Colorful coffins lighten mood at New Zealand funerals

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — When the pallbearers brought Phil McLean’s coffin into the chapel, there were gasps before a wave of laughter rippled through the hundreds of mourners.

The coffin was a giant cream donut.

“It overshadowed the sadness and the hard times in the last few weeks,” said his widow, Debra. “The final memory in everyone’s mind was of that donut, and Phil’s sense of humor.”

The donut was the latest creation by Phil’s cousin Ross Hall, who runs a business in Auckland, New Zealand, called Dying Art, which custom builds colorful coffins.

Other creations by Hall include a sailboat, a firetruck, a chocolate bar and Lego blocks. There have been glittering coffins covered in fake jewels, a casket inspired by the movie “The Matrix,” and plenty of coffins depicting people’s favorite beaches and holiday spots.

“There are people who are happy with a brown mahogany box and that’s great,” said Hall. “But if they want to shout it out, I’m here to do it for them.”

The idea first came to Hall about 15 years ago when he was writing a will and contemplating his own death.

“How do I want to go out?” he thought to himself, deciding it wouldn’t be like everyone else. “So I put in my will that I want a red box with flames on it.”

Six months later, Hall, whose other business is a sign and graphics company, decided to get serious. He approached a few funeral directors who looked at him with interest and skepticism. But over time, the idea took hold.

Hall uses fiberboard and plywood to add details. A latex digital printer is used for the designs. Some orders are complex, like the sailboat, which included a keel and rudder, cabin, sails, even metal railings.

Depending on the design, the coffins retail for between about 3,000 and 7,500 New Zealand dollars ($2,100 and $5,400).

Hall said the tone of funerals has changed markedly over recent years.

“People now think it’s a celebration of life rather than a mourning of death,” he said. And they’ve been willing to throw out stuffy conventions in favor of getting something unique.

But, a donut?

Debra McLean said she and her late husband, who was 68 when he died in February, used to tour the country in their motorhome and Phil loved comparing cream donuts in every small town, considering himself something of a connoisseur.

He considered a good donut one that was crunchy on the outside, airy in the middle, and definitely made with fresh cream.

After Phil was diagnosed with bowel cancer, he came up with the idea for the donut coffin. Debra said they had 150 donuts delivered to the funeral from Phil’s favorite bakery.

Hall said his coffins are biodegradable and are usually buried or cremated along with the deceased. The only one he’s ever gotten back is his cousin’s, he said, because he used polystyrene and shaping foam, which is not environmentally friendly.

Phil was switched to a plain coffin for his cremation and Hall said he’ll keep the donut coffin forever. For now, it remains in the back of his white 1991 Cadillac hearse.

As for his own funeral? Hall said he’s changed his mind about those red flames. He’s emailed his kids saying he wants to be buried in a clear coffin wearing nothing but a leopard-pattern G-string.

— Associated Press

Portland Ghosts acquires Lizzie Borden house

PORTLAND — A Portland entertainment company is buying the site of one of the most notorious murders in United State’s history.

Portland Ghosts in a press release announced it is under contract to buy the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast and Museum in Fall River, Massachusetts.

The house is famously known as the home of Lizzie Borden, whose father Andrew and stepmother Abby were gruesomely murdered with a hatchet in 1892. Lizzie Borden was accused of the murders, and her trial became a national media sensation. She was acquitted in 1893. The murder is

considered one of the oldest and most infamous unsolved murders in the United States. TV shows, movies, books and music have featured the home and the murders.

The acquisition expands Portland Ghosts’ portfolio, which includes more 30 ghost tour experiences across the U.S. Operating as a museum and bed and breakfast, visitors can tour the home, and stay overnight in one of six rooms. Lance Zaal, who founded the company in 2018, said in the press release the company will announce its plans for the house in June.

“A healthy transition for the staff and preserving the historical site are our top priorities,” according to Zaal.

The company is celebrating the acquisition with a sweepstakes, offering transportation and a complimentary two-night stay at the Lizzie Borden House. To enter the sweepstakes, enter promo code “Borden” when booking a ghost tour.

— The Observer