July 3rd 2024.
A father and son duo came up with a truly unique idea for the father's funeral. It's not every day that you see a coffin made out of scaffolding boards, let alone being transported on the back of a flat-bed truck to the funeral. But this was exactly what the father, Clive Dowdeswell, had requested before his passing. The 63-year-old roofer's dying wish to his son, Charlie, was to make sure they saved money on his final send-off.
When Clive passed away in January of this year due to emphysema, Charlie made sure to fulfill his father's plea to not waste money. He utilized his skills as a roofer and cobbled together a coffin made out of scaffolding boards. To add a touch of humor in honor of his father's playful nature, Charlie comically turned the 'this way up' arrows the wrong way. He then placed the coffin on the back of his van, complete with a tarp and ladder, and drove his father to the funeral.
This gesture brought tears and smiles to the mourners at Christ Church in Stroud, Gloucestershire on February 8th. Along with the unconventional coffin, pink flowers and a deck of cards were also placed on top. Charlie purposely put the 'this way up' arrows upside down as a nod to his father's sense of humor. He fondly said, "He was one of a kind, and it suited him perfectly."
According to Charlie, the DIY coffin only cost £150 to build, a fraction of the cost of a typical coffin which he deemed "ridiculous." Before his passing, Clive had expressed his wish for a coffin made out of scaffolding boards, and Charlie was determined to make it happen. He shared, "We had loads of scaffolding boards lying around, so we just used them and lined it with cloth material. We put the arrows upside down on purpose to make it funnier."
Clive's final journey was on the back of his son's flat-bed truck, fulfilling his dying wish to save money. Charlie, who was taught the roofing trade by his father, said that the unconventional coffin and tarpaulin cover brought a smile to people's faces and made the sad day a little more lighthearted. He shared, "It made it more fun and brought a smile to people's faces. Everyone was smiling, and it felt like a celebration. It wasn't a sad funeral where everyone was upset. It was a good send-off. Obviously, it's sad, but it's a lot better doing it this way."
After the success of the wooden board coffin, Charlie now wants to have his own DIY funeral when the time comes. He expressed, "It saved a lot of money, which was a bonus. My dad didn't want us to spend much money at all. He wanted the easiest and least expensive way possible. Funerals can cost thousands of pounds, which is ridiculous, especially during this cost-of-living crisis. I would want to be buried like that, and I wouldn't want my family to spend so much money. What's the point when you can have a good laugh, do it yourself, and save money?"
21-year-old Charlie shared the unique idea on TikTok, with the caption "POV: Your dad didn't want to pay for a coffin, so you used scaffolding boards and a truck." The video garnered over 678,000 views and received praise from users in the comment section. Many commended Charlie for honoring his father's trade and fulfilling his wishes. One user wrote, "Wanted to go out with the trade. Legend." Another commented, "The price of funeral cars and coffins, I'd be happy to go out this way." Another user expressed, "I'm glad you did what he wanted," while another added, "This is much better than a normal funeral."
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