts) achievements in rocket science are more unusual and therefore more newsworthy. As for me, I want to be remembered for making a difference.

I complete agree the obit is silly and disrespectful. I don't know we had woman rocket scientist back in the 1940s, that is pretty remarkable. I am pretty grateful for her invention, GPSs wouldn't be very practical if the satellites kept burning up in the atmosphere. My mom made a pretty great beef stroganoff, but it isn't going to be a led in her obit. If you are important enough to merit an obit in the NY Times, and Ms Brill definitely fits into the category, then don't play cutesy.

[MichaelB]

I think people who want to be remembered should write their own obituaries.

[jon-nyc]

In my case I hope I'm writing it a little bit every day.

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha I want to be remembered as god.

You the man here!

[HighRoller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R After I die, I will be gone. It will not matter to me if I am remembered at all, much less in a complimentary way. Funerals, obituaries, and remembrances are for the living, not for the dead.

+1 well said

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB I think people who want to be remembered should write their own obituaries.

I had never heard of an obituary writer before today. I presume that the family approved the version that was published.

In our part of the world, family usually write obituaries for loved ones. I've written obituaries for my dad, grandmother and great-aunt. While usually one person leads, it is commonly a collaborative effort of siblings or other close family.

In cases of terminal illnesses, it is not uncommon in our area for the deceased to write their own obituaries.

If Ms. Brill's personal accomplishments were an important part of her life on this earth then I don't see the order of her accomplishments being of particular importance.

BTW, writing your obituary is frequently touted as an interesting self assessment exercise. Has anyone here written their own obituary?

[Rambler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB I think people who want to be remembered should write their own obituaries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon-nyc In my case I hope I'm writing it a little bit every day.

Excellent!

Personally, I don't care to have an obit in the paper. As long as my wife, son and daughter and eventually my grandkids can remember me fondly, that is enough.

R

[Midpack]

I'm fairly certain Ms Brill doesn't care...and I wouldn't either about an obit (now or when I'm gone).

Some people just live to be outraged about something/anything.

"...strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

[Wheel]

I'd like to be remembered as someone that made a difference in the lives of the young people I've coached over the years.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB I think people who want to be remembered should write their own obituaries.

Star Trek: He's Dead Jim! (2005 Re-Upload) - YouTube