To celebrate the Cape Gazette’s 30th anniversary this year, we are publishing some of our favorite stories from the past. Have these stories aged well? You be the judge.

Rewind Back to March 14, 2014

Man Pens His Own Obituary

He was a devoted fan of Monty Python and South Park, so that should give some insight into the life of Walter George Bruhl Jr. who passed away March 9 at the age of 80.

His self-penned obituary attracted national and international attention as one of the wittiest end-of-life writings ever. It was first published on CapeGazette.com and within 24 hours it had more than 30,000 views. That number exploded to more than 330,000 views three days later.

The obituary begins: “Walter George Bruhl Jr. of Newark and Dewey Beach is a dead person; he is no more; he is bereft of life; he is deceased; he has rung down the curtain and gone to join the choir invisible; he has expired and gone to meet his maker.”

Perhaps the most brilliant line in the obituary is this one: “Instead of flowers, Walt would hope that you will do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for some poor unfortunate soul in his name.”

He wrote: “Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate Walt’s life in their own way; raising a glass of their favorite drink in his memory would be quite appropriate.”

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