They might be 6 base under , but a good epitaph means they ’ll never be forget . Some of the witty and most famous people who know here onEarthleft an equally memorable subject matter on their headstone to remember them by when they give out . Many proffer inside jape and punchy observations about life anddeath ; some do n’t contain words at all . Some of these epitaph are momentous and others are hilarious — but all of them are near perfect representations of the persons buried beneath them . From Frank Sinatra to Jesse James , here lie 20 of our preferent tombstone inscription .
20: John Yeast: “Here lies Johnny Yeast. Pardon me for not rising.”
One of Yeast ’s sleep together ones evidently took reward of his strange last name to work us this memorable epitaph . The pun should get a rise out of anyone who see Yeast ’s gravesite in a Ruidoso , New Mexicocemetery . History has n’t recorded the engagement or cause of John Yeast’sdeathor even his profession . We can only hope that he was a baker .
19: Spike Milligan: “Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite.”
The Gaelic epitaph for this Irish comedian translates to , " I told you I was ominous . " Milligan , who snuff it of liver failure in 2002 at geezerhood 83 , was famous for his irreverent humor showcased on goggle box and in pic such as " Monty Python ’s Life of Brian . " His gravestone , which lie at St Thomas Church in Winchelsea , East Sussex , suffer bare for some prison term while his house indicate over which idiomatic expression adept would encapsulate the comedian ’s career .
When they finally come to an agreement , the church building insisted that the set phrase be written in Gaelic . Though Milligan may have had the last laugh , non - Celtic - talk visitors wo n’t get the jest .
18: Ludolph van Ceulen: “3.14159265358979323846264338327950”
Math students will recognize the number on Dutch mathematician Ludolph van Ceulen ’s grave aspi — the mathematical constant used to calculate the ratio of a circle ’s circuit to its diam . Van Ceulen , who died from unknown causes in 1610 at age 70 , was the first to calculate the value of pi to 35 digits . He was so proud of this accomplishment that he asked that the issue be engraved on his tombstone . Since Van Ceulen ’s death , pi ’s value has procreate exponentially . In 2002 , a squad of mathematicians at the University of Tokyo call for pi to its longest calculation to date — 1.2 billion identification number . Just try fitting that on their tombstones .
17: Jesse James: “Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here.”
In the Wild West , Jesse Jameswas fabled — aRobin Hood - same figure who the public have it off and lawmaker hat . The outlaw ’s notorious banking concern robbing fling led to a $ 10,000 wages for his capture . brother Bob and Charley Ford , appendage of James ' own gang , decided to cash in in on that reward .
On April 3 1882 , while an unarmed Jesse James stood on a chair in his home gear up a picture on the wall , Bob pip him in the back of the head . James was just 34 years old when he go bad . Missouri Governor Thomas Crittenden pardoned the Ford blood brother for their crime , but the public realise them as cowards . So did James ' mother , Zerelda , who take the inscription on his tombstone .
16: Studs Terkel: “Curiosity did not kill this cat.”
Curiosity sure did n’t belt down Studs Terkel . In fact , it defined the career of this Pulitzer - prize gain author andradiohost . Terkel , who was bear Louis ( he took his cognomen from the fictitious character Studs Lonigan ) , spent much of his life interviewing average Americans . Using a technique he called " guerilla news media , " he pile up hours and hour of conversations , weaving together a vibrant oral history of America . Terkel foretell his own epitaph year before his 2008 death at age 96 . In the PS to his memoir , " Touch and Go , " he called oddity the attribute that " has hold me going . "
15: Jack Lemmon: “Jack Lemmon in…”
How fitting that the wizard of " Some Like It Hot , " " The Odd Couple , " and " Grumpy Old Men " would at the same time make uslaughand remind us of the movie bequest he left behind with this memorable epitaph . Lemmon started life history on his way down — he was actually born in a descendingelevator — but he proceed straight up from there . He starred in slews of film during his 50 - yr career , receive two Oscars and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his work . Even after Lemmon died of bladder cancer in 2001 at years 76 , he was surrounded by Hollywood ’s fine . Among his " neighbors " at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles are actress Natalie Wood , comedian Rodney Dangerfield , and " Some Like it blistering " author Billy Wilder .
14: Bette Davis: “She did it the hard way.”
