A family has come under fire after incorporating a “rude” and “offensive” hidden message into their late father’s gravestone text.
The Iowa family in question decided to pay a very special tribute to Steven Owens who died last September at the age of 59.
As the relatives revealed, the man had a wicked sense of humor which is why his family decided to honor him by hiding his “favorite term of endearment” – the phrase ‘f**k off’ – in his gravestone text.
“Forever in our hearts; Until we meet again; Cherished memories; Known as; Our son, brother; Father, papa, uncle; Friend & cousin,” the message reads.
While nothing looks unusual at first glance, one can make out the phrase ‘f**k off’ by reading out the first letter of each line.
“It was definitely his term of endearment. If he didn’t like you, he didn’t speak to you. It’s just who he was,” Steven’s daughter, Lindsay, told WIBW.
Meanwhile, son Zach said: “He was easily riled up. It was always a sort of goal to get him to tell you to [f**k off].”
While many people have since praised the family for the “funny” hidden message, others – including the staff at the cemetery – lashed out at the man’s relatives saying such phrases don’t belong on the resting grounds of so many people.
As WIBW reported, many staff were against the inscription “from the beginning, as profanity has no place where loved ones are laid to rest for eternity.”
In a statement obtained by WIBW, The Camp Township Trustees, who oversee the cemetery in question, questioned the family’s decision saying:
“How would you like to have your spouse, child, mother, father, grandparent, uncle or cousin, your loved one or eventually you, have to be laid rest next to that for eternity?”
The township board also insisted that the family was warned not to proceed with their plans to install the gravestone in the cemetery due to all forms of profanity being banned from the place.
As of this writing, it is not yet clear whether the family will be ordered to replace the gravestone or remove the “offensive” inscription.
While the staff is adamant about getting rid of the offensive message, Steven’s son Zach hit back at the officials saying his family never wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings.
“No one’s forcing anyone to come out and look at it. That’s a choice that you make,” he said.
“We didn’t do it to offend anyone, make anyone mad or hurt anyone’s feelings. We did it because it was our father, and we love him, and that’s how we remember him.”
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