My mother’s dying wish was for the Grim Reaper to attend her funeral
A mother’s dying wish was for her daughter and friend to promise that the ‘Grim Reaper’ would attend her funeral.
Grandmother of twelve Sharon Taffs, from Maldon in Essex, died from breast cancer in December last year aged 68.
Before her death, family friend Kenny Rossington joked that he would come to her memorial dressed as the reaper, pointing to people saying “you’re next.”
Sharon’s daughter, Louise Miller, 49, from Witham, said her mother thought the idea was ‘hilarious’ and made them promise to continue the prank on the date of her funeral on March 16.
Consequently, Ms. Miller said she was simply “getting her wish,” she told the newspaper BBC.
“She made us promise to do it, and he’s the kind of friend who would keep that promise no matter what.
Sharon Taffs (left), pictured with her daughter Louise Miller, died of breast cancer in December aged 68
Kenny Rossington, a family friend of Sharon Taffs, is pictured wearing a Grim Reaper costume at her funeral after promising to do so
‘She would love her funeral to get attention as it shows her personality and sense of humour.
“She didn’t want people to cry, dress in black and be sad, and she got what she wanted.”
After informing some guests of the planned prank, some decided not to attend.
Mrs Miller also revealed that Sharon had planned every part of her funeral.
In addition to the other requests, everyone wore white and Dominick the Donkey, an Italian Christmas carol, was played for her Italian friend Maria.
Hairy Biker star Dave Myers also had some special funeral requests before his death.
He hoped mourners would be ‘relaxed’ with cocktails before the church and a ‘feast’ of meat pies, crisps with ‘decent wine’ after the tear-jerking service.
The Hairy Biker, who died at the age of 66 with his wife Lil and close friend Si King by his side, planned to bring his casket to his funeral to rock The Scorpions’ anthem The Best is Yet To Come, and said he hoped this would be so. cheer everyone up.”
As part of Sharon’s dying wish, she wanted the Grim Reaper to attend her funeral because she thought the idea of him pointing at people saying, “You’re next” was hilarious.
Sharon’s daughter said: ‘She would absolutely love the attention her funeral gets’
The grandmother-of-12, from Maldon in Essex, also had everyone dressed in white for her funeral
The Cumbrian-born star said he wanted to be remembered as ‘the guy who tried’, and that if people learned anything from his life it should be: ‘Never limit your ambitions. Aim for the moon and you might get there.”
Speaking to Rob McGibbon for The Definite Article in the Daily Mail in 2014, Myers revealed his final wishes for his funeral.
He said: ‘I would like to see vodka martinis served before a church service so that everyone loosens up a bit.
“To start with, I read Blake’s Innocence and then Vaughan Williams’ Lark Ascending to make them cry. I would be taken to The Best is Yet To Come by The Scorpions, a good rock song to cheer everyone up.”
He added: ‘I prefer a traditional funeral as I’m not too keen on all that burning stuff. Before the wake I’m going to enjoy a feast of meat, potato pie and chips with some good wines.’