The words on a headstone are the last a deceased person is remembered by. With such a tall order, you would think people would take the job of deciding what should be written on them seriously. But for some, having one last joke is the best way to go. You wouldn’t think that something as grim as death could be so funny, but these headstones prove that comedy can make any situation a little brighter. Whether it’s a self-deprecating joke or an odd statue, these tombstones would be hard to pass in a graveyard without letting out a chuckle.
Still Not Impressed
We always talk about dreaming big in life, but this deceased person dreamed big in death, too. Why settle for a stone when you can have a pyramid? Ironically, this stone is pretty basic.
They at least you have given the individual a pyramid-shaped headstone. A little paint, detailing, maybe some sand, and this person’s death wish would have been granted. After all, they didn’t specify where or how large they wanted the pyramid to be.
The next one doubles as a piece of living room furniture.
They Must Have Loved To Sit
A lot of attachment can exist between individuals and their furniture. Especially a vintage piece that was in the home for a while can have some sentimental value. Usually, people think to give their furniture away to relatives as a token to remember them by.
This person decided to replicate a piece of furniture as a token for strangers passing by to identify them with. That’s some furniture love. This deceased person must have lived in that chair.
Stay tuned for a completely confusing gravestone, next.
What Is Happening Here?
This statue of a man laying on his back and holding a head between his hands makes no sense. There must be some significance for the thing to have been built in the first place, but whatever it is it does not read.
There are just so many questions. Who is he holding? Why don’t they have a body? Are they lovers? Is the person intentionally beheaded? What does it all mean? What is happening here?!
No Truer Words Were Ever Spoken
This one is funny because it’s pretty undeniable. Sure, there are TV shows with people who died and came back. But by the time you’ve been put in a casket, you’ve probably seen some things that revivable people didn’t quite get to.
It’s definitely an optimistic take on death. If nothing else, at least when you die you get some answers. The reflective glass adds to the impact, causing the reader to look at themselves and wonder what they’re bound to discover at the end of life.
Next: they got the last word!
Bitter Even In Death
These headstones have gained some popularity, having appeared on multiple headstones throughout graveyards. The bitter remark’s fame could likely be chalked up to the many terminal illnesses that society still faces today.
Dying of disease is difficult because it entails months or years of sad times as the patient fights for their life. Without humor, this time can destroy a person’s spirit long before it takes their body. This deceased person took their humorous spirit to the grave.
This next one isn’t as easy to derive the meaning of.
Who Is That?
It’s hard to peg what the significance of this statue is. Perhaps the person who passed somehow resembled this strangely dressed individual. The small man seems to be contemplating something. Maybe his own death?
The little man also seems to have wrinkles on his face, contrary to his small stature. Perhaps he represents a guardian of some sort like angel statues do. It would be hilarious to get this indifferent, odd-looking guy as a guardian.
Something To Be Proud Of
Women are typically notorious for taking a long time in the bathroom. Especially for women who are beautiful in the stereotypical sense (wearing makeup, removing body hair, doing popular hairstyles) they need time to get all of those things done.
With four daughters and one bathroom, there is bound to be some tension in the house. To maintain love in that kind of environment is something any parent would be proud of. Apparently, this parent was so proud that they wanted it to be their last identifier.
You might find yourself singing along to one of them coming up.
See What They Did There?
A good wordplay can be loads of fun, especially when it involves a name. With a name like Noah Scape, the kid must have been teased at some point in his life. And what about the parents? Did they not put two and two together when naming him?
However the name played into this person’s life, it certainly played into his death. He probably felt trapped all his life because his name was a constant punchline.
The Most Fitting Song
Whether this diseased individual was a Steam fan or not, the artist did compose a genius song for a headstone. The chant is often heard at sports arenas or sung on a road trip home. Here, it is the person in the grave who sings it to the onlooker.
With such a headstone, you have to wonder if the people who attended the funeral broke out in this song as the grave was lowered into the ground. The cheery chant would have been a silver lining to an otherwise grim day.
