# What do you want to have happen to your body after you go? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 23, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653 "2006-03-23T23:27:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/1 "2006-03-23T23:27:54Z")
Morbid question, yeah. But when you shuffle off this old world, what do you want to have happen to your body? Me, I don’t really care, seeing as I’ll be dead. However I do sometimes think I might like to be creamated and either have my ashes sprinkled around in a cool and calm setting, or upon the mantle of a loved one. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/2 "2006-03-23T23:30:16Z")
It involves the phrase “Gotcha Ya!” ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/3 "2006-03-23T23:31:53Z")
Cremation. In general, I don’t see a need for me to take up any space once I’m gone. The only thing that might be of interest is to have some of the remains to be stored in a memorial place (maybe a mausoleum of sorts) as my father has lamented that since his Mother and Father were both cremated, it made it hard to have a “focal point” for them anymore. There was no place to go to to feel like you are with them. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/4 "2006-03-23T23:33:59Z")
Harvest whatever organs are still good, cremate the body and put the ashes… eh - put 'em anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/5 "2006-03-23T23:38:18Z")
Take whatever organs are useful, let a medical school have at me if that’s useful, then cremate whatever’s left and dump me in the mountains somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/6 "2006-03-23T23:40:57Z")
Creamation. I get really spooked out thinking about my body locked in a small, damp, underground box bloating and then putrifying and seeping all over my clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/7 "2006-03-23T23:48:39Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I get really spooked out thinking about my body locked in a small, damp, underground box bloating and then putrifying and seeping all over my clothes. Yeah. You’d never be able to wear that suit again. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/8 "2006-03-23T23:48:43Z")
Medical school. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/9 "2006-03-24T00:00:08Z")
I’m an organ donor, then the leftovers will be cremated. I still have my mother’s ashes, and my husband can do whatever he wishes with both of us - I think his plan is to have us buried with him. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/10 "2006-03-24T00:01:51Z")
Cremated and shot into outer space. I read an article that said it is actually cheaper to do this than to have a burial. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/11 "2006-03-24T00:04:08Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > Medical school. You think the second time around is the charm? 😃 Me, I’d like it preserved inside a plexiglass mold and displayed as an object of worship for young women as part of a religion created in my name. But that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![6\_6\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e0b2c6/32.png) [@6\_6\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6_6_6)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/12 "2006-03-24T00:04:32Z")
The [University of Bristol](http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Anatomy/Bequests.htm) has first refusal on mine. 🆒 I keep instructions with my personal papers and all my family know my wishes. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/13 "2006-03-24T00:06:49Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > You think the second time around is the charm? 😃 > > Me, I’d like it preserved inside a plexiglass mold and displayed as an object of worship for young women as part of a religion created in my name. > > But that’s just me. I never went a first time around…? Or do you mean something else? I neglected to mention, my usable organs will first be harvested for donors, THEN medical school. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/14 "2006-03-24T00:11:31Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > I never went a first time around…? Or do you mean something else? Well, the joke is funny when an assumption is made that one did attend and would have more success as a cadaver. Alas as with explaining any joke, it’s a bit like disecting frogs: It interests no one and the frog dies of it. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/15 "2006-03-24T00:23:22Z")
Eaten by wolves. Just kidding. I don’t care - I imagine cremation, after any useable organs are harvested. ---
**Author:** ![Vesper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c68b51/32.png) [@Vesper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vesper)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/16 "2006-03-24T00:32:50Z")
Viking funeral. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/17 "2006-03-24T00:37:26Z")
I want whatever is useful to be used, right down to being a med school project. Anything left over can be burned and sprinkled in the Bay. I don’t want my survivors to spend huge amounts of money disposing of my remains - I’d rather they use their money to enjoy life. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/18 "2006-03-24T01:36:59Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I want whatever is useful to be used, right down to being a med school project. Anything left over can be burned and sprinkled in the Bay. I don’t want my survivors to spend huge amounts of money disposing of my remains - I’d rather they use their money to enjoy life. Damn it, FCM; I read that as ‘sprinkled on eBay’. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > Well, the joke is funny when an assumption is made that one did attend and would have more success as a cadaver. Yeah, I got that connotation - but I’d expect it to be used on, say, **edwino** or **Qadgop** (MD). Ginger Humourless twit 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/19 "2006-03-24T01:46:28Z")
‘After I go’? Death seems counterproductive to me, so I’m not going. I’ve recently read _Stiff: the Curious Lives Of Human Cadavers_ by Mary Roach. There’s a woman in Norway, Susanne Wiigh-Masak, who is developing (or has developed) a plan to dip bodies in liquid nitrogen, shatter them with ultrasonic waves, and use them for mulch (perhaps for a memorial tree). Apparently there was a guy in Oregon, Pillip Backman, who had the idea several years ago, but his plan was to use a hammer mill to reduce the body. Apparently just tossing a loved one onto the compost heap might be considered disconcerting. (‘Did you remember to turn daddy today?’) ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653/20 "2006-03-24T02:05:00Z")
**Johnny L.A**.: Just read _Stiff_ too and wanted to post about the composting funeral. That sounds like the way to go. However, if I had my druthers, I’d want to go up in a pillar of fire, leaving behind nothing but a scorch mark. Maybe I should become the drummer for Spinal Tap? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-to-have-happen-to-your-body-after-you-go/349653.md?page=2)