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For nearly 40 years, a funeral home in southern Los Angeles county has been adding a dash of convenience to the business of death.
The mortuary, located in Compton, claims to offer an efficient way for prominent members of the community to be viewed en masse. Elderly who have a hard time walking don't have to leave their cars.
One possible reason for the drive-thru's success could stem back to the 1980s, when Compton was a hotbed for gang violence. The LA Times reported that cemetery shootouts made gang members reluctant to gather for graveside services. And since the glass partition of the Robert L. Adam's funeral parlor is bulletproof, it became a popular location for gang funerals.
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
The Robert L. Adams drive-thru funeral parlor is seen in Compton, Los Angeles, on Wednesday, Feb. 8. . The funeral parlor has been in business since 1974, and is thought to be the only drive-through funeral home in southern California, according to office manager Denise Knowles-Bragg.
Owner Peggy Scott Adams, who married into the business in the late 80s, carried on the drive-thru tradition when her husband died in 2005.
Flo Watson, 61, and her daughter Nina Watson, 34, view Flo's late postal service co-worker Robert Sanders, 58, at the Robert L. Adams drive-throu funeral parlor in Compton, Los Angeles, on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
"You can come by after work, you don't need to deal with parking, you can sign the book outside and the family knows that you paid your respects," Scott Adams told the Times. "It's a convenience thing."
Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
People view the body of the late Robert Sanders, 58, lying at the Robert L. Adams drive-throu funeral parlor in Compton, Los Angeles on Wednesday. The parlor offers a convenient alternative to older people who find it hard to walk, those who want to make a quick stop during the lunch hour, and the families of well-known deceased people who expect many visitors.
There are a few other drive-thru funeral parlors across the U.S., with at least one in Chicago and Louisiana.
Leave a Comment:
really CREEPY to show pics of dead people!!!
I just wish we could get a better life for the people who are affected by gang violence, which is the reason for this unique facility in the first place. I don't have an answer, but getting rid of guns is a good start.
I'm sure the guy there doesn't mind.
And Where Else??? Whacky WHACKY WHACKED OUT Los Angeles
Getting rid of guns is a good start?
Completely, world wide? Or just here in the U.S. And get rid of guns from everyone, or just criminals? Or should our police force have guns, but not citizens?
Or should the police not have guns either?
Or maybe just the soldiers but not the police?
Please expand upon your statement, or was it just wishful thinking?
concerned, No thinking was involved with the "get rid of all guns" post.
1. If it's pleasing to God, please do it.
2. If not, do not!
3. Put me in the oven, boat out 2 miles, dump box!
Guns don't kill people, people do! A better place to start is teaching (by example) our children respect and personal responsibility.
@Concerned: The NRA has such a stranglehold on Congress that any attempt at even rational gun control is consistently met with refusal. They don't give a g**damn about the fallout of their goal of arming every citizen of the United States regardless of the families that are torn up by senseless killings. So to answer your question, yes, my comment is wishful thinking.
When I die, please do not put me through a place like this!!!!!!!! Creepy, Weird, and LAME!
The only reason family's are torn up is because PEOPLE are killers. What do you suggest for something that kills more people in this country every YEAR than were killed in all of The Vietnam War? That happens to be drunk driving. What about the familys that are torn up from THAT? wheres your wishful thinking to remove 40s from the coolers?
Mozzie, the only way gun control would work would be to destroy every gun worldwide. People who murder have already commited a worse crime than illegally owning a gun so just making guns illegal will not stop them from obtaining said weapons. Further, even if you were somehow able to destroy every gun worldwide, these thugs would resort to sticks, stones, or whatever is readily available to cause injury. Guns are quite simply not the problem, just bad people.
Didn't you read it?
Just looking at the pictures?
Weird, but apparently not all that uncommon.
Mozzie,
Do you really think these gang bangers have regestered guns. Getting rid of guns only gets rid of guns that are owned legally. The thugs will still have guns. Look at Mexico. They have extremely strict gun laws. Juarez Mexico is one of the most dangerous city's in the world. I know. I live in El Paso. You anti gun clowns have you heads stuck in the sand.
