Funerals are trying times for everyone involved. All are grieving, and the raw emotions can lead some people to behave unpredictably. Sometimes people behave in ways that are just bizarre and totally inappropriate, though.
Reddit user u/Thedonutgirl asked:
"What's the most inappropriate thing you've witnessed at a funeral?"
10.
Maybe isn't as over the top as most of these comments, but I'm one of the Marines that has to go present the flag to the next of kin when a service member dies. It's usually old Vietnam and Korea Vets, but sometimes it's a desert storm or recent war vet and the mother is there receiving the flag instead of a son or daughter. Point is I've probably been to 45 funerals in the past year.
It's striking how often someone's phone goes off during the service. It seems nearly every other or every third service someone's ringtone starts playing. There's been a few times where someone will get up from their seat and answer the phone too.
9.
My cousin's funeral - he was 27 years old and killed in a single car crash after he hit a slippery patch on the road and smashed into a concrete wall.
At his funeral, all of his brothers, sisters, and parents sat on the front row at his graveside service. Then, lo and behold, my cousin's ex-girlfriend of over a year shows up and immediately inserts herself on to the front row next to his sisters. And proceeds to scream cry, scream wail, and throw herself on the ground periodically throughout the service. All of the family just gave her awkward stares, with no one wanted to address her inappropriate behavior. I had never seen that type of attention demanding drama queen antics before...or since...
8.
When my dads mom passed away, there were a lot of people there, he comes from a family of 11, (10 now as his sister passed away a while ago), so there were a lot of nieces, nephews and cousins. It was an open casket, I was around 12-13, but everyone was grabbing things from her/off her from the casket, all the aunts grabbing things for their kids who don't even know her/remember who she is/way too young. The ONLY thing my dad has a keepsake of his mother is a little rose pin that she wore in the home she was in before she passed. It's unfortunate and makes me feel very sad for my dad.
7.
Someone trying to "quietly" open a can while they were doing the closing prayer.
6.
At an open casket wake, a friend of the deceased attempted to give her a drink of single malt whiskey. She ended up being forcibly removed as she wouldn't stop and spilled a lot of the alcohol in the casket. It was as horrible and inappropriate as it was heartbreaking - for everyone.
5.
I witnessed the estranged drunk and druggie daughter of a family friend come screaming into the visitation looking for her brothers because she had found out she was never written into the will. It was a hell of a scene.
This was in Missouri, Missouri *is* an affirmative disinheriting state. The will according to brother #1 said she was actively excluded from the official will and entitled to no portion of the estate, named her ex husband a portion of the home sale (Brother #2 bought his father out and kept it), and the remaining estate to both of her sons. The daughter was allowed personal effects (hence the police escort when getting them, probably to ensure she didn't try and swipe anything else.). His mother had hand written an unofficial one to be read to her children.
Also: Ash had every chance to get clean between 16/18 and 27. Both parents were more than willing and able to pay for treatment. She actively chose not to, as well as actively chose not to seek treatment for whatever was going on in her life that caused her to turn to drugs as a way to cope. She wasn't even going to come to the funeral until she checked with the lawyer *the day of* and flipped sh*t.
4.
The funeral home putting a random guy in my grandfather's casket, suit, glasses, and wedding band...while then admitting that they had misplaced my grandfather was fairly inappropriate for a funeral.
3.
A relative of my husband died.
There was a gathering at her house after the funeral, hosted by her husband. It was mostly family of my husband, but there were a few friends. There was catered food and drink and people were just general socializing and telling nice stories about the deceased.
About two hours in, a man and woman in their mid-20's show up. They are acquaintances of the widower. They walk around the house a bit, grab a drink and then disappear.
I was asked to get some more drinks from the garage, which was off the kitchen. I opened the door and stepped into the garage.
There was the young couple, leaning against a car and engaging is some pretty vigorous sexual relations.
Another family member who was standing in the kitchen saw what I saw. I backed out of the garage because I was fairly embarrassed. I mean, who does that at a funeral?
I guess the other relative told the widower because the next thing I know there is shouting from the garage and the widower is telling these two people in no uncertain terms that they needed to leave.
Only a few people who were at the gathering found out what happened, thank goodness.
-awhq
2.
We had a snowball fight outside the parlor of my pop pops funeral...
Pop pop would have approved. The non-family mourners seemed horrified.
I cannot stand the whole "you have to be sad at funerals" thing. I hope something silly like this happens at my funeral.
1.
​The mother of the deceased putting on a (terribly acted and meth-fueled) show about how much she loved and missed her daughter. Shortly thereafter she was convicted of the daughter's murder.
