'He's God's Problem Now': How A Son's Hilarious Obituary For Dad Cracked Up & Won the Internet

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When someone close to you passes away, it's an incredibly tough time, especially when it's a dear family member. Funerals bring together not only loved ones but also people who may have had differences with the deceased, coming to pay their final respects. This is a time when people reflect on the good deeds of the departed and mourn, praying for their soul to rest in peace.

As many of you know, before the funeral, an obituary is typically written to announce the death and provide a brief autobiography of the person. These are often emotional and sombre in tone, but in Texas, a son recently flipped the script by writing a hilarious obituary for his father, which has since then gone viral on the internet. Let's dive into the story!

Charles Boehm Hilarious Obituary For His Father

A 74-year-old Texas man Robert Boehm, who passed away on Sunday, October 6th of this year received a hilarious farewell from his son Charles, who wrote an obituary that went viral for its humour and charm. Instead of the usual heartfelt tribute, Charles joked that Robert's last words were likely an unintelligible curse and that he was now "God's problem." Robert, a truck driver and lover of firearms, was known for blowing holes in his car dash, wearing mismatched outfits, and making his dogs howl at night with his harmonicas.

Charles also humorously mentioned that his mother, Robert's wife, Dianne, who passed away earlier, was probably enjoying some well-earned peace in heaven. He pointed out that Robert's funeral would be held on Monday, Oct. 14, in Amarillo and referred to it as his "farewell tour,". Charles advised everyone to wear whatever outdated or inappropriate clothing they liked for the funeral. He wrote that there would be a tip jar at the front of the funeral home, but flowers were acceptable. Charles ended the obituary with the line "We have all done our best to enjoy/weather Robert's antics up to this point, but he is God's problem now,".

After writing the obituary, Charles Boehm sent it to Robertson Funeral Directors, the mortuary handling his dad's cremation. Chuck Robertson, the owner, found it so funny that he nearly choked on his breakfast while reading it.

The Obituary

'Robert Adolph Boehm, in accordance with his lifelong dedication to his own personal brand of decorum, muttered his last unintelligible and likely unnecessary curse on October 6, 2024, shortly before tripping backward over "some stupid mother****ing thing" and hitting his head on the floor.

Robert was born in Winters, TX, to the late Walter Boehm and Betty Smith on May 6, 1950, after which God immediately and thankfully broke the mold and attempted to cover up the evidence. Raised Catholic, Robert managed to get his wife Dianne pregnant (three times) fast enough to just barely miss getting drafted into the Vietnam War by fathering Michelle, John, and Charlotte between 1967 and 1972. Much later, with Robert possibly concerned about the brewing conflict in Grenada, Charles was born in 1983.

This lack of military service was probably for the best, as when taking up shooting as a hobby in his later years, he managed to blow not one, but two holes in the dash of his own car on two separate occasions, which unfortunately did not even startle, let alone surprise, his dear wife Dianne, who was much accustomed to such happenings in his presence and may have actually been safer in the jungles of Vietnam the entire time.

While the world was in conflict elsewhere, Robert made due by learning to roof, maintain traffic signs with the City of Amarillo, and eventually becoming a semi-professional truck driver-not to be confused with a professional semi-truck driver.

With peace on the horizon, Robert's attention somewhat counterintuitively drifted to weapons of war, spanning the historical and geographical spectrum from the atlatl of 19,000 BC France, to the sjambok of 1830s Africa, to the Mosin-Nagant M1891 of WWII-era Soviet Union. So many examples of these mainstream hobbyist items litter his small Clarendon, Texas, apartment that one of them may very well have been the item referenced in his aforementioned eloquent final epitaph.

A man of many interests, Robert was not to be entranced by historical weapons alone, but also had a penchant for fashion, frequently seen about town wearing the latest trend in homemade leather moccasins, a wide collection of unconventional hats, and boldly mismatched shirts and pants.

Robert also kept a wide selection of harmonicas on hand-not to play personally, but to prompt his beloved dogs to howl continuously at odd hours of the night to entertain his many neighbors, and occasionally to give to his many, many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren to play loudly during long road trips with their parents.

Earlier this year, in February, God finally showed mercy upon Dianne, getting her the hell out of there for some well-earned peace and quiet. Without Dianne to gleefully entertain, Robert shifted his creative focus to the entertainment of you, the fine townspeople of Clarendon, Texas. Over the last eight months, if you have not met Robert or seen his road show yet, you probably would have soon.
We have all done our best to enjoy/weather Robert's antics up to this point, but he is God's problem now.

Robert's farewell tour will be held Monday, October 14th, at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home, 6969 E Interstate 40 Hwy, Amarillo, TX 79118. The family encourages you to dust off whatever outdated or inappropriate combination of clothing you have available to attend. A tip jar will be available in the front; flowers are also acceptable'.

About Writing The Obituary

Charles Boehm, 41, was initially unsure of what to write for his father's obituary, so he searched Google until he found inspiration in an old tribute for a Connecticut man, thinking it reflected his dad's personality. "I read it, and I thought, 'That sounds like something my dad would do,'" Boehm told the Washington Post.

Talking to another newspaper Daily Mail, Charles Boehm shared that his father's passing highlighted the isolation many elderly people face in small rural towns, especially after losing loved ones. He expressed hope that his dad's obituary would encourage more support for mental health in these communities, where people often end up alone as their kids move away. Reflecting on his father's humour, he mentioned how a light-hearted tribute turned into something that made people remember and care.

Though his dad wasn't perfect, Boehm believes he deserved to be remembered, and hopes others in similar situations are not forgotten. He added: "I'd have to say if I want anything to come from all of this, it's for people everywhere to support the mental health of people in little rural towns. They go there to retire, then when they're old, their kids scatter and they end up alone. A lot of people slip through the cracks". "We need to look after them", he concluded.

When The Obituary Got Viral

Chuck Robertson, the owner of Robertson Funeral Directors shared the obituary on the funeral home's Facebook page, where it quickly gained popularity, with over 1,000 shares by October 17. Commenters were delighted, with one person humorously saying he would pay the writer in advance to write his obituary if he were to die, while another called it the "best obituary" they'd ever read, adding a playful nod to the deceased's humour with, "Thanks for your *almost* service, Sir!"

On a more serious note, Charles Boehm remembered how hard his father struggled after his wife Dianne passed away, and the attempts his family had to take to get him mental health support. He expressed gratitude to the small town of Clarendon, with around 2,000 residents, for looking out for his dad during that tough time. The obituary highlighted that Robert and Dianne were married for over 50 years and are survived by four children, 10 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.