Omg. That’s the best obit I’ve ever read.

I think Renay would’ve strongly approved. RIP, Red.

I love the fact that she fell in love with atheism. It sounds like she was well loved and so what more can you want or need.

Hope all of the gay grands were out of the closet. LOL

She must have been a firecracker!!!

Sorry I never met her. She could have taught me a thing or two.

What a gal! And it ounds like son Andy is a chip off the old block.

OMG! I don’t know whether to be appalled or delighted! I know McKeesport well (outside of Pittsbugh, where I grew up), and I need to find out if anyone I know from there, knows her!

That was awesome!

Can Andy be encouraged to treat this gem of an obit as a writing prompt and bring this firecracker of a mom to life in a book?

Omg, what an obit.

My obit won't be a fraction as entertaining as hers. Makes me question what I'm doing with my life?

That was freaking awesome.

I agree, the writer of that obit has a new career opportunity awaiting. So many of them are just so boring, so bland. I love reading ones where people tried to infuse the deceased's personality into them, and he hit this out of the park.

I googled Andy Corren, and he's a writer, playwright, performer and talent agent. A very talented man.

Well, it's only a little over an hour to Fayetteville from here. I feel like I should pop in to the memorial to meet these interesting folk. What a tribute!

Love this - thanks for sharing!! She sounds absolutely fabulous. Definitley let us know if you go to the memorial jmck!

I read about this on another forum and the consensus there was pretty much the same as it is here. IMO there’s more than a hint of lingering pain and resentment underneath all that humor. Neglected children usually don't ever forget it, and if any of that obit is actually true, the woman’s children must have been appallingly neglected.

FWIW, my SO had an aunt who was a lot like this, I think. Loud, funny, lived life on her terms, and also grifted and flat out stole her way through life. So many stories of her deceptions and thefts. But when people first met her they often loved her gregarious and friendly nature. At least until she figured out how to steal from them too.

Anyway, KSWL is right. Her kids lived a life of pain. They all picked up her outgoing ways, not her felonious ones...but underneath it all, they're still hurting decades later.

I agree, KSWL. That’s why I wrote upthread that I didn’t know whether to be appalled or delighted. This obit was funny, but also very discomforting.

I agree that she was probably not the best mother, but I'm glad her kids appear to have overcome and can have a sense of humor about being raised by an imperfect mother. Hopefully forgiveness comes with the humor.

OMG, a friend put this out last night! While it is funny, the truth in an obit like this must have released a lot of pain in that family dynamic.

The deceased has five living children and only one penned the obituary. We dont know how the others remember their mother.

I also read an interview with the son who wrote this piece. Basically it was just a ”I never knew this would touch so many people” type of article. No real questions were asked about his childhood. My guess from clues in the obit would be that those children went hungry more than once, and kids do not easily forget that kind of insecurity. There’s also a ”protest too much” feel from the multiple mentions of stealing and grifting — another source of fear and insecurity for her kids. Additionally, the casual mention of his mother’s abortions is not a loving memory by any stretch of the imagination and it is an appalling violation of her privacy after death.

I just read bits of it to DH, he said it sounds like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree.

Everyone's sense of humor is different, I guess, but no laughs from me for this. To me, it sounds like disrespect runs in the family, and that is just sad. It was still very interesting to read, however.

I feel almost ashamed of finding this obit funny. At some point though it seemed that the son was comfortable finding some humor in his turbulent upbringing. I can understand that part. One can't dwell on past negativity. I do think he slightly crossed the line though.

I wonder, is it humor or payback?

Sometimes...the most damaged people are the most productive. It's just not all can overcome the holes in their childhood. But boy, when they do they are unstoppable. Not a way I have lived, but I understand it for sure and admire those that do.

Girl from Mckeesport here. Born and raised. This obituary was horrific and hilarious at the same time. Loved it. Obituaries don't have to be so serious, yet they are. This one certainly changed that. Might have to talk to my children about my obituary in the future, ask them to make mine memorable. Everyone can be celebrated, everyone.

There are a lot of horrible people in the world and many of them have children they have mistreated. I don't think we owe dishonorable people the honor of a respectful obituary. If she had earned respect, that's likely the kind of obituary she would have had written about her.
I went to a memorial service once for a friend's father - who was a narcissist who lived his life in a way that negatively affected his children in major ways. One of the kids stood up and gave a speech about his father and what a miserable man he was and how his children had suffered from it. Everyone knew it was true, but the discomfort in the room was palpable. We just aren't used to people speaking the truth about the dead, but I don't see any reason not to. I know it was very healing for the man who spoke his truth at his father's service, instead of listening to the things others said about him while tiptoeing around the awful truth.

I enjoyed the read. i read a few articles about the obituary … she seems like a really interesting person who was very poor, very generous and worked hard, in addition to being a grifter with few maternal instincts. Kinda reminds me of the relationship David Sedaris had with his parents. Not all good nor all bad. It must be uncomfortable to have a published diarist in the family.

The guy said he wrote it sitting next to her and read her excerpts. i can picture it. I helped my stepgramma with her obit. She wanted me to take out anything that was too fawning or flattering! I snuck those parts back in - they were true!

I saw the "author" last night on CNN Michael Smerconish-ONLY person I watch on CNN. Anyway, the "author" seemed annoying to me. I think Michael thought so too, if he could be honest.