Angels Get Bored Too
Angel statues over graves are a typical part of most grave sites. Usually, they are playing the harp, or reaching up to the sky, or holding flowers, or something to that lovely sort of effect. This angel seems like the kid in school who stared at the clock for the entire class session.
What’s creepier is she seems to be looking at the photographer dead-on. Her crouched posture and neutral expression suggest she isn’t even phased by death, which might be the point.
Read on to see one that’s pretty creepy!
Together Through The End
Couples t-shirts have gained in popularity over the years. Often the shirts while have arrows pointing to opposite sides and say something like “She’s my queen” and “He’s my king.” The lovey shirts tend to be met with eye rolls, while self-deprecating ones are where you get the laughs.
This couple took the same concept and applied it to their grave. Rather than making a cheesy Romeo and Juliet reference, they went the humor route. What is adorable is that they truly were “with” one another to the end, as their death dates are the same.
Not Quite Asleep Yet
This statue is confusing. Is he pulling the rock “blanket” over himself as he lies to rest permanently, or is he holding up a rose in his sleep? And is that a mustache on his face or a really curvy upper lip?
While the concept of incorporating a statue into a rock headstone is a unique and clever one, the result seems more like a failure than it does a revolutionary work of art. The designer would probably just tell us we’re missing the point.
Dreams Do Come True
Not the most original things we’ve seen in our lives, but okay. Yes, lazy people will have their hopes and wishes met in death because that is the only times they can lay in a casket and never have to move.
On the contrary, people who love to stay busy often say “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” The go-getters and the bed-until-nooners will unite in death. In a sense, the graveyard is the only place where all people are equal.
Coming up: admitting you made a mistake can be tough!
Chain Messages Are Real
Remember the days before phishing when the only thing you had to look out for about your cellphone was chain texts? In case you don’t, here’s the breakdown. Someone would invent a preposterous scenario to convince others to forward a message to people.
So Joe Shmoe texts, “Forward this message to your first 20 contacts or a bat will fly in your window.” Kids being kids would often play along. All you millennials owe this poor soul an apology.
The First Step Is Admitting You Made A Mistake
Being able to be honest with oneself is a great thing, even if it took you until death to get there. We all make mistakes, which makes this joke relatable and hilarious. The pun of being metaphorically in the hole, with money, and literally in one, the grave, drives the punchline home.
What adds to the humor is that the headstone is flush with the ground, rather than sitting upright. So, literally, the words themselves are in the hole.
Sassy Even In Death
Actress Joan Hackett definitely got the last laugh with her unusual headstone. It’s funny to take common phrases in everyday life and apply them in an unexpected way, especially to a headstone.
Some people like to refer to the dead as sleeping, because in a sense they are eternally asleep. This phrase also refers to the dead resting in peace. One thing’s for sure, Ms. Hackett does not want any questions or requests that might disturb her rest.
I Hear You Like To Play Pool
It’s not every day that someone decides to use a pool table as their headstone inspiration. This couple must have really adored pool. Or perhaps they weren’t a couple at all, and just played pool together all the time.
It’s hard to tell how large the headstone is from this photograph, but it likely is smaller than an actual pool table. Nevertheless, their commitment to the game withstands mortality. Even in death, these two are identified by the game of pool.
If you think that’s commitment, just wait until you see the next headstone.
A True BMW Fan
It seems fair to say that no one loves BMWs more than the person who decided to be buried under one. This headstone is a life-size version of an actual BMW convertible. The pulled down roof enables flowers to be placed into the seats of the car, which is a pretty clever idea.
You would think that the person who thought of this would be have gone for a smaller version of the car. To go to this extreme must have been a costly choice.
Never Trust A Landline!
A positive spin on death, this headstone shows a goofily-drawn image of who we can only presume to be Kim. The expression on her face looks as though she’s about the burst into laughter. She’s probably so excited because the call is from her higher power.
The term “called” is doing double duty here. The joking version refers to an actual phone call, while a literal version refers to a belief of being called, or summoned, to the afterlife.
