Son’s unconventional tribute to father captures hearts across the internet
Clarendon, Texas – An obituary for Robert Boehm, a 74-year-old man who recently passed away, has captured the internet’s attention with its humor and honesty. Written by his son, Charles Boehm, the tribute describes Robert as “God’s problem now” and has gone viral for its candid portrayal of the father’s life, full of wit and personality.
Robert Boehm passed away on October 6 after falling and hitting his head. Charles, in his unique style, used the obituary not only to memorialize his father but to bring a smile to the faces of those who knew him in Clarendon and beyond.
A life remembered with humor
In the obituary, Charles paints a vivid picture of his father, mixing humor with heartfelt memories. The piece begins by recounting Robert’s final moments with a touch of dark humor: “Robert Adolph Boehm… muttered his last unintelligible and likely unnecessary curse on October 6, 2024, shortly before tripping backward over ‘some stupid mother****ing thing’ and hitting his head on the floor.”
The obituary traces Robert’s life from his birth in 1950, where Charles joked, “God immediately and thankfully broke the mold and attempted to cover up the evidence.” It also details Robert’s attempt to avoid military service during the Vietnam War by having three children in five years, allowing him to narrowly miss the draft. “Raised Catholic, Robert managed to get his wife Dianne pregnant (three times) fast enough.. between 1967 and 1972,” Charles wrote.
In one humorous passage, Charles shared his father’s challenges with gun safety, recounting how Robert, a shooting enthusiast, once shot two holes in the dashboard of his own car on separate occasions. “This lack of military service was probably for the best,” the obituary quips.
A collector of harmonicas and memories
Charles also mentioned his father’s quirky hobbies, including his love for antique weaponry and harmonicas. The latter hobby, in particular, became a source of amusement (and occasional frustration) for the family and neighbors. His dogs would howl along to his playing, much to the delight of his grandchildren, who were sometimes gifted harmonicas to play during long road trips.
In a lighter note, Charles revealed that his mother and Robert’s wife, Dianne, had passed away earlier in the year. He humorously framed her passing as “God finally show[ing] mercy upon” her, allowing her to escape for “some well-earned peace and quiet.”
“God’s problem now” – a fitting conclusion
The obituary closes with a final tribute to Robert’s boisterous personality: “We have all done our best to enjoy/weather Robert’s antics up to this point, but he is God’s problem now.” The humor-filled obituary quickly spread across social media, with users reacting positively to its light-hearted approach. “Best obituary I’ve ever read!” wrote one user. Others admired Charles for capturing his father’s spirit so well, with one person commenting, “His legacy is his children that understood him enough to write the best obituary EVER!”
Another user summed up the sentiment shared by many: “I truly wish more obituaries were written like this. I feel like I both missed out on knowing him and yet also knew him personally.” Robert Boehm may be gone, but his son’s tribute ensures that his memory—and his unique sense of humor—will live on.