Funerals
Tuesday, 10th October 2006 by Alex Turnbull
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.
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.
About the author
Alex has decided that his title will be Senior Vice President of Stuff.
R.I.P
Here’s one in Colma, CA:
https://www.googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=&c=&t=k&hl=en&ll=37.669616,-122.440521&z=19
The city of Colma has a higher population for the dead then the living!
Colma has a big-ass sign too!
https://www.googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=&c=&t=k&hl=en&ll=37.663514,-122.418149&z=19
oz, we actually featured the Sign Hill nearly 18 months ago (can you believe it?) but it’s waaay higher res now.
Here’s another one near Colma
https://www.googlesightseeing.com/maps?p=&c=&t=k&hl=en&ll=37.685525,-122.453731&z=19
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!
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!
Thanks Dan, post updated.
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.”