This Person Insulted Their Dead Wife
The simple poem is kind of cute at first. It has the same sing-songy effect as “Roses are red, violets are blue.” The only difference is that instead of a heartfelt ending, this headstone takes a sharp turn into insultville.
Whoever created this headstone was probably one of two things. Either they were very close with their wife and had a dark sense of humor with her, or they truly dreaded her and did this out of spite. Hopefully, it’s the first option.
A Landlord’s Grave
The person buried under this kind of headstone would have to have been a landlord, realtor, or someone in property management. It’s a clever way to pay homage to the people dedicating their lives to leasing homes.
Can you imagine living in a graveyard? Often properties presumed to be haunted go for below market value, so that would be a plus. And they do have a point about the neighbors being quiet. But talk about a cramped space.
Talk About A Time Capsule
Anyone who’s a computer geek will probably have a clearer idea about why this happened than the rest of us. The person buried under there must have done extremely meaningful computer work to have ended up under this headstone.
On the other hand, maybe they were just really obsessed with computers. One thing that’s for sure is anyone passing by can predict the era the deceased person lived in based on this headstone. That computer looks decades old, and not because it’s made of stone.
Way To Point Out The Obvious
For some of us, the pressure of coming up with something significant to say on a headstone is too much. If that’s the way you feel, you may want to consider this simplistic design.
Though the message is both simple and obvious, the design is actually pretty cool. The letters are carved out of the stone in a modern style. Even the gray tone of the cement is simple. For anyone who prefers a simple design, this may be the pick for you.
Death: The One Time Everyone Gets A Parking Spot
It’s nice to see that people can have humor about their own mortality. This couple joked on their headstone about how impossible it is to find parking in Georgetown. Traffic issues are something that most of us can relate to.
This couple seems like they were outgoing people if they were consistently having a hard time finding a place to park. Presumably, they spent a lot of time in crowded areas and urban spaces. Now, they’ll be permanently parked in the ground.
This next headstone is a play on words that also makes fun of the person buried.
This Goes Out To The Bread Lovers
The last name Yeast is pretty unfortunate. You know poor John was likely made fun of in school over his last name, but it seems that by the end of his life he had embraced his unusual title.
People can derive many things from headstones: wisdom, insight, or simply humor. If a passerby is going to have a remark about the name on your odd name, you might as well beat them to the punch by outlining the oddity for them.
Is This Person Joking Or Serious?
It takes some nerve to turn your headstone into a Ouiji board. For one, you’re asking for kids to gather ’round and attempt to ask you questions from the dead. For two, if the thing works, you might get summoned.
Regardless of how you feel about Ouiji boards, you have to admit it’s pretty suiting to see one in the middle of a graveyard. Imagine walking through a cemetery and seeing that. It would definitely bring about some Halloween fright, or humor depending on how you see it.
Never Doubt The Pain Of A Woman’s Feet
They say that pain is beauty. Unfortunately, this leads a lot of women to endure the paint of feet in high heels because it flatters the appearance of their legs. Mix that with the commonly used phrase, “(blank) is killing me,” and you have what appears to be a cry for help.
Perhaps it wasn’t heels that lead the deceased to complain about their feet. It may have been an actual condition that could have had serious, even deadly, outcomes. The world will never know.
Money Isn’t Everything In Life
This headstone’s rhyme is so precise that it’s just about impossible to read it without having a bit of a jingle play in your mind. It’s funny that the writing both insults and compliments the deceased man at the same time.
Then again, it’s fairly common to enjoy spending. Hopefully, Uncle Walter wasn’t a shopaholic. If he was, it would explain why he had so many wives. One good thing about people who spend too much is that they aren’t overly attached to the money they have. After all, money is minimal compared to love.
Such A Teenager
It’s sad news when a young person passes, especially when they never got to see adulthood. This deceased person may have only been 16, but the one bright side of their headstone is that the humor matches the age perfectly.
It’s hard to tell if they are referring to individuals on the other side as dumb, or to the person looking at the headstone and reading it as dumb. Perhaps it’s both, which would be even funnier.
