morbid news

New York Daily News (as reported by Yahoo News):

NEW YORK – A police tow truck removed a minivan parked outside a New York City funeral home, giving its dearly departed passenger an unexpected side trip. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said there was "nothing to indicate it was more than just an illegally parked car." Redden's Funeral Home director Paul DeNigris said a windshield placard had fallen flat. The van's tinted windows helped obscure the white cardboard box that held the remains.

DeNigris said he was "a wreck" after discovering the van missing Monday in Manhattan. He rushed to the tow pound, where he discreetly explained the circumstances and got the van back. He also got body to an airport in time for a scheduled flight to Miami.

He plans to fight the $115 parking ticket.

Do you find it a little obnoxious.... that the body was in a "white cardboard box"???!!! inside a minivan? I mean, whatever happened to caskets and hearses? Or am I being a little old-fashioned to believe that our dearly departed deserve a little more respect than being tossed into a cardboard box and thrown into a minivan like groceries or something? For heavens sake, ice cream gets more respect. At least we do make the effort to rush it to its destination and make sure it arrives safely.

If you read the original news story, the funeral director said he almost "died" when he walked outside and saw the van was gone; hell, I would have been mortified!!!!