This wide - eyed actress , who was born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in 1908 , was best known for her unforgettable roles in films like " Jezebel"and " All About Eve . " But the unlawful - looking Davis had to struggle hard for success in a flick industriousness that favored traditional beauty . Davis had to fight to get a contract with Warner Brothers , and once she was under contract , she had to struggle the studio apartment for the kind of role she require . But finally , Davis did realise acceptance — and finally praise from Hollywood , garner two Academy Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute . The lettering that graces her tombstone at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills was primitively propose by Joe Mankiewicz , who wrote and directed her in " All About Eve . " Bette Davis pass of breast malignant neoplastic disease in 1989 .
13: Dee Dee Ramone: “OK…I gotta go now.”
Dee Dee Ramone is best have a go at it for helping to launch one of the most influential punk circle in history — the Ramones . After leaving the band in 1989 , he go on to have a successful solo vocation , and even wrote a few books . Just a few calendar month before Ramone ’s 2002 expiry of a drug overdose at age 49 , the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame . In his acceptance words , Ramone express his unequalled mother wit of humor by enunciate , " I ’d like to pride myself and thank myself and give myself a tap on the back " [ reservoir : Devenish ] . His epitaph , in all likelihood a computer address to the Ramones dispatch , " Blitzkrieg Bop , " raise he was witty to the conclusion . Dee Dee was forget near guitar player Johnny Ramone at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles ( their key list their literal names , Douglas Colvin and John Cummings ) .
12: From a Maryland Cemetery: “Here lies an atheist. All dressed up and no place to go.”
This epitaph comes from a cemetery in Thurmont , Maryland , and it ’s made many lists of top humourous tombstone quotes ( along with , " I tell you I was sick , " from a Florida cemetery ) . When author C.S. Lewis was told about the inscription , hereportedly replied , " I bet he wish that were so . " It ’s unclear who the atheist in query was ( the headstone carry no name ) or whether his assumption about the hereafter ( or lack thereof ) was exact .
11: Emily Dickinson: “Called back.”
" call back " may seem like too sententious a final program line from a poet who was well known for her direction with countersign . Yet these words have a particular significance . In 1885 , while she was bedridden with liver disease , Dickinson sent a note to her cousins digest this short idiom . Dickinson was in all probability portend her own death , which would come May 15 , 1886 .
Over her lifetime , Dickinson wrote almost 2,000 poems , many of which addressed the dependent ofdying . Her famous bloodline , " Because I could not stop for Death , He kindly stop for me " would have made another meet epitaph .
10: Joan Hackett: “Go away - I’m asleep.”
Eccentric actress Joan Hackett begin her life history on Broadway , and then became a regular on video throughout the 1960s and 1970s , appearing on popular shows like " The Twilight Zone " and " Bonanza . " Hackett became know almost as much for stubbornness as for her acting . She motor directors nuts with her demands , which include a full 10 to 12 hour ofsleepfor her to perform at her just . While she was resting she did n’t want to be disturbed , so she used to hang a note on her door that read , " Go away — I ’m asleep . " In 1983 , when she died of ovarian malignant neoplastic disease at age 49 , the same word graced her gravestone , providing Hackett some much - needed peace and quiet during her eternal slumber .
9: Lester Moore: “Here lies Lester Moore. Four slugs from a 44, no Les, no more.”
The birth date of this Wells Fargo federal agent is not recorded , but the cause of his expiry , in 1880 , could n’t be clearer . The .44 - caliber in interrogative sentence belonged to a client named Frank Dunston , who was reportedly angry over a bundle that arrived late — and damaged . Dunston was so angry he film Moore . Before Moore hit the floor , he fired off a shaft that killed Dunston , but it was already too late for him .
Moore was laid to rest at Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone , Arizona , where he portion out ground with several gunslingers who also meet with a trigger-happy end , include Billy Clanton , Frank McLaury and Tom McLaury who were killed during the ill-famed gunfight at the O.K. Corral , as well as George Johnson ( see No . 6 ) .
8: Rodney Dangerfield: “There goes the neighborhood.”
7: Hank Williams: “I’ll never get out of this world alive.”
Country music fable Hank Williams memorialize 66 song during his brief career — and a banging 37 of them topped the music charts . Tunes like " Your Cheatin ' substance , " " I ’m so lonely I Could blazon out , " and " Honky Tonk Blues " have remained awake long after their Isaac M. Singer , recorded and re - recorded by new generation of country player . Williams died in the back seat of his dreary Cadillac convertible on New Year ’s Eve , 1953 while on the way to a functioning . The cause of death remains unclear to this day . He was just 29 yr old . Williams ' headstone in Montgomery , Alabama ’s Oakwood Cemetery Annex is grave with several of his song titles , include this one , which tear straight to No . 1 after hisdeath .
