There’s being disliked, and then there’s being so downright despised that your own family writes this in your obituary:
“He did not contribute to society or serve his community and he possessed no redeeming qualities besides quick-witted sarcasm, which was amusing during his sober days.”
That’s one of the nicer lines in the obituary of Leslie Ray “Popeye” Charping, a Galveston, Texas resident and Navy vet who died of cancer on Jan. 30 at the age of 74.
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Far from wanting to whitewash the deceased’s life, Charping’s family decided to clear the air with their final tribute. In the obituary, which was originally displayed on the Carnes Funeral Home website before the page crashed and the business took it down, his family let him have it.
According to the obituary, while Charping served in the Navy, and even reigned as a boxing champion, he didn’t do it out of sense of duty or commitment to his country, “but more as part of a plea deal to escape sentencing on criminal charges.”
And there’s more.
“At a young age, Leslie quickly became a model example of bad parenting combined with mental illness and a complete commitment to drinking, drugs, womanizing and being generally offensive,” the obit reads.
According to the “Texas Star Telegram,” Charping had several convictions in Harris County, Texas, over the years including assault in 1979; assaulting a family member in 2008; and violating a restraining order in 2009, when he threatened to kill a female relative.
Charping’s daughter, who wished not to be identified, explained in an interview with ABC Eyewitness News why she wrote the obituary.
“I loved my father because he was my father and his passing would not have been any less difficult had he been a good father,” she said. “As someone that ‘hated a liar,’ I believe even he would have appreciated the honesty. I apologize to anyone that my father hurt and I felt it would have been offensive to portray him as anything other than who he was.”
Unsurprisingly, there was no funeral or public service.
Charping’s remains are to be cremated and in accordance with the family’s wishes, they’ll be stored in a barn with the family donkey until his “wood shavings run out.”
It might just be true that what goes around comes around.
Read the full obituary below, as published by The Blaze.
“Leslie Ray ‘Popeye’ Charping was born in Galveston on November 20, 1942 and passed away January 30, 2017, which was 29 years longer than expected and much longer than he deserved. Leslie battled with cancer in his latter years and lost his battle, ultimately due to being the horses ass he was known for. He leaves behind 2 relieved children; … along with six grandchildren and countless other victims including an ex wife, relatives, friends, neighbors, doctors, nurses and random strangers.
“At a young age, Leslie quickly became a model example of bad parenting combined with mental illness and a complete commitment to drinking, drugs, womanizing and being generally offensive. Leslie enlisted to serve in the Navy, but not so much in a brave & patriotic way but more as part of a plea deal to escape sentencing on criminal charges. While enlisted, Leslie was the Navy boxing champion and went on to sufficiently embarrass his family and country by spending the remainder of his service in the Balboa Mental Health Hospital receiving much needed mental healthcare services.
“Leslie was surprisingly intelligent, however he lacked ambition and motivation to do anything more than being reckless, wasteful, squandering the family savings and fantasizing about get rich quick schemes. Leslie’s hobbies included being abusive to his family, expediting trips to heaven for the beloved family pets and fishing, which he was less skilled with than the previously mentioned. Leslie’s life served no other obvious purpose, he did not contribute to society or serve his community and he possessed no redeeming qualities besides quick whited sarcasm which was amusing during his sober days.
“With Leslie’s passing he will be missed only for what he never did; being a loving husband, father and good friend. No services will be held, there will be no prayers for eternal peace and no apologizes to the family he tortured. Leslie’s remains will be cremated and kept in the barn until ‘Ray,’ the family donkey’s wood shavings run out. Leslie’s passing proves that evil does in fact die and hopefully marks a time of healing and safety for all.”