In Lieu Of Flowers... | Fiendish Is Definitely The Word For It

Selections from obituary found in The Vancouver Sun, September 5, 2001, page D14:

DEMERAIS - Laura Ann (nee Brown) passed away suddenly on August 31, 2001, at Surrey Memorial Hospital, aged 39 years young...Regretfully unable to have children, she focused all her love on her family, especially her neices...Throughout her life, Laura was a truly vivacious and beautiful woman. Strong willed and vocal, she always made her presence known. She loved meeting new people and making new friends...Alas, the trials and tribulations of later life slowly wore her defenses down until she succumbed to the WHISPERS OF EVIL.

I shit you not: "the whispers of evil". I've got a book from the late 1800's which collects hundreds of epitaphs from English graveyards, but I don't recall reading any quite as grim and sinister as this one. Much debate has sprung up concerning the actual nature of this woman's death. I'm leaning towards suicide, but overdosing and crime-related violence are other popular theories. The specific religious ideology of the family who wrote the obit is also being postulated about. Catholicism seems the most likely possiblity, since "evil" is presented as an external force capable of destroying the soul, regardless of personal faith or salvation. Any thoughts?

(Please forgive the morbid indulgence of your disturbed narrator.)

It strikes me as a little insensitive and almost betraying that they mentioned her reproductive problems. It's like saying "regretfully ridden with hernias, she was bedridden for much of her adult life..."