While Sesame Street may have taught us that the letter ‘F’ means “You’re fancy and fabulous and you forge a path which we are happy to follow,” the Owens family must have missed that particular episode.
Because when it came time to choose an epitaph for their dearly departed dad, they honored him by permanently etching a rude flippin’ remark onto his headstone.
Dealing with the passing of a loved one is already hard enough without having to think about what message to write on the headstone.
Most folks opt for a name, date of birth and passing, and a simple one-liner that confers some words of wisdom or values the person held.
But the cheeky offspring of 59-year-old Steve Paul Owens decided to buck the trend and do things their way, or rather, their dad’s way, which was to tell everyone to F-off.
“Stevie” Owens was the kind of guy who loved sipping on a good stiff whiskey and spending lazy days by the lake. Whether it was due to the spirited drinky drink or just his sarcastic wise-cracking personality, he regularly spouted off expletives as part of his everyday vernacular.
It was almost like his personal brand, it’s what he was known for.
So when he unexpectedly passed away last September, his children decided to pay homage to him by discreetly placing his favorite retort on his tombstone.
Steve’s son Zach, 31, explained to TODAY that “It was a term of endearment – because if he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t talk to you at all. His friends always tried to make him say it by pushing his buttons. He was easily riled up.”
The inscription represented how their father truly lived life – which was to get in the last word with a joking laugh.
However, some family members were concerned that the use of profanity might offend others who were paying their respects at the Warren-Powers Cemetery in Camp Township, Iowa.
So the siblings hid their dad’s favorite catchphrase within a few strategically placed words.
They paid $3,200 for the headstone and received no objections from the monument company about the engraving, so at first, it seemed like everything was okay.
The more obvious sentiment engraved on the headstone was very endearing and said:
“Forever in our hearts – Until we meet again – Cherished memories – Known as – Our son, brother – Father, papa, uncle – Friend, & cousin.”
But when the first letter in each line is read from top to bottom, the real meaning comes across loud and clear!
Unfortunately, some people didn’t find the joke funny and complained to officials. But Steve’s daughter, Lindsay, was confused as to why they were even lolling about her father’s gravesite to begin with!
“I have visited his grave many times since he passed away and I don’t know what the headstones say next to (dad’s).”
She asked for a copy of the cemetery’s rules from the township’s board of trustees but never heard back from them.
Since Zach and Lindsay’s grandmother is already buried at the same cemetery, it’s not really an option for them to move their dad elsewhere.
Zach explained, “We weren’t trying to offend anyone. We want the stone to stay where it is. If we have to take it out, it could be a big financial battle.”
As for how Pops would react to all of this, you probably already know the answer to that.
“He’d say, ‘f— off.'” But with a friendly wave and a smile, of course!
Watch Zach explain how it’s all just a misunderstanding.
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