Going Out With A Bang

[lizbud]

Cremated Remains To Be Part Of Fireworks Show
Man Ran Fireworks Show For Nearly 40 Years

POSTED: 9:30 am EDT July 3, 2008
UPDATED: 10:23 am EDT July 3, 2008


INDIANAPOLIS -- Meredith Smith will be part of his final fireworks display Thursday.

About a half-teaspoon of his ashes will be in a fireworks shell that will create a white burst in the sky for the finale of the annual show in his Indianapolis neighborhood where he ran the displays for 40 years.

"I can't think of a better way," said family friend Kevin Moss.

Smith died in February at age 74.

He also will be memorialized through hundreds of T-shirts referring to the tribute on the city's north side as "the last shot."

"Meredith felt like the people in this area didn't get the opportunities that other people got, and so he wanted to give them the opportunity," said Smith's widow, Charlotte Smith.

They sometimes paid for the display themselves, she said.

According to Indiana law, cremated remains may be disposed of on the property of a consenting owner, uninhabited public land or in a waterway.

The release of the ashes shouldn't harm public health, said John Althardt of the Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County.


Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Grace]

This reminded me of one of the Star Trek actors, James Doohan. Back in April of 2007, his cremains were launched into suborbital space from a desert in New Mexico.

James Doohan remains launched into space
On Saturday morning at 8:56 local time, James Doohan’s cremated remains were successfully launched from a New Mexico desert into suborbital space. Best known for his role as Scotty on Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek, Doohan wanted to follow Roddenberry’s lead and take this final journey into space.

Doohan’s wife, Wende, and Susan Cooper, widow of Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper, were on hand to help fire the 20-foot rocket. In addition to carrying the remains of more than 200, the rocket also included a CD with notes and well wishes from more than 11,000 of Doohan’s fans.

[Cinder & Smoke]

INDIANAPOLIS -- Meredith Smith will be part of his final fireworks display Thursday.

About a half-teaspoon of his ashes will be in a fireworks shell
that will create a white burst in the sky for the finale
of the annual show in his Indianapolis neighborhood
where he ran the displays for 40 years.

He also will be memorialized through hundreds of T-shirts referring to the tribute
on the city's north side as "the last shot."

WOW!

What a NEET Way to *ride outa town*!

Enjoy the Ride, Mr. Smith!!

[Sevaede]

Hunter S. Thompson had that done with his remains as well! But, that didn't really come as much of a shock.

[smokey the elder]

Um, Scotty was Star Trek. Cool idea, though. The other neat one is to have part of your ashes turned into a gem. There's a place that will do your pet's ashes and turn them into a diamond.

[RICHARD]

A friend took the ashes of another pal, who was a huge baseball fan, and snuck into the town's minor league field.

They got to the pitcher's mound and left him there.

[Grace]

Um, Scotty was Star Trek. Cool idea, though. The other neat one is to have part of your ashes turned into a gem. There's a place that will do your pet's ashes and turn them into a diamond.

Oh well, can't win them all -

Personally, I do want to be cremated. And then save my ashes until my husband dies. Our ashes will then be mixed together.

And I want some of mine taken back to Rhode Island, and scattered in Narragansett Bay.

[moosmom]

He died doing what he loved. And it certainly has caught everyone's attention.

RIP dude.

[ramanth]

So great that they can honor his wishes. Fly high!!

[phesina]

I've saved the ashes from my kitties who have gone on to the Rainbow Bridge.

When I go, I want all those ashes to be mixed with mine. I haven't decided yet what I want done with the lot of them then, but whatever it is, we'll all go together. That is what is most important to me.

[Laura's Babies]

That is a great idea for someone who loved fireworks..

My Captain told me about a man he knew for years, a former tow boat Captain that had retired and he asked my Captain if, when he died and had himself cremated, would he dump his ashed off the Mississippi River Bridge in the town they live in. He asked me what I thought of that and I told him I think it is a wonderful idea.. LOL! He asked me if someone asked me to do that for them, would I do it? I told him I would feel honored to do it.. The guy had died and he was wondering rather he should do it or not.. I think he eventually did it for his friend.