EUBANK, Ky. (LEX 18) — If laughter is the best medicine, then the family of James Loveless will be healed in no time. Mr. Loveless passed away on Wednesday and his son wrote an obituary that is not to be missed!

“He would’ve liked for people to talk about the fun stuff. So I talked about some of the interesting aspects of his life,” Rocky Loveless said from the field next to his sister’s home in Eubank. This is the same field that’ll host the “funeral” on Saturday.

“No funeral, we’re having a BBQ,” Rocky said, before noting that his father preferred to be cremated.

Rocky was told by the people at the Pulaski Funeral Home that his obituary generated more page views for them than the home has ever had before. And it is getting a lot of attention on social media platforms too.

In the obit, he talked about his father’s passion for fried foods, steak, chili cheese dogs, beer (cold or room temperature), cars, swimming, poker and women.

“All of those women’s names, those are all women that really happened,” Rocky said.

In the obituary, while listing surviving family members, Rocky labeled himself as being James’s ‘second favorite son.’ He was couching a hint of sadness in the silliness.

“It was an insecurity I always had. I always felt like I was the second favorite, even though I wasn’t,” he explained.

The obit is five paragraphs long, and it’s funny from top to bottom. And, according to Rocky, it’s all true. But as he spoke, one thing became very obvious; the last line of the obituary, the one that reads: “He will be moderately missed,” was a blatant lie.

“Yeah. I’ll miss him a lot,” Rocky said while fighting back a bit of emotion.

Read the obituary here: James Loveless Obituary 2023 - Pulaski Funeral Home

Click here to donate to the James Loveless “funeral” BBQ fund: Fundraiser by Rocky Loveless: Memorial Busch and BBQ Funds for James Loveless (gofundme.com)

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — One of the 11 members of the Middletown Platoon of Marines has died, the Journal-News reports.

Denzil Howard, who enlisted in 1942 and was sworn in at the Middletown YMCA the day before the 11 Marines left for Parris Island, died April 6 at Bickford of Middletown. The World War II veteran was 96.

After the war, Howard was called back to serve as part of a Special Guard for President Franklin Roosevelt whenever he stayed at what was called the “Little White House” in Warm Springs, Georgia. Howard served that role until the president suffered a stroke on April 12, 1945, and died.

MORE: He joined the Marines with the Middletown Platoon. Nearly 75 years later, ‘I’d do it again for my country.’

On returning home, Howard worked for Armco Steel for 39 years as a pickler leader, retiring in 1986.

Last year, Howard was honored at a Veterans Appreciation Luncheon at Crosspointe Church of Christ. Before the luncheon, Howard, accompanied by his wife and two adopted sons, talked about the war, and the day a fellow Marine was shot and killed in a foxhole they shared.

Tears streamed down his weathered cheeks.

“Sometimes,” Howard said, “I get emotional when I talk about it.”

Greg Howard said his father wouldn’t talk about the war when they were growing up, but he shared stories later in life.

“It was pretty tough on him,” his son said.

Nothing tougher than the day on Bougainville Island when his fellow Marine was shot and killed. A few seconds later, a bullet ricocheted off Howard’s helmet. The Howard family history could have been rewritten that day.

“Things I saw you can’t print, I don’t think,” Denzil Howard said last year. “The things they did to our men. I saw a lot of my brothers killed.”

When Denzil Howard entered the Marines, he was given a Bible from his brother, the Rev. Henry Howard, a former pastor at Towne Boulevard Church of God. Denzil Howard was told by his brother that if he carried the Bible, he’d survive the war.

“I had some mighty close calls I don’t like to talk about,” he said.

Denzil Howard was asked about being a World War II veteran. This time there were no tears in his eyes.

He sat up in his chair, looked forward and said, “I’d do it again for my country.”

Denzil Howard is survived by his wife of 72 years, Dolores Howard; sons, Gregory (Jean Ann) Howard of Heath, Ohio, and Geoffrey (Rebecca) Howard of Middletown; grandsons, David (Bhuvvi) and Nicholas (Lisa) Howard; great-grandchildren, Oliva, Henry and Ellora; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his eight brothers and three sisters.

A memorial service will be held later due to the coronavirus. Entombment will take place at Woodside Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Towne Boulevard Church of God, 3722 Towne Blvd., Middletown, Ohio 45005.

The Journal-News is a media partner of WCPO 9 News.