Traipsing down the aisles of the newspaper column today I crossed, not for the first time, a familiar countenance.
The paper carried an item on some local business began as a joint husband-wife project; the husband, being “sadly passed away”, compelling postmortem the carrying on of said business single-handed by the bereaved distaff side; his assumed preternatural expiration, it would seem, regretted by all who knew him—even the columnist, who most likely did not.
Seeing again that weathered phrase (which will not seem to pass itself out of existence), I had occasion to wonder how many opportunities arise (or rather, drop) where one might employ not incongruously the phrase “Happily passed away”…such as, to cite some examples, when attached to the sudden natural demise of tyrants, dictators, war criminals, Hollywood actresses, pederasts, DJ’s, "influencers", Esperantists, teetotalers, sports enthusiasts, loquacious barroom bores, bloggers, Get-Fit men, vegan activists, body-positivists, and other Hitlerian figures.
Great point! I’ve had the honor/sorrowful job of writing 1/2 dozen obituaries in the past few years. It’s an interesting process…distilling a life down to a few paragraphs. I’m hyper aware of the wording I use and will be even more aware going forward (hopefully not for a very long time!)
Great point! I’ve had the honor/sorrowful job of writing 1/2 dozen obituaries in the past few years. It’s an interesting process…distilling a life down to a few paragraphs. I’m hyper aware of the wording I use and will be even more aware going forward (hopefully not for a very long time!)