Funerals are typically sad and gloomy affairs, but this grandmother had a unique way of lightening the mood. While gag gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions are common, Jo Marie Perryman, who died on October 12 at the age of 81 in Breckenridge, Texas, left everyone in stitches after revealing her final gift to the family at her funeral service.
Her granddaughter, Gracie Perryman, shared the hilarious gift on Twitter, which quickly went viral. Jo Marie had arranged for an unusual gift – a Ouija board! – to be given to attendees at her funeral, complete with a humorous comment. Gracie’s post includes a photo of a small Ouija board taped to one side of a card. Her grandmother’s hilarious message is on the other side: “Let’s keep in touch!”
It was a sly way for her to remind funeral attendees that she wasn’t all that far away. A picture of Jo Marie sticking out her tongue and giving the finger was included in the gift. “Received this at my grandmother’s funeral,” Gracie wrote alongside the photo. What a symbol.” Jo Marie announced on Facebook in August that “everyone will be gifted their very own Ouija board” at her funeral.
Despite the announcement, Grace was taken aback when her grandmother kept her promise. “What on Earth is this?” she wondered as she opened the gift at the funeral. Laughter erupted in the room as 30 to 40 other people opened their gifts. A Ouija board, also known as a spirit board or talking board, is a flat board with alphabet letters, numbers 0-9, the words “yes” or “no,” and other symbols and graphics.
During a Ouija board séance, people are said to be able to communicate with the dead by moving a planchette to spell out messages. Receiving a funeral gift was certainly an unexpected but truly amusing surprise. Jo Marie’s own obituary attested to her sense of humor. “She had a quick wit and a clever sense of humor, which kept everyone who knew her on their toes,” the article said. It was unusual to triumph in a battle of wits with her.”
Jo Marie cherished her family and was well-known for her compassion and understanding. She liked to do crafts, sew, and read Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels. Her chicken enchiladas, burritos, fried chicken, and Christmas candies were legendary. She also enjoyed video games and could even beat her children at them. Published on Twitter On October 19, the photo received over 722,000 likes and elicited numerous reactions.
“This is incredible,” one user wrote. In honor of your badass grandmother, I’m going to do this when I die! “Rest in peace, she!” “I am so sorry for your loss,” another user said. But this is the stuff of LEGENDS! And now you can look at it whenever you’re feeling down.” “I’m so sorry for your loss,” said another. My first thought is that your grandmother had a wonderful sense of humor, and her desire to bring some light to the darkness of grief is so touching.”
Some even shared their own grief after losing someone they cared about. “The last time I got to talk to my best friend, before ovarian cancer took her, I asked her to send me a postcard from her next adventure. Every now and then, I get a small sign. It’s a nice thing, so this just makes communication easier.” Someone even shared a photo of what they were given during the service of a deceased loved one.
The grandmother is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, as well as other family members who adored and miss her. Another legendary grandmother set the ground rules for her funeral in a TikTok video, ensuring that it would be a time of celebration. Lillian Droniak, 92, instructed her family not to cry too much and embarrass themselves in the video. Even better, she requested that everyone take shots and even get drunk at her funeral!
“I joke about death because it will happen to all of us, as scary as that is,” Lillian said, and we “might as well laugh about it.” These grandmothers are absolutely hilarious and literally had the last laugh! Their final messages and instructions demonstrate that we should not let death take our sense of humor. They demonstrate their love for their family and the importance of making their funerals and final moments a time for family and friends to bond and share their love for one another.