american afterlife This page intentionally left blank kate swee ney American Afterlife encounters in the customs of mourning the university of georgia press athens and london Published by the University of Georgia Press Athens, Georgia 30602 www.ugapress.org © 2014 by Kate Sweeney All rights reserved Designed by Kaelin Chappell Broaddus Set in 9.7/14 Bodoni Twelve ITC by Kaelin Chappell Broaddus Manufactured by Thomson Shore, Inc. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. Most University of Georgia Press titles are available from popular e-book vendors. Printed in the United States of America 14 15 16 17 18 c 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sweeney, Kate, 1978– American afterlife : encounters in the customs of mourning / Kate Sweeney. pages cm Include bibliographical references. isbn 978-0-8203-4600-7 (hardcover : alk. paper) isbn0-8203-4600-4 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Funeral rites and ceremonies—Unites States. 2. Mourning customs—United States. 3. Undertakers and undertaking—United States. 4. United States—Social life and customs. I. Title. gt3203.s94 2014 393—dc23 2013016629 British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available ISBN for digital edition: 978-0-8203-4689-2 for Dennisand Martha Sweeney, for encouragement par excellence This page intentionally left blank Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak Whispers the o’erfraught heart, and bids it break. —shakespeare, Macbeth, Act IV, Scene 3 This page intentionally left blank contents preface xiii chapter 1 American Ways of Death 1 chapter 2 Gone, but Not Forgotten 9 # dismal trade Sarah Peacock, Memorial Tattoo Artist Under the Skin $29 chapter 3 The Cemetery’s Cemetery 37