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Texas son’s hilarious obituary for his father goes viral

A son’s hilarious eulogy of his late father has gone viral.

Charles Boehm, 41, penned the scathing, sarcastic tribute this past week, days after the death of 74-year-old Robert Adolph Boehm.

Bordering on offensive at times, the anecdotes paint a picture of a cantankerous old trucker who died cursing in his Clarendon, Texas, apartment on October 6.

The 585-word remembrance presses on from there, with all the tact of a full court press.

The story is one only a son can provide, and has attracted thousands of eyes. It begins with one of many jabs meant to lampoon his late father.

Charles Boehm, 41, penned the scathing, sarcastic tribute this past week, days after the death of 74-year-old Robert Adolph Boehm.

Charles Boehm, 41, penned the scathing, sarcastic tribute this past week, days after the death of 74-year-old Robert Adolph Boehm.

Robert is seen here with his late wife Dianne, daughter-in-law Kim, and son Charles during better days.

Robert is seen here with his late wife Dianne, daughter-in-law Kim, and son Charles during better days.

‘Robert Adolph Boehm, in accordance with his lifelong dedication to his own personal brand of decorum, muttered his last unintelligible and likely unnecessary curse on October 6, 2024,’ Boehm starts by saying. 

‘[This came] shortly before tripping backward over ‘some stupid mother****ing thing’ and hitting his head on the floor,’ he adds.

Boehm proceeds to get into the nitty-gritty behind his dad’s life, including how he impregnated and married his mom Dianne as a teen before eventually becoming a full-time trucker.

This allowed him exemption from The Vietnam War draft – a point Boehm hits home as he made it his mission to concoct a merciless roast.

He wrote how after the birth of his older brother and two sisters, Robert ‘possibly concerned about the brewing conflict in Grenada,’ fathered a fourth child – himself.

‘This lack of military service was probably for the best, as when taking up shooting as a hobby in his later years, he managed to blow not one, but two holes in the dash of his own car on two separate occasions,’ Boehm writes.  

‘[This] unfortunately did not even startle, let alone surprise, his dear wife Dianne, who was much accustomed to such happenings in his presence and may have actually been safer in the jungles of Vietnam the entire time.’

The native Texan who said he was inspired by a similarly unforgiving obituary he saw ion 2019 went on to recall Robert’s exploits as a young dad ‘while the world was in conflict elsewhere,’ which included learning to roof and maintain traffic signs.

Boehm told the Washington Post the tribute was made in jest, and that his dad was working with the community after being left beside himself following the death of his wife in February

Boehm told the Washington Post the tribute was made in jest, and that his dad was working with the community after being left beside himself following the death of his wife in February

Robert then set out on a career as a semi-professional truck driver – an occupation that Boehm disclaims is ‘not to be confused with a professional semi-truck driver.’

Amid this life of peace, ‘Robert’s attention somewhat counterintuitively drifted to weapons of war,’ Boehm recalls – writing how his dad struck up a hobby of collecting weapons used in conflicts throughout history. 

‘So many examples of these mainstream hobbyist items litter his small Clarendon, Texas, apartment that one of them may very well have been the item referenced in his aforementioned eloquent final epitaph,’ he then quips.   

‘He also had a penchant for fashion, frequently seen about town wearing the latest trend in homemade leather moccasins, a wide collection of unconventional hats, and boldly mismatched shirts and pants.’

Boehm goes on to recall how his dad also kept a wide selection of harmonicas on hand.

However, these were ‘not to play personally,’ the mourning man wrote –  but to instead ‘prompt his beloved dogs to howl continuously at odd hours of the night to entertain his many neighbors.’

Other times, he would give the handheld instruments to his  grandchildren and great-grandchildren – ‘to play loudly during long road trips with their parents,’ Boehm regretfully  recalls.

The piece then grows somewhat serious, pointing out how Robert’s wife of more than half-a-century – his mom – died this past February

'We have all done our best to enjoy/weather Robert's antics up to this point, but he is God's problem now,' Boehm concluded, bringing attention to the retired trucker's checkered legacy

‘We have all done our best to enjoy/weather Robert’s antics up to this point, but he is God’s problem now,’ Boehm concluded, bringing attention to the retired trucker’s checkered legacy

The moment, however, is only fleeting, with Boehm going to categorize the occurrence as ‘God finally show[ing]mercy’ – by ‘getting her the hell out of [their house] for some well-earned peace and quiet.’

This left Robert without Dianne to gleefully entertain, his son writes – describing how the retired trucker ‘shifted his creative focus to the entertainment of you, the fine townspeople of Clarendon.

‘Over the last eight months, if you have not met Robert or seen his road show yet, you probably would have soon,’ he says of his dad’s more recent activities.

‘We have all done our best to enjoy/weather Robert’s antics up to this point, but he is God’s problem now.’

A funeral was held by the family in Amarillo Monday, a few days after the obituary – Boehm’s first – went live.

Countless comments have poured in since, all singing songs of praise. 

The story was subsequently picked up by the Washington Post, who went on to interview Boehm.

He said the tribute was made in jest for a man he loved deeply, and who was left beside himself after finding himself without his wife of so many years.  

'I’d have to say if I want anything to come from all of this, it’s for people everywhere to support the mental health of people in little rural towns,' Boehm said. 'They go there to retire, then when they’re old, their kids scatter and they end up alone. A lot of people slip through the cracks'

‘I’d have to say if I want anything to come from all of this, it’s for people everywhere to support the mental health of people in little rural towns,’ Boehm said. ‘They go there to retire, then when they’re old, their kids scatter and they end up alone. A lot of people slip through the cracks’

‘I’d have to say if I want anything to come from all of this, it’s for people everywhere to support the mental health of people in little rural towns,’ Boehm said. 

‘They go there to retire, then when they’re old, their kids scatter and they end up alone. A lot of people slip through the cracks.’

He told the paper that ‘we need to look after them.’

DailyMail.com has reached out to Boehm for comment.