All they need now is a webcam and an iPhone app. The picture above with the two ladies in it really is an emotional photo. Seeing the grief on their faces is very powerful. I wish that gang violence would be addressed as a the national tragedy that it is.
mozzie,
OK we get rid of guns, whats next, knifes. That what gangs used back in the 40s and 50s. If someone wants to kill another person, they are going to do it. It's not the weapon but the person.
My dad said if you live long enough, you will see it all. So I guess this is the end - I have just seen it all. Wow, you talk about the height of LAZINESS?
Sounds like good place to fake your own death and to stop a rival gang from continue to pursue you for something. Just rest behind bullet proof glass.
why is the glass bullet proof, are they frightened someone will kill a dead person??
Maybe he isn't dead, just going into the witness protection program.
A lot of people here are saying, "get rid of the guns" Why? do guns kill? or do people kill! If you get rid of the guns, only the bad people will have guns, Down under they got rid of the guns and crime rose by 33% and here in America, States that allow gun permits, crime is way down, There is a country in Europe that orders all households to have a gun and there is very little crime there at all. Stop being stupid about guns, one of our fore fathers of this country said, "A person with a gun is a citizen, and without a gun, the same person is a Subject"........There are some of you that, all you want to be is a Subject on the government dole, I feel sorry for you, you don't have the feeling of Freedon in your heart, and if you are black, you are trying to put yourself back into slavery. I will die for my freedom to be able to defend my rights, what are you going to do, just keep writting that guns have got to go, beat them into plow shares, and you will plow for the one who didn't.
Mr. Robert Sanders, the gentleman in the casket, is not a victim of gang violence. The two ladies viewing his body are a co-worker (U.S. Postal Service) and her daughter. Do any of you ever read the article and the captions below the pictures? It clearly stated that this trend started in Compton, CA. due to gang violence but now is viewed as a service to the clients which makes it easier on the elderly and for large groups of mourners. No need to try to provide parking and the hours are more convenient. Why all the posts re: guns and violence? Come on people, can you just try to read and quit doing knee-jerk posts?????
Hey, Baby, we needs to go by and pay our respects to old Clovell and Roosevelt. Dey laid-out o-dare at da drive thru. Moesha done sed she done got dim da Disneyland Package layout - dey got Clovell laid up in a Tea Cup and Roosevelt - he be laid up in da Dumbo Flying Elephant. She sed doan yall be comin on up in here makin no comments bout deez setups cuz she had to do 20 extra round da worlds to put dim bof away in style.
How lazy can you people get??? Hey honey, lets go by and view Bob on the way to Churches Chicken.
I was thinking the same thing. It shows how pathetic people are when you are too lazy to get out of your car or walk to a funeral home to pay you respects to a deceased loved one. Next up will be a fast food restaurant attached to the building. "Come see our dearly departed cousin Bob, don't forget to order some tacos on the way out."
That would be called the reception.
It is a wonderful option for people who are mobility challenged, as it limits their need to walk. Good idea.
It could be worse, you know. Like, setting up a webcam so you can pay your respects from home...
Lyrica you know you wanted to say chicken wings instead of tacos
Either one, I'm hungry right now. :D
How respectful. Remind me to never get within five hundred miles of Compton, again. Do they sell popcorn, or Big Macs also?
Dasvet, don't get within five hundred miles of Compton again.
Thank you, John, I will try to remember. You are a friend, indeed. If the shooting stopped at funerals in Compton, this would never have been a problem. Sounds like a bunch of average democrat voters.
Ding Ding Ding Dasvet wins for bring politics into the story! What do you win?
Dasvet - Damn! You're comments and banter with with john arthur beaman was funny....then you made it political. How/why do you political trolls always do that. Just sad. Granted...not as sad as a drive thru viewing, but still very very pathetic.
Not to mention, it wasn't even a funny tie in. You had so much more fodder to fire the cannon at.
You are on newsvine, so it must be a free-troll zone. If the inner city isn't a political issue, then what is? Liberal politics built this built this inner city problem.
not sure why this needed to be politicized. I'm a democrat and I haven't/won't be shooting anyone in the future. I will also not be attending a drive thru funeral.
I could come back and say typical republican ignorance, but I won't.
Dasvet - At least you admit to being a troll. That's a positive take away.
To be labeled a troll, by a troll, matters not.
