Woman Uses Obituary as a Guest List for Her Own Funeral

A Spanish woman used her own obituary to specify who would be allowed to attend her funeral—and she had a message for those who weren't invited.

María Paz Fuentes Fernández of Lugo in Galicia, Spain, died on June 2, 2021, and she used her obituary to make her final wishes very clear and publish a guest list for her farewell ceremony.

The unusual obituary, which was published in the days following her death, read: "Following my principles and my particular way of saying things, I mandate that: since my family has not been blood-related for a long time, I impose my last will so that only the people I mention below shall attend my funeral, in the funeral home, church, and cemetery."

She listed the names of the 15 people who made the cut, and left a message for those who didn't: "To the rest of the people who never cared during my life, I wish for you to remain as far away as you were."

The obituary went viral when it was shared by journalist José Pardina, who posted a photo of the obituary on Twitter and said: "Here's a GREAT NOVEL." The tweet has been liked by more than 40,000 people and shared nearly 10,000 times.

Some thought it was a good idea, like one Twitter user who said they were doing something similar: "Well, I have in writing who in my family I do not want to see at my funeral. If they didn't give a damn in life, I'm not even going to tell you about it."

One Twitter user said: "My respect and total admiration for Doña María Paz. Rest in peace," while another said they agreed with her wishes: "I think and feel the same... 'everyone who never cared' 'remembers' you when you die..."

Someone also said: "If they left her alone during her life, let them get away with their hypocrisy well away from her funeral. Great lesson from this lady putting them in their place."

However, others think the obituary is sad, like one Twitter user who said: "It is sad to die bitter, obituaries like these mark the importance and beauty of forgiving," while another said: "Dying bitter has to be one of the saddest ways to die, really."

One Twitter user said: "The funny thing is that she remembers those who did not care about her life or remember it. It gives too much importance to them."