Dennis's burial site

[DonnaK]

My two cents as well. In April, I sat with my 93 year old mother as she spent her last 20 minutes in her earthly body, her battered shell of a body riddled with cancer. She was struggling to breathe and since hospice was there, I could do nothing but hold her hand and put a wet cloth on her forehead. All I could do was try to soothe her by telling her it was OK and that I loved her. Her eyes were half open and I knew SHE knew she was dying. Her last breath was taken and I saw all of her life go out of her. At that moment, my mom was no longer that body her soul had taken residence in for over 93 years. She was gone and all that was left was that shell of a battered, long used body. I had no reservations about burying her after that. I haven't been back to the cemetery since then either. Besides the fact it is over 15 miles away, I know that under the grass is just her shell lying next to the shell of my dad. I like to think that they are in heaven, unburdened by cancer and the crap of daily life. Isn't that what we all want for our deceased loved ones??? To feel they are free again? In the end, it doesn't matter where our bodies end up, our souls are free. Be thankful if your loved ones die in one piece, not battered in an explosion, or ripped apart in a car accident. Just pray that when the time comes, we all go peacefully and fast, and that we have lived a decent, kind life. I too, am an organ donor, and feel that if there is anyone who can be helped by having "pieces" of me, then go for it. I won't be needing them! Ever hear of the expression "I'd give my left arm for that person"? Well, so be it.
I think that Dennis wanted to be buried at sea and we should respect his wishes and leave well enough alone.
Just my 2 cents.

[Jay]

But there is a "graphic nature" of any process that deals with disposing of a dead body. Isn't it graphic to remove blood, inject chemicals, apply makeup, set out for display, then put into a box and place in the dirt? That's graphic--horrific, even. But we're more used to it. How is a box in the dirt better than a bag in the ocean?

Being embalmed and having make up applied is more respectful in my opinion. It is GREAT that a simple rock musician could have the President of the United States of America grant him a burial at sea. But the whole idea of him being "fed to the sharks" turned my stomach. Amy B asked me what I thought being buried at sea meant. Well, I actually thought that the body would have been "protected" somehow. I thought perhaps Dennis would be placed in a casket, and then lowered into the sea. Or, perhaps maybe very heavy chains would be wrapped around the body bag. If Dennis ultimately wanted to have his body be put to rest in the sea/ocean, then that's all that really matters. I just agree with Sheriff John Stone in that the whole process seems quite "graphic".

[Surfer Joe]

And when you are cremated most of the time your ashes get mixed in with remnants of other people's ashes, you might be sharing an earn with a person who insists that Kokomo was the best BB's song ever. 

That was the funniest thing I heard all day...

Second that.

And while we're on this spine-tinglingly horrific and deeply troubling and nauseating subject, and forever mingling thoughts and images too awful to describe with my otherwise joyful period of discovery of Dennis' new release, in a thread sure to make small children weep and fear the darkness, I would just add that for those interested in getting some insight into Dennis' final moments and what really (probably) happened to him, former Los Angeles County coroner Thomas Noguchi wrote a book years ago called Coroner At Large in which he examined famous local cases from after his retirement.  There's a chapter, for example, on the Freddie Prinze case, and there's an excellent chapter on Dennis.

To add further to some of Luther's points, a year or so ago I was subjected by a friend to Jessica Mitford's excellent, if thoroughly repulsive and dispiriting, revised edition of The American Way Of Death, a scathing expose of the funeral and undertaking racket, and I say when the time comes, put me down the sink and have done with it.  I am utterly convinced that embalming is a revolting sham with no value; hygienic, aesthetic or otherwise, and I have no desire to lay claim for eternity to even a tiny piece of earth where children could otherwise play baseball. (It would be kind of cool to have a really scary grave on Halloween, but that's only once a year.  I also wouldn't mind having a grave if they built condos on it and then a bunch of us could rise up all mossy and gross and seek vengeance on the living.  But that's not gonna happen).

Anyway, may all of us someday merge with the infinite, having left our footprints in the sand, as beautifully as Dennis Carl Wilson did, and may the day not be soon.

(edited- thanks, Aegir!)

[Surfer Joe]

But there is a "graphic nature" of any process that deals with disposing of a dead body. Isn't it graphic to remove blood, inject chemicals, apply makeup, set out for display, then put into a box and place in the dirt? That's graphic--horrific, even. But we're more used to it. How is a box in the dirt better than a bag in the ocean?

Being embalmed and having make up applied is more respectful in my opinion. It is GREAT that a simple rock musician could have the President of the United States of America grant him a burial at sea. But the whole idea of him being "fed to the sharks" turned my stomach. Amy B asked me what I thought being buried at sea meant. Well, I actually thought that the body would have been "protected" somehow. I thought perhaps Dennis would be placed in a casket, and then lowered into the sea. Or, perhaps maybe very heavy chains would be wrapped around the body bag. If Dennis ultimately wanted to have his body be put to rest in the sea/ocean, then that's all that really matters. I just agree with Sheriff John Stone in that the whole process seems quite "graphic".

Actually, I think your first idea was pretty accurate.  It (not he) would have almost certainly been placed in a weighted bag.

[Aegir]

Dennis Gage Wilson

Murry Gage Wilson had a son Dennis Carl Wilson who had a son Gage Dennis Wilson, but there is no Dennis Gage Wilson (I think).

[Surfer Joe]

Did I get that wrong?  I must be losing it.  I just tried to check on Wikipedia but don't see the full name listed.  I had it in mind that they were Brian Douglas, Dennis Gage, and Carl Dennis. But my mind is finally going from years of Nutra-sweet.

[Pretty Funky]

Dennis drowned then buried at sea. Very respectful IMO.
Thought it was a great honor by Reagan in 83 and have never thought otherwise.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Or, perhaps maybe very heavy chains would be wrapped around the body bag.

Like I said earlier in this thread, the body bag at any burial at sea is weighted - otherwise it will inevitably float when committed, and possibly rise to the surface in a few days when the gases start forming.

The process of burial at sea has a long history - the body isn't simply checked over the side. There's a protocol and prescribed ceremony.

[donald]

I intend to stay on this side of the grass.     At least until my ashes leach into the soil.

Of course the neatest thing would be to donate organs and give the corpse to medical science for research or education.     In the end, incinerate the remains.   Even in death, we might be able to do some good.

[Amanda Hart]

Of course the neatest thing would be to donate organs and give the corpse to medical science for research or education.   

That's my plan.  I am a physiologist/dietitian so I learned a lot from cadavers in college and want to give those after me the same opportunity.  The Ohio State University here I come!

[37!ws]

Following up to an earlier post in this thread...yeah, it would have had to have been a bury-the-body-in-the-water thing, as you don't need special permission from the President to have your ashes scattered at sea.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Following up to an earlier post in this thread...yeah, it would have had to have been a bury-the-body-in-the-water thing, as you don't need special permission from the President to have your ashes scattered at sea.

Just a windless day...

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I always assumed that buried at sea, meant being litterally buried into the ocean floor! And I always wondered if their were actual tombstones of soldiers and one of Dennis Wilson out there somewhere!