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10-02-2004, 08:00 AM
Woman's Obituary: Please Elect John Kerry
Anonymous Caller: 'Hopefully On The Day That Bush Gets Elected She'll Burn In Hell!'
MADISON, Wis. -- The world of politics has been taken to a whole new level and sparked quite a response from some. A Wisconsin man is using his wife's obituary to push her passion for politics.
Jane Buffet passed away Saturday from myeloma, a cancer in her bones. Roger Buffet didn't know their 40th wedding anniversary last month would be their last. Now he's hoping all her work in the community and her passion for politics will live on.
"She may be dead, but everything she was working for and everything she cared about, it was about the future," Roger said.
While, traditionally, yard signs are ways to support a candidate, in Jane Buffet's obit, her final statement reads, "To honor her memory, please do everything you can to elect John Kerry."
"Her vote couldn't count any more, but this was the best way we knew to make her voice heard," John said.
Her passion for politics evoked a scathing response from an anonymous caller: "It's too bad she won't be able to vote for Kerry, and hopefully on the day that Bush gets elected she'll burn in hell!"
The call didn't surprise Roger. He believes risks have to be taken to get out a message.
The Madison newspaper that published the obituary didn't find the obit risky at all, saying the political statement is a reflection of the person.
"We use some discretion, but because they're paid notices, most of what people would like to put in we allow to be put in," said Maria Rosen of Capital Newspapers.
There are lots of things that Roger wants people to know about his wife, in addition to her political leanings.
"Jane put a lot into help develop the multiple myeloma support group here in Madison," he said. "Every Monday morning she was tutoring the Madison area literacy council for an hour.
"Why just try to waste obituaries saying someone was a super nice person, if they want to have their own reach beyond the grave and give them one last breath of life for what they've been living for?" Roger said.
This isn't the first time Capital Newspapers has seen an obit with a political statement. Last August, an obituary for a Stoughton woman with a similar message made national
Anonymous Caller: 'Hopefully On The Day That Bush Gets Elected She'll Burn In Hell!'
MADISON, Wis. -- The world of politics has been taken to a whole new level and sparked quite a response from some. A Wisconsin man is using his wife's obituary to push her passion for politics.
Jane Buffet passed away Saturday from myeloma, a cancer in her bones. Roger Buffet didn't know their 40th wedding anniversary last month would be their last. Now he's hoping all her work in the community and her passion for politics will live on.
"She may be dead, but everything she was working for and everything she cared about, it was about the future," Roger said.
While, traditionally, yard signs are ways to support a candidate, in Jane Buffet's obit, her final statement reads, "To honor her memory, please do everything you can to elect John Kerry."
"Her vote couldn't count any more, but this was the best way we knew to make her voice heard," John said.
Her passion for politics evoked a scathing response from an anonymous caller: "It's too bad she won't be able to vote for Kerry, and hopefully on the day that Bush gets elected she'll burn in hell!"
The call didn't surprise Roger. He believes risks have to be taken to get out a message.
The Madison newspaper that published the obituary didn't find the obit risky at all, saying the political statement is a reflection of the person.
"We use some discretion, but because they're paid notices, most of what people would like to put in we allow to be put in," said Maria Rosen of Capital Newspapers.
There are lots of things that Roger wants people to know about his wife, in addition to her political leanings.
"Jane put a lot into help develop the multiple myeloma support group here in Madison," he said. "Every Monday morning she was tutoring the Madison area literacy council for an hour.
"Why just try to waste obituaries saying someone was a super nice person, if they want to have their own reach beyond the grave and give them one last breath of life for what they've been living for?" Roger said.
This isn't the first time Capital Newspapers has seen an obit with a political statement. Last August, an obituary for a Stoughton woman with a similar message made national