Putting The Fun In Funerals - FOX 35 News Orlando

Funerals are typically a very sad occasion but nothing says they have to be.

Fox 29's John Anderson takes us to one place where they're putting the fun in funerals.

The Williams Lombardo funeral home has been an important part of this quiet Clifton Heights neighborhood for 85 years. It has helped thousands of families during the toughest of times.

And when it's time to say goodbye, it welcomes you in with everything you could want for a funeral and then there's the extras. And they do celebrate, like during this mock funeral they showed us.

Comedian Joe Conklin was booked as the opening act.  He's played some of the biggest comedy clubs and now he's doing his comedy routine, in a place traditionally not known for changing its routine in a funeral home.

Besides the jokes and the laughs, this mock funeral included a boat, palm trees, sand, and seashells, all in honor of the deceased who loved going to the beach.

You can still have a guestbook but you can include flip flops to welcome your guest.

Reverend Craig Bean presided over this funeral service and believes besides being the best medicine, laughter can also be the best in dealing with death.

Joe Lombardo admits this is not for everyone, but cites a recent poll by the national funeral directors association that showed only 13 percent want a traditional funeral and he's had other customers dying to get laughs.

Whether it's clowns or comedians, the next funeral you attend may replace those tears with cheers.

Again Joe says this is not for everyone, but he says it's important to talk to your loved ones ahead of time and make sure you honor their wishes of how they want to be remembered.

Other ideas was that a golfer was buried with his golf bag and one man who actually loved horses had his horse right there at the funeral.