Ever Since Buddy Galon was four years old, he has had a curious fascination with that ritual of death, the funeral. The funeral march, the casket, the music, the flowers, the eulogy, the dress and behavior of the mourners all came together to illuminate the life of the deceased individual. In the Introduction the writer reveals how funerals influenced the stages of his own life. In this selection of forty-four funeral vignettes, the author presents his own personal views of the funerals and the lives that preceded the services. In both, the line between comedy and tragedy often appears blurred.