Family Gets The Closure They Need By Giving Dad Brutally Honest Obituary

The family didn’t hold back in their feelings

Most obituaries celebrate the deceased’s best qualities and accomplishments, but not everyone lives a happy life, and when their ‘evil’ patriarch passed away, one family decided to forego the niceties and tell it like it really was.

Leslie Ray Charping battled cancer for years before ultimately succumbing at the age of 74 in Galveston, Texas. He left behind two “relieved” kids, multiple grandchildren, and an ex-wife, none of whom seemed to have much interest in praising him after he passed. The obituary strays far from the typical whitewashed hagiography most deliver, so much so that, according to Jezebel, the attention it received crashed the funeral home’s website.

The obituary, which was written by Leslie’s daughter and blessed by the family, reads as a cathartic release of the toxicity he brought to his relatives’ lives.

“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 [sic] sarcasm which was amusing during his sober days,” the obituary reads. “With Leslie’s passing he will be missed only for what he never did; being a loving husband, father and good friend.”

In case you’re curious what Charping did to receive such a public posthumous rebuke, the Houston Chronicle has a rundown of his offenses, at least the ones that were legal record. They include assault with a hot liquid and violation of a restraining order. Yikes.

The obituary sheds more light on why the family felt no need to saint Charping after his death.

“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.”

His daughter minces no words, dropping the E-bomb on the man before hinting at the closure the family desperately seeks. “Leslie’s passing proves that evil does in fact die, and hopefully marks a time of healing and safety for all.”

It can’t be easy to note the passing of a family member you loathed. Most families choose not to make a big fuss and simply relay the broad strokes of the person’s life matter of factly. Not the Charping’s.

Leslie’s daughter reached out to ABC News to explain why she’d written her father’s obituary in the manner that she did. Not only did she seek closure for herself and her family, but felt her father wouldn’t have wanted his life to be sugarcoated.

“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. This obituary was intended to help bring closure because not talking about domestic violence doesn’t make it go away!”

“Although I appreciate everyone’s concern, it would have been much more appreciated at any time during my childhood. For those being cruel, please remember that you now resemble my father and I would be more than happy to pen your obituary as well.”

To add injury to insult, the family is skipping a funeral and having their father’s remains cremated, and we can’t tell which burn is more brutal:

“No services will be held, there will be no prayers for eternal peace and no apologies 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.”

Here’s hoping Leslie’s family receives a modicum of relief from their savage tribute to what sounds like a savage man.