Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Funerals

Posted by Alex Turnbull, Tuesday, 10th October 2006

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With the continually increasing quality of images on Google Maps/Earth, it’s hardly surprising that the cameras are capturing ever more private moments of people’s lives. Perhaps then it was only a matter of time before the very end of someone’s life was published on the Internet for the whole world to see.

Here’s two examples of funerals taking place, one in the Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Chicago, and the other at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Washington DC Silver Spring, Maryland. In both shots you can see a crowd of mourners surrounding the grave and also the funeral procession parked nearby.

funeral2.jpg

Update: From the comments, Chris pointed out a third funeral in progress at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA (where several notable San Franciscans are buried, including Joe DiMaggio).

Thanks to Yoshi, Don Bruns and Chris.

9 Responses to 'Funerals'

  1. Chris says:

    Here’s one in Colma, CA:

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

    The city of Colma has a higher population for the dead then the living!

  2. oz says:

    Colma has a big-ass sign too!

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  3. Alex says:

    oz, we actually featured the Sign Hill nearly 18 months ago (can you believe it?) but it’s waaay higher res now.

  4. Flababo says:

    Here’s another one near Colma

    Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth

  5. Hey, oz, thanks for the link to the South San Francisco sign.

    When viewed from ground level, the words “South San Francisco The Industrial City” look like neat block letters. I never knew until I saw this aerial/satellite shot that the letters had to be skewed so they WOULD appear uniform.

    Neat-o!

  6. Dan says:

    Technically, that Gate of Heaven isn’t in Washington at all – it’s in Silver Spring, Maryland, just a teeny bit northwest of the city.

    I actually live perhaps 90 seconds from that cemetary!

  7. Alex says:

    Thanks Dan, post updated.

  8. Alan Gornik says:

    I hopped on my bike and tooled over to the spot in Queen of Heaven (actually in Hillside, IL – a western suburb of Chicago) and located the deceased. His name was Jerome A. Weir, 11/20/20 – 04/05/05. The inscription says “Husband-Father” and also, somewhat comically, “Thumbs-up.”

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