This next one is funny because of its use of strange language
Daddy’s Language Lives On
This man had a way with words. Rather, he had a way with strange words that he made up. The use of made-up language is nothing new, but putting it on a headstone is. What’s more characteristic of a person than the way they talked?
It’s a clever idea to create a headstone in the vernacular of the person who is being represented. We aren’t sure what betrojacks or jiddley gees are, but they do sound funny.
At Least They Were Honest
Nothing shows how divided the parties are like a good old fashioned political headstone. This deceased person was probably heavily involved in politics, and definitely leaned very far to the left. Clearly, Republicans weren’t their thing, and Labor Unions were very much so.
But what about a Republican who believes in Labor Unions, or a Democrat who doesn’t believe in Labor Unions? We’ll have to assume those people are all out, as well. They still have their preferences in death.
Another brutally honest headstone is up next.
The Honest Truth
Underground in a casket is just about as dark as it gets. This headstone is funny for stating the obvious. What’s even funnier is that the words are in quotes, as though they were the deceased’s actual last words.
When pondering death, some believe it is all black. The dark color denotes nothingness, because it’s hard for humans to imagine nonexistence. In a sense, the simple and funny headstone is actually pretty philosophical if you take the idea and really run with it.
A Nice Caution
This cautionary headstone is downright funny. It’s unsure if they’re saying that you’ll die if you go into the casket, which would suggest some sort of fatal haunting going on. Otherwise, the warning could be saying if you enter the grave it means you already have died, so avoid it at all costs.
Whatever it’s meant to mean, it doesn’t necessarily make sense, but that’s what makes it funny. Sometimes it’s best to just take things at face value.
We All Know It’s Bound To Happen
Like so many other funny headstones, this one points out the obvious. Mortality is real and to that degree, we all know that death is going to happen. What is more curious is what, if anything, happens after.
It’s possible that this person is also suggesting that he knew what would happen when he dies. It’s possible that the headstone is actually placing confidence in the beliefs that the deceased had prior to his death.
The Man Was Funny
Leslie Nielson was a Canadian actor and comedian, appearing in works like Airplane!, The Naked Gun series, and the Police Squad! TV show. Those who knew him say he was a practical jokester who often pranked people with his hand-controlled fart machine.
In 2018, after a battle with pneumonia, Nielson died in his sleep. His body lies in Fort Lauderdale’s Evergreen Cemetery. As a final joke, he wrote “Let ‘er rip” as his epitaph.
No One Better Touch His Stuff
All you need is a dead man being reincarnated into an angry bee. Could you imagine a deranged bee flying around your head all the time only to find out that it’s actually your great uncle Alastor who told you he would figure out how to come back?
Well, jokes on all of us, Alastor. We swear we didn’t think it was possible, so we thought moving your stuff was okay. Please don’t curse us to be followed by bees for the rest of our lives.
At Least He’s Helping The Environment?
We can’t fault the laughing man for his choice in gravestone epitaph. After all, at least he’s able to laugh at himself from six-feet under. That makes us think that he was a pretty stand-up guy in life to be able to joke about his own death.
Here’s to many millennia of growing daisies around your tombstone, friend. We’re sure you will have a lovely garden surrounding you by the time everything is said and done.
They Said They Wanted To Buried Under A Tree
When this family decided to have their plot underneath a tree, we’re fairly sure they didn’t mean within the tree. Considering how old this gravestone is, it’s no surprise that the tree decided to gain back its territory and utilize the stone to its advantage. Right on, nature!
We also can’t help but to laugh at the way the trunk decided to grow around the stone. It looks like a giant’s hand is trying to grab it and move it to another location!
Still A Raggedy Ann Lover
Raggedy Ann was a beloved doll to many young girls in the 20th century, but especially to girls who could identify with the sweet figure. The individual buried here, Pam Ann Bull, shared a middle name with the doll, which at least partially explains her fascination.
Whatever the tie between Pam and Raggedy was, it was strong enough to last in death. We hope that seeing the doll-shaped memorial brings comfort to Pam’s family.
