The legendary actress Doris Day will not have a funeral, according to her manager.
Bob Bashara, Day’s manager, said that she outlined what she wanted in her will.
“No funeral, no memorial and no [grave] marker,” Bashara told People magazine.
He said Day, who died on May 13 at age 97, didn’t like to talk about a funeral, saying he thinks it was partly because she was shy.
“She didn’t like death, and she couldn’t be with her animals if they had to be put down. She had difficulty accepting death,” he said.
“I’d say we need to provide for her dogs [after she died], and she’d say, ‘I don’t want to think about it’ and she said, ‘Well, you just take care of them.’ She had several when her will was written, and she wanted to be sure they were taken care of. She didn’t like to talk about the dogs dying.”
He also said that Day’s estate would be donated to charity.
Bashara’s information about Day’s funeral, or lack thereof, came after her Doris Day Animal Foundation said in a statement, “Doris’s wishes were that she have no funeral or memorial service and no grave marker.”
The foundation first announced Day’s death on Monday morning. Bashara is the CFO of the foundation.
“With heavy hearts, we share the news that Doris Day passed away peacefully this morning at her home in Carmel, Calif. She had just celebrated her 97th birthday on April 3, and many of you attended birthday events and sent your best wishes from around the globe. She delighted in hearing from you! She was in good physical health to the end, and we are so grateful she was surrounded by friends as she passed,” Bashara wrote in a statement.
“The world has lost a light today. Doris was not just a darling of song and screen, but a close friend, an inspiration when the world seemed bleak, and a dear, compassionate advocate for her favorite beings on Earth: the 4-leggers. Her life’s work—her music, her films, and her animal advocacy—comprise an enduring legacy. Fans will continue to laugh at her romantic comedies, admire her dramatic grit, marvel at her pitch and interpretation of so many great, songs,” he added.
“She redefined what it meant to be a girl singer with a Big Band, and she broke the mold for Hollywood starlets. And for so many fans, young and old, the name Doris Day will always make us smile. Doris’s passionate work on behalf of dogs, cats, horses, sea lions, raptors, and other animals in need of rescue, veterinary care, and adoption will not end. The Doris Day Animal Foundation is committed to continuing its work as a grant-giving organization, funding smaller animal welfare nonprofits across the country.”
Doris Day Wikipedia Page Defaced
The Wikipedia page for legendary actress Doris Day was defaced with a graphic image after her death was announced on May 13.
Someone edited the page and replaced the main image with a graphic image, which stayed in place for at least several minutes. NTD will not describe the image or link to screenshots of the image due to its disturbing nature.
The image was later removed.
Social media users slammed Wikipedia’s editors and policies for allowing the image to stay in place shortly after Day’s death was announced on Monday.
“@Wikipedia users updating your website are a disgrace. The Doris day page has been violated within minutes of her death. I am disgusted. Your update policy needs a serious review,” one Twitter user wrote.
“Get that vile picture sorted @Wikipedia on Doris Day’s page, how anyone could think of doing such a thing is beyond me. Sickening,” added another.
A list of the edits of the Day page appeared to show a struggle between one user, who posted the picture, and several other users. After the user posted the picture, it was removed as “a disturbing photo” by another user. The former then reuploaded the picture, which was removed once again by another user, who labeled it as a “vulgar picture.” The picture was again placed by the user who originally placed it, only to be removed yet again.
Finally, an editor changed the page to protect it from some users due to “persistent vandalism.”
