Jewelry, pictures, beer, cigarettes, trophies, Burger King Whoppers - these are some of the things people take with them to the grave.
It is becoming more common for people to be buried with all their favorite things when they die, said Brian Habegger, district manager at Loomis Hanneman Funeral Home in Weston, Ohio. He said the most popular things people are buried with are jewelry, notes, cards, letters from family and pictures.
Another trend that seems to be increasingly popular is people requesting to be buried with their cremated pets.
Habegger said the most unique thing he has seen someone buried with was a Whopper from Burger King.
"Pretty much anything goes anymore," Habegger said. "It's just very open. People request anything. Their favorite of everything and anything they loved."
Steve Dunn, owner and funeral director at Dunn Funeral Home, agreed.
"I have seen people buried with trophies, a bottle of beer, cigarettes and a deck of cards," he said. "Really, people have been buried with anything you can think of."
The types of clothes people are buried in are also changing, said University junior Jamie Brucker, funeral director assistant at Snyder Funeral Homes in Mount Gilead, Ohio. He said the clothes people are buried in are becoming less formal and more unique to the individual.
"I remember putting a purple alligator skin belt and shoes on a woman," he said. "I just thought that was unique and different."
Brucker also described putting "lumber jack clothes" on a guy, such as a flannel top with holes in it.
"The family said they didn't want 'normal funeral clothes' because he was a working man and wanted to be remembered that way," Brucker said.
Another woman, who died of breast cancer, but wanted to look like she was naturally sleeping, was buried hugging a pillow and wearing all pink for breast cancer awareness, he said.
"Work at the funeral home is never the same," Brucker said. "Things are changing and it's always different, which is what makes life interesting."
It is becoming more common for people to be buried with all their favorite things when they die, said Brian Habegger, district manager at Loomis Hanneman Funeral Home in Weston, Ohio. He said the most popular things people are buried with are jewelry, notes, cards, letters from family and pictures.
Another trend that seems to be increasingly popular is people requesting to be buried with their cremated pets.
Habegger said the most unique thing he has seen someone buried with was a Whopper from Burger King.
"Pretty much anything goes anymore," Habegger said. "It's just very open. People request anything. Their favorite of everything and anything they loved."
Steve Dunn, owner and funeral director at Dunn Funeral Home, agreed.
"I have seen people buried with trophies, a bottle of beer, cigarettes and a deck of cards," he said. "Really, people have been buried with anything you can think of."
The types of clothes people are buried in are also changing, said University junior Jamie Brucker, funeral director assistant at Snyder Funeral Homes in Mount Gilead, Ohio. He said the clothes people are buried in are becoming less formal and more unique to the individual.
"I remember putting a purple alligator skin belt and shoes on a woman," he said. "I just thought that was unique and different."
Brucker also described putting "lumber jack clothes" on a guy, such as a flannel top with holes in it.
"The family said they didn't want 'normal funeral clothes' because he was a working man and wanted to be remembered that way," Brucker said.
Another woman, who died of breast cancer, but wanted to look like she was naturally sleeping, was buried hugging a pillow and wearing all pink for breast cancer awareness, he said.
"Work at the funeral home is never the same," Brucker said. "Things are changing and it's always different, which is what makes life interesting."
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