For years now, our local paper only "lists" the folks who've died. If you want a real obituary, you have to pay for it. Except, every day, one person is given the top left hand corner spot. A full obituary. Free.
My husband, Ken, got this coveted spot. I'm sure it made him happy. Although, as a theological concept, since he had died and was therefore in paradise, I don't know how he could be any happier. But then I don't know exactly how that works. I only know that he loved having his name in the paper, listing all the extraordinary things he'd done. And he'd done plenty.
But I digress.
I've often wondered how the choice is made as to who gets the coveted spot. Is it an important editorial decision or does some low level guy choose?
I love the choice that was made for this morning. A lady named Mary Roberts Truitt made the top left hand corner spot. Her claim to fame is that she spent much of her adult life, over 40 years, working in a Burger King and, during that time, served over 600,000 Whoppers! And greeted more than 12 million people.
In 2002, Burger King named Mrs. Truitt, the Burger King Queen. At her coronation they even sang "God Save the Queen."
The obituary went on to say that she was a devout Christian, which shaped her love of people. Her friend, Debbi, said that "She believed with all of her heart that she was to love God with all of her heart and to love people as God loved her."
Mrs. Truitt died after a long struggle with Alzheimer's.
This obit made me smile. It made me wish I'd been one of her customers (although we go to a McDonald's that has a similar kind of person who make us feel wonderful when we walk in the door.) And it made me hope that my life has been loving enough to merit the Obituary Top Spot.
***
My husband, Ken, got this coveted spot. I'm sure it made him happy. Although, as a theological concept, since he had died and was therefore in paradise, I don't know how he could be any happier. But then I don't know exactly how that works. I only know that he loved having his name in the paper, listing all the extraordinary things he'd done. And he'd done plenty.
But I digress.
I've often wondered how the choice is made as to who gets the coveted spot. Is it an important editorial decision or does some low level guy choose?
I love the choice that was made for this morning. A lady named Mary Roberts Truitt made the top left hand corner spot. Her claim to fame is that she spent much of her adult life, over 40 years, working in a Burger King and, during that time, served over 600,000 Whoppers! And greeted more than 12 million people.
In 2002, Burger King named Mrs. Truitt, the Burger King Queen. At her coronation they even sang "God Save the Queen."
The obituary went on to say that she was a devout Christian, which shaped her love of people. Her friend, Debbi, said that "She believed with all of her heart that she was to love God with all of her heart and to love people as God loved her."
Mrs. Truitt died after a long struggle with Alzheimer's.
This obit made me smile. It made me wish I'd been one of her customers (although we go to a McDonald's that has a similar kind of person who make us feel wonderful when we walk in the door.) And it made me hope that my life has been loving enough to merit the Obituary Top Spot.
***