6: Frank Sinatra: “The best is yet to come.”
The Chairman of the Board ’s optimistic epitaph fare from his 1964 hit of the same name . Though he exist life his way , a heart attack ultimately did the lionize balladeer in May 14 1998 , at geezerhood 82 . The 700 guests in attending at his funeral , which included worker , musicians and political figure such as Tony Bennett , Ed McMahon , Gregory Peck , Don Rickles , and Nancy Reagan , confirmed Sinatra ’s condition as music royal family . Actor Kirk Douglas predicted that with Sinatra ’s arrival , " Heaven will never be the same " [ source : Cheakalos ] . Though he was contain in Hoboken , New Jersey , Sinatra was buried ( along with a pack of Camel fag , a Zippo lighter , 10 dime bag and a bottle of Jack Daniels ) in the metropolis he ’d come to call home — Palm Springs , California — which had identify a street in his laurels .
5: George Johnson: “Here lies George Johnson, hanged by mistake 1882. He was right, we was wrong, but we strung him up and now he’s gone.”
George Johnson was n’t famous in life . In fact , his only call to renown was this excusatory epitaph . Johnson grease one’s palms a stolen horse in good faith but the court did n’t bribe his story and sentenced him to flow . They realized their error , but by then it was too recent for Johnson . His last resting place is Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone , Arizona , which is also " home " to many notorious eccentric of the Wild West , including Billy Clanton and the McLaury buddy , who died during the gunfight at the O.K. Corral .
4: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty I’m Free at Last.”
When civil rights leaderDr . Martin Luther King , Jr. delivered these immortal password on the footprint of the Lincoln Memorial August 28 , 1963 , he make a landmark moment in thefight for civil rights . Sadly , Dr. King would never hold up to see the full realization of his " I Have a Dream " speech . On April 4 , 1968 , he was assassinated while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis , Tennessee . Eighty thousand mourners look his funeral , which was retain at Ebenezer Baptist Church , the Atlanta church building where he ’d once prophesy . Today , King is buried at the nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change , his headstone inscribed with those famous words , which he ’d borrowed from a spiritual of the same name .
3: Mel Blanc: “That’s all folks!”
Who has n’t listen of the " piece of a Thousand Voices ? " When Mel Blanc died of heart disease and pulmonary emphysema in 1989 at age 81 , 20 million multitude listened to his vox daily — though he was such a vocal chameleon they may not have even realized it was him . During his career with Warner Brothers , this versatile voice worker make some of the most notable cartoon characters intelevisionhistory , includingBugs Bunny , Porky Pig , Yosemite Sam , Woody Woodpecker and Sylvester the Cat . It was Blanc who give Bugs Bunny his catch phrase , " What ’s up , Doc ? " And viewers always knew they ’d reached the end of the cartoon when they heard his Porky Pig say , " That ’s all family line ! " When Blanc was immerse in the Hollywood Forever graveyard , he made this mop up line his own final farewell .
2: John Belushi: “I may be gone but Rock and Roll lives on.”
Belushi was at the top of his life history in 1982 when he was ground dead of a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles . At just 33 days onetime , he was already one of the top funny actors in the country . He was an original shape penis on the recent - Nox NBC show , " Saturday Night Live " and he starred in the hit movie " Animal House . " Belushi is buried at Abel ’s Hill , a cemetery on Martha ’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts . Dan Aykroyd , his conscientious objector - star in " The Blues Brothers , " served as one of his pallbearers . in the end Belushi ’s gravesite was trampled by so many torrid fans that in 1985 , his family in the end moved him to a quieter spot a few spaces over . By then , hiswooden caskethad already rotted through and the always - irregular Belushi tumbled justly out .
1: Merv Griffin: “I will not be right back after this message.”
Griffin was a well - known talk show horde and media king . Two of the game show he created , " Wheel of Fortune " and " Jeopardy , " are still on the melodic line today , after debuting in 1964 . Griffin originally protrude out as a big band singer , then switch to host gig . His lecture show " The Merv Griffin Show " run for 21 year . He was also a genuine demesne business leader , acquire the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills , California and Resorts International . Griffin die in 2007 of prostate malignant neoplastic disease . His epitaph , " I will not be right back after this subject matter " is a nod to a common phrasal idiom used on his talk show .
