(Nancy) Lee Hixson

July 6, 2009 7:01 AM

She did all things enthusiastically, but nothing well.A self-penned obit by someone you may wish you had known.

"The most compelling narative in the newspaper this week wasn't about public corruption, budget cuts or the death of a pop star. It did not make the front page..."

posted by Faze (37 comments total)

That's brilliant. Thank you!
posted by cerebus19 at 7:09 AM on July 6

Actually, it sounds like she did a lot of things well. To quote Emerson:

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

posted by ubiquity at 7:11 AM on July 6 [11 favorites has favorites]

In lieu of flowers, please pray for the Constitution of the United States.
posted by gaspode at 7:13 AM on July 6 [5 favorites has favorites]

Bears repeating.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 7:15 AM on July 6

Wonderful. We should all hope to be as defiant to the end. "In lieu of flowers, please pray for the United States Constitution."
posted by Ella Fynoe at 7:16 AM on July 6

This has inspired me to write my own obituary, as well.

Oh shit, I haven't done anything.
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 7:19 AM on July 6 [6 favorites has favorites]

If you click on the funeral home link, you can read the same obit...in paragraphs.
posted by kozad at 7:19 AM on July 6 [1 favorite has favorites]

Wow. I never expected that what would cheer me up on a post-holiday Monday morning would be an obituary. Thanks!
posted by trip and a half at 7:19 AM on July 6

Wonderful. More people should write their own obituaries. The only person capable of speaking honestly about the dead are the dead themselves.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:21 AM on July 6

Fantastic. Just fantastic. Thanks.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 7:24 AM on July 6

Movin' Van, Groovin' Man, Pinko Proletarian. Awe yeahhh...
posted by heyho at 7:26 AM on July 6

that was great. thank you.
posted by pinky at 7:39 AM on July 6

I do wish I had known her! This is truly Best of the Web.
posted by scratch at 8:07 AM on July 6

This is fantastic, thank you.
posted by nonmerci at 8:16 AM on July 6

Now I've seen everything. Someone cool was in MENSA.
posted by escabeche at 8:18 AM on July 6 [3 favorites has favorites]

.
posted by Alterscape at 8:20 AM on July 6

beautiful. from the 2nd link, a quote from '... her dearly beloved son, her heart and soul and every breath, Christopher Daniel Hixson of Akron, (a sterling citizen who rose above his murky childhood with a scandalous mother),':

"We mourn the mystery inside the riddle inside the enigma that was my mother," said Chris, a designer and marketing consultant. "The obit really doesn't scratch the surface....trust me on that."

(nancy) lee hixson, i'm sorry i never had the pleasure of meeting you.
.
posted by msconduct at 8:31 AM on July 6 [2 favorites has favorites]

This has inspired me to write my own obituary, as well.

Oh shit, I haven't done anything.

I haven't written mine yet either, but then again I'm hoping to outlive the newspaper industry, so if all goes well it won't be necessary.
posted by burnmp3s at 8:33 AM on July 6 [1 favorite has favorites]

On the other hand, there's Count Gottfried von Bismarck!!
posted by storybored at 8:38 AM on July 6 [4 favorites has favorites]

This was great, thanks for the post. It's not as good as the one posted here, but here's a self-written obit from a good friend of mine. I think he did a pretty good job [both on the obit and the way he lived his life]:

"Born in Cleveland, Ohio on January 11, 1951, Steve didn't much care for the harsh Ohio winter, so he moved to Charlotte at the age of two. His mom and dad came with him- the late Eleanor Jean Daugherty and Robert Gossett of Brewster, Ohio. Steve occasionally attended Myers Park High School and graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida with a BA in anthropology. Never one to allow education to get in the way, Steve spent years traveling the country as an itinerant carpenter and barroom philosopher. He then accidentally worked 20 years as a baggage handler for a major airline, as well as a variety of mundane jobs: any excuse to meet and talk to new people. Steve often lauded himself for going through his entire life without ever having a real job. His primary interest was his love and service to his AA friends and community which saved and rebuilt his life, allowing him the luxury of many bonus years of life. All of Steve's problems were high-class, luxury problems and his friends were the finest in all the world."
posted by marxchivist at 8:43 AM on July 6 [4 favorites has favorites]

Wow.
posted by chronkite at 8:45 AM on July 6

Jeez, that's awesome.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 10:12 AM on July 6

wow. thats lovely. makes me wish I'd known her.
posted by supermedusa at 10:36 AM on July 6

Outstanding.
posted by Shohn at 11:21 AM on July 6

.
posted by Diablevert at 11:57 AM on July 6

She did all things enthusiastically, but nothing well.

On the contrary, she clearly did life well.

.
posted by elfgirl at 12:18 PM on July 6 [1 favorite has favorites]

i liked this an awful lot, thanks!
posted by snofoam at 2:59 PM on July 6

Thank you for this. I received the dreadful news this week that a dear and old friend has lost her battle with cancer and will die in somewhere between 2 weeks and 2 months. She's another free and strong spirit like Nancy. Nancy's take on her own life has just made me feel so much better able to deal with this.
posted by nax at 3:28 PM on July 6

I'm a fan of anyone who uses the phrase "indifferent housekeeper."
posted by batgrlHG at 3:40 PM on July 6 [1 favorite has favorites]

.
posted by Xere at 7:44 PM on July 6

I am sad that I didn't know her. This was wonderful. Thanks for posting it.
posted by dejah420 at 8:35 PM on July 6

Totally inspiring and fills my heart brimful of love. Thanks for the excellent post.
posted by nickyskye at 8:49 PM on July 6

This is just up the road a piece from me. Loved this.
posted by HopperFan at 8:57 PM on July 6

Here's her obit from the Mount Vernon News - it has even more info in it.
posted by HopperFan at 9:04 PM on July 6

When I grow up I want to be just like Ms. Hixson.
posted by deborah at 9:08 PM on July 6

Wow, she's awesome. Makes me want to write my own obit.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:13 AM on July 7

.

A queen of carpe diem.
posted by notashroom at 11:36 AM on July 10