This post was brought on by yet another half-sheet announcement in my RetCom IN-box about the latest resident to pass away.
It seems there are so many people who worry what their epitaph will be. They want their tombstone to say something memorable, for all those who might visit. Some tombstones are extremely lavish, some are downright plain. My epitaph is of the latter variety, and here is why.
I worked out my epitaph for my tombstone years ago. It is shown in the image to the right. That is the dash between my birthdate and my day of death. That dash contains the story of my life. The reason I choose that is because I just don’t see anyone having an interest in where my wife and I are buried. We had no children, and therefore no grandchildren. Most of what, we thought, were close friends abandoned us after I was kicked out of our church more than a decade ago. Due to my two primary attributes (deafness and Autism) I have had few close friends. I lament that fact, but I don’t really regret it. It is just what it is.
The dash is enough for me. Well, that and RJsCorner. If anyone wants to know about my life, can visit here. I have written about 2.75 million words here, that’s about 34 novels in word count.
RJ's Corner 
My parents’ ashes were scattered into the river they had lived beside for near on 40 years. I hope something similar happens to my ashes. I feel no need for an epitaph nor a stone to engrave it on. Although that is my wish, other family members may have different wishes. As remembrance is for the living, I really have no right to dictate to those who survive me how they should remember me.
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Thanks for the thoughts, Barry. Yeah, I’m kinda like you, I don’t really care where my body ends up after I exit it. I’m an elder orphan, so I don’t think there is anyone who would supersede my wishes. Just put me beside my wife.
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I think I saw somewhere that cremation is the preferred thing after death in New Zealand?
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Cremation is almost the default option amongst Pākehā New Zealanders (NZers of European decent). Māori and Pasifika prefer burial due to beliefs about the sanctity of the body. I’m not sure what the situation is with other ethnicities.
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As a family history crazy person, as long as you have some sort of marker I can figure the rest out. I have discovered a number of never married or no children ancestors. Fascinating people.
I had a great grand uncle with a disease that my sister has. He was a key to her puzzle. There are movers and shakers in intellectual issues – much like you- who bring pride to my search. Several wrote books or did lifelong charity work.
Personally, I greatly dislike the scatter and forget drive of the current generation. Cremation is no biggie to me. Just a simple marker gives me tons of leads.
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You could always put one of your blogs on the marker 😉
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I’m glad that you have in interest that is fun for you. My family on dad’s side was small, and mom’s side was non-existent, as she burned all those bridges at a young age. But, I am like you in that I enjoy looking at the history of people I call my heroes. It is always enlightening to see where my interests pair up with many of those. I did do a study trying to figure out the generations that followed Jefferson and Madison, but didn’t get very far.
My wife is buried about 30 miles away from where I am, so I will likely be buried beside her when the time comes.
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