I'm doing pretty well Foxy, how about yourself?? 

I'm not sure why they would want to remember the person dead. In my case, my relatives wanted to have a picture to show the rest of the family members who couldn't make it to the service. Then another one took a flower off one of the arrangements as a remembrance. (I almost said "souvenir" then stopped myself.)

In the 1800s to early 1900s, it was common for people to take photos of their dead, especially if the dead person was a baby or child. They'd dress the child up and prop it in a chair and the local photographer would come take a picture. Sometimes the eyes would be open and sometimes not. Off topic, but speaking of morbid remembrances, the victorians would make "mourning jewelry" out of the dead's hair. They would turn the hair into brooches, watch fobs, bracelets, all woven real intricately. Look up mourning jewelry on eBay sometime. I'm sure you'll be amazed at what they could do with hair.

This makes me think of my dog. Years ago I found him dead on the side of the road in front of my house. I picked up a rock that had some of his blood on it and I put it in a ziplock bag. It's in my dresser now. I know that seems a little gruesome, but for some reason, it gave me comfort. After all, it was only blood and blood is our life essence. I also took a picture of him although my reasons were to put it in the paper and make an article about keeping your pets fenced in (i still blame myself because we let him wander the yard loose) and I wanted everyone to see what some jerk did to my dog. I don't know where the photos are now and I don't want to see them but I will always keep that rock because it has part of him stained on it.

More morbidity: I can't recall which one right now but some famous queen of centuries ago, carried her husband's heart wrapped in silk after he died. Now I draw the line at that.

But I agree that standing around the coffin with your camera phone is a bit much.

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This is becoming a very interesting thread! I always wondered why the coins on the eyes. I assumedit was so the eyes would remain closed but that's interesting about paying death to carry them over.

I think Brenda has a point when she says to each their own. When it comes to death so many people have such different customs and it's very easy to presume one person's tradition is another person's disrespect. I think there must be adequate leeway in there to accommodate peoples' ways.

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I think it's disrespectful. When my uncle died 3 years ago, my mother kept trying to get me to take a picture of him. My relatives kept telling her no. I think she just wanted to remember him. I don't know why she wanted to remember him that way. I wouldn't have done it.

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