Generally, obituaries seek to present the absolute best qualities and contributions of the deceased. But one scathing send-off just did precisely the opposite. A son who had a complicated relationship with the father he called an "abusive alcoholic" wrote him an absolutely scathing obituary.
Lawrence H. Pfaff Sr. of Belmont, New York, died at 81 years old on June 27. But his adult son, Lawrence Pfaff Jr., felt his father's death didn't come soon enough. In an obituary for The Florida Times-Union, he wrote that his father lived "a long life, much longer than he deserved."
And the harsh words didn't stop there.
Lawrence Jr. wrote that his father only cared about himself, though he had five children, whom he left "broken."
“His love was abundant when it came to himself, but for his children it was limited,” the piece said. “It will be challenging to miss Lawrence, Sr. because he was narcissistic. He was incapable of love.”
The obituary mentioned that the deceased man worked with the New York Police Department for 20 years, which was perhaps the only kind mention whatsoever. Otherwise, he was described as a selfish man who fell into addiction. Lawrence Jr. wrote that his father “did claim to be clean and sober for over thirty years, but never worked any of the 12 steps, including the eighth and ninth steps with his children, making amends."
The disgruntled son wrote that now that his father is gone it will be a "time of healing" for his children, whom he seemingly didn't care for. “Lawrence, Sr. can be remembered for being a father to many, and a dad to none,” the obituary reads.
Lawrence Jr. told NBC News that writing the obituary was actually an important step in his own healing. He said he began writing it a year before his father actually passed.
“It was a difficult process that I came to about a year ago when I reached a point that I needed to get past some of the stuff,” he said.
While many might think it's best to keep negative thoughts about the dead to yourself, some people on social media have been applauding his honesty. Clearly, it was important for Lawrence to speak the truth, above all else, and he certainly accomplished that much. He even wrote that his father's death is proof that "evil does eventually die."
R.I.P.
