My granddad spent his last few years in a nursing home just down the road from where we lived.
He had made some good friends there while he was alive and when he passed on a lot of them came to the funeral at our house. As it was just up the road the home allowed some of the more fragile residents to attend. One of whom was called Elsie if I remember correctly, and she was lovely.

Anyhow, it was a very somber day. My mum wasn't coping as well as she normally does, the 'stiff upper lip' attitude my family adopts was under a lot of strain, even my stone faced father was almost caught out.

As the day came to a close, friends and family had begun to depart at the end of the evening wake, Elsie was still in our house. My mum felt sorry for her as she might not see her as much now her father was gone and fed her cups of tea, sandwiches and cake while my aunt and close family friends chatted about my grandfather.

As dusk approached the nursing home called and said we would need to be getting Elsie back for her night-time medication, so my dad helped her up and my aunt passed her the zimmer frame. As she shuffled along to the living room door she stopped and put her hand on my mum's arm and said:

"You know *****, it's been a sad day, but I have had a wonderful time. I'm so glad something happened to break the monotony"

My mum erupted in laughter, when the statement had sunk in she was followed by my aunt, brothers, myself and the rest of the people there. We all felt bad for laughing on such a sad day but it gave us a much needed release, and while did feel guilty, we laughed until tears streamed down our faces.
( Bamboo Steamer, Fri 23 Jul 2010, 10:57, 2 replies)

Reminds me of my Gran when an acquaintance died:
'She had a lovely funeral. I was glad I could enjoy it, because I wasn't sad, as she was a bitch.'
(SnowyTheWereRabbit the Leporid from Hell, Fri 23 Jul 2010, 11:04, closed)

"That was lovely, I could do it all over again"
...said my Mum as we drove back from the churchyard where we'd just interred my Dad.
Then she looked at me, I looked at her, we paused for 2 seconds and my brother said "It's OK, Mum, Dad's laughing as well"

We hid in the pub car park for 5 minutes until Mum had stopped crying/giggling.

*Click*
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Fri 23 Jul 2010, 13:20, closed)