Funeral disasters: feuds, coffin fails – why risk it?

Have you ever been to a funeral where something went horribly wrong? Sadly, funeral disasters are more common than most would hope.

Family feuds, Will disputes, sub-par pastors, unwanted guests, and even some coffin mishaps – we’ve heard hundreds of funeral disaster stories.

People often tell us they are pre-paying their simple, unattended cremation, so that they don’t have people turning up to their funeral who never made time for them in life.

When we think of funerals, we often ignore the elephant in the room: not everyone’s relatives get on like The Partridge Family.

We’ve been told of one such estranged family member rocking up to his brother’s funeral. But he was no ordinary disgruntled relative - he was the deceased’s identical twin, whom nobody knew about. You can only imagine him scaring the bejesus out of the congregation.

And we’ve heard of hundreds more funeral disasters.

“Siblings arguing over the Will, people who treated the deceased with contempt while they were alive … then put on a show of sympathy at the funeral and wake,” one person shared on the Bare Facebook page.

“Opposing sides of the deceased's family breaking into a full-on melee inside the chapel as the coffin was descending at the end of the service,” another observed.

Forget the priest or funeral parlour

The formal funeral ceremony is an outdated concept for many Australians today, who are not traditional or religious. These days, more people want simple pub wakes instead of elaborate chapel or funeral parlour services.

We've been told of some funeral disaster stories on par with the movie Death at a Funeral.

“My old Mum tripped at a funeral mass for my father and nearly overturned a huge candle by the coffin. My brother turned to the person next to him and said: 'We nearly had two cremations for the price of one.’ We are known to be an irreverent family,” one person told us.

We also heard of a clergyman telling a grieving widow that her so-called “donation” was $150 too short.

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“The officiating priest’s phone rang 3 times, he just laughed,” read another comment on our Facebook page.

With so many shocking funeral disaster scenes at church services, it’s no surprise more people today are opting for direct cremations instead.

“My great uncle's funeral all went well until the burial tried lowering him into the plot but had been dug too short as uncle Eric was 6ft7,” one person shared with us.

“Out came the digger to dig another foot in length while we all stood there and watched. Lucky he would have had a laugh about it, but at the time it was distressing for his elderly wife and sister.”Another shocked mourner added: “The end falling out of a coffin with the deceased feet clearly visible as the coffin was being carried to the burial site!!!”

Let’s not forget the downright disgraceful.

“My disgusting youngest brother's kids climbing all over Mum's coffin. Parents should have had more respect is all I will say!!”

But we think this one takes the cake.

“Watching a woman taking plates of food to her car at the wake, then finding out she was known to attend any funeral just for the food,” another person added.

Leave traditional funerals for dead

Family feuds, coffin collapses and sub-par pastors can be a thing of the past, with a simple funeral at Bare.

An unattended cremation means your loved ones can plan a separate pub wake, celebration of life, or some other or send-off more befitting to the life you lived. Or remove the risk of people you don’t like rocking up by having nothing at all.

Avoid funeral disasters by leaving traditional funerals for dead. Go out on your terms by pre-paying with Bare. Learn how, give us a call on 1800 202 901.