Woman's obituary takes a dark turn: 'World is a better place without her'
An 80-year-old woman’s seemingly straightforward obituary took a dark turn that no one could have predicted.
The obituary for Kathleen Dehmlow (Schunk) first appeared in the Redwood Gazette this week. It stated she was born on March 19, 1938, and resided in Springfield, Minn. She married Dennis Dehmlow in 1957 and had two children with him -- Gina and Jay.
The next sentence is where the obituary’s tone appeared to change.
“In 1962 she became pregnant by her husband’s brother Lyle Dehmlow and moved to California. She abandoned her children, Gina and Jay who were raised by her parents in Clements, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schunk,” the obituary reads.
The next two sentences were particularly crushing.
“She passed away on May 31, 2018, in Springfield and will now face judgment. She will not be missed by Gina and Jay, and they understand that this world is a better place without her,” the obituary concluded.
Despite the harsh words, a few people shared condolences on an online version of her obituary.
“The good Lord loves you more than anyone else ever could. You are in heaven now with our savior. R.I.P.,” one person wrote.
“What a life she lived. Hope you find peace,” another added.
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Lol apparently someone couldn't let go of their bitterness
Yep a shame cause it's still tearing their own world apart apparently because reaching out to try to harm a person who is dead is insane.
Pain is a strange animal.........it's governed by emotions, not logic.
I hear ya, being abandoned by your mother after she ran of with your father's brother (after fucking him and getting pregnant) and then acting as if you didn't exist for the rest of her life. To the point of flat out ignoring you while you are in the room. Get over it already!
Wow! Thats rough....
Agreed, life is too short to hold onto that kind of hatred.
Them getting it out there may be the first step to letting go of the hate.
Karma is a bitch, not only for the dead woman (who is presumably beyond caring right now) but it also will be for the ones who placed the obituary. Don't be cruel.
Everyone that dies suddenly becomes a wonderful and caring person, what is wrong with honesty? If you are a terrible person while alive why should you get sugar coated.
What is wrong with being civil. You sure dont have to lie anymore that you have to attack the character of a dead person. There is a civel middle ground.
I agree, I wish more obituaries were honest. If I could have a hand in writing my sisters obituary I would include:
Joan's death was contributed to years of alcoholism and drug abuse. She leaves five children fathered by four men none to whom she was married. All of her children were raised by her brothers and sisters because Joan didn't a give shit about them and viewed them as a financial burden.
Dude that's cold LOL
Of course, I've done things I'm not proud of, who hasn't? But, my wife and I did raise 2 two of Joan's children along with our four sons. My other sister raised the other two.
All of her kids grow up to be responsible adults with children of their own that they were good parents too.
Amazing anyone would ask that question here on Newstalkers.......
Sorry
I don't think she cared about anything except herself when she was still alive.
Ouch
That's not so bad. I once saw an obituary written by the daughter of a deceased that asked that donations be sent to HER.
Dear Friends Buzz, r.t.b. and PJ: All had me splitting my sides.
There is a Borsch Belt joke that goes as follows.
A widow comes to her Rabbi in his study.
She admits that her late husband who just passed was no Tzaddik (Righteous One).
He was neglectful of the children, abusive to her.
He cheated at business.
Nasty to the neighbors.
All that said, he was her husband, and fathered her children.
She pleaded with her Rabbi to make a nice eulogy for him.
The Rabbi assured her that he has done this before.
He does know not to speak ill of the deceased.
All night long the Rabbi ponders how to say something that is positive, without being a liar.
The next day in the Sanctuary he steps up to the podium.
Looking at the widow, he softly says, "I have been asked to say something nice about the late Mr. So and So.
His brother was worse"!
Enoch, Heading Off to the Catskills for a Mountain Shabbat Retreat.
The Rabbi ( you?) reminds me of my grandmother a devote Christian that never uttered a bad word about anyone. My uncle made a bet with my dad saying he could get my grandmother to say something bad about someone, my dad took the bet.
My uncle asked her what she thought about Satan, grandma replied "Well, he is good at what he does" LOL my dad won the $ 5 bet.
Dear Friend PJ: My eight grade geography teacher told us this story in class.
President Calvin Coolidge was know for being thrifty with his words.
A journalist told Mr. Coolidge that a fellow reported bet him $5 (a lot of money in those days) that he could not get the President to say three words.
Replied Mr. Coolidge, "You lost"!
Smiles.
Enoch.
I don't know if you have ever watched WKRP, but one episode had a video will from one of Jennifer's old rich boyfriends. He promised to leave the Hari Krishnas all his money provided that they stay out of the airports.
Wow. Perhaps they are bitter over a will?
Shouldn't talk bad about the dead. They have no way to defend themselves and no one even knows if this is all true.
Surprised the paper let them print this....no standards-?
I read an article this morning saying one of the deceased relatives confirmed the obituary was accurate but demanded it be taken out of the paper because it tarnished the deceased. The obituary was paid for to run for three days, but the newspaper said they wouldn't publish it again.
my relatives would come back and haunt me.
They're bitter because the deceased was a slut that abandoned her children. The two kids she abandoned probably wrote the obituary. If they did all I can say is
You don't know the whole story, so it is rather judgemental of you.
I seeded an article today explaining why the deceased kids wrote her obituary they way they did. They had good reason to be spiteful.
A lot of people do. I don't see the benefit of just being nasty about a deceased person.
Hopefully this "last word" will allow them to move on and heal.
Because, from my experience, really Spiteful people aren't usually a barrel of laughs nor do they generally lead very happy or fulfilled, or healthy, or long lives.
We reap what we sew.
Now that their bitch mother is dead they had the opportunity to express their bitterness in her obituary. Doing so is good therapy allowing the kids to move on with their lives without caring the burden of hate and it brings closure.
That's some hard core, long-term grudge holdin' right there.
Egads.. some people just love to stew in their own bad feelings.
This seems to be a "thing" with some people.
good grief....do they think they are hurting the dead?
According to the grief counselor in the article I linked, it seems like it could be "last-word-itis" or revenge. It's a strange thing to do, IMO.
Nope, it's their way of letting people know what a terrible person the deceased was.
Jasper wins, I just read a follow up article and the above reason is exactly why the son wrote that obit.
If you are religious then yes.
Where was the dad?
Probably raising the kids. we know mama wasn't
Did you not read? Apparently her parents raised the children.
So where was the dad?
I read an article that stated that neither of their parents were "adequate" as parents, and the kids were shuffled around quite a bit until their grandparents took them in.
I think her obituary should be inscribed on her tombstone.
My mother would say that is "airing your dirty laundry" and nobody wants to smell it!
It's called telling the truth, good people should have praise for leading a good life and being a good person, why should nasty vicious people be treated the same, you earn it suck it up even if you are dead.
I think her son who apparently wrote this is probably at least 50 years of age. At what point does one grow up?
I know, what a fuckin baby. I mean, she only abandoned him and his sister, fucked their father's brother and had kids with him, and ignored them for her entire life (like they didn't exist). Come one dude, grow up and get over it!
Well if you haven't grown up by 50, then when will you? I see this as a childish act not a healing one.
Is one required to forgive a bad person when the bad person is gone?
I don't know about "required". I think it's probably healthier to let it go. Holding on to anger at someone who's not even on the planet anymore does nobody any good.
Channel that energy into being better people than the ones who hurt you (generic you, not you personally, TG).
That's an excellent philosophy