Strange Facts About Death

Like it or not, but death is a part of everyone's life. Some pretty strange occurrences have happened to people regarding death. Some cultures have funeral practices that we would find odd. These are just a few strange facts of life concerning death.

Ernest Hemingway crashed his plane somewhere in Africa in 1960. Newspapers apparently didn't do enough research for the story - Hemingway read several versions of his obituary, published in various newspapers.

In the 1800s in Borneo, people were not buried immediately after death. The deceased were placed in a large jar and relatives kept them in the house for a year. Then burial occurred.

A tribe in Malaysia waits much longer for burial. A period of twenty years is observed before the deceased is buried.

Arnold Bennett was a British novelist who died in 1931. His death was quite ironic - he was trying to prove that Paris' water was safe to drink when he contracted typhoid.

Even death cannot stop a horse from winning a race. In 1923 Sweet Kiss won a race at New York's Belmont Park even though his rider, Frank Hayes, died in the saddle during the home stretch.

Texan George Spillman and the number 8 seem to go together. He died on 8/8/1988, at the age of 88. And the time of death? 8:00 p.m.

Getting dressed may be too much for some people. In 1800, Charles Boothby Skrymshire, one of England's "dandies", committed suicide simply because he was tired of putting on his fancy clothes.

Californian Bill Johnson stipulated in his will that he be cremated. Not only that, but his ashes were to be put in 24 firework shells, then set off.

Englishwoman Hannah Beswick stated in her will that she be regularly checked for signs of life. Her doctor decided that her body should be placed somewhere for easy viewing, so she was laid to rest in a hollow grandfather clock.

Palm Beach resident Gianna Lahainer must have found it terribly inconvenient that her husband died during the height of high-society's party season. She had him kept on ice for forty days in order to delay his funeral.

Some individuals deem it necessary to have funerals for a body part. Hallie Broadribb, of Canada, had a leg amputated because of cancer. After storing the leg for a year, she held a funeral for it. It was even buried in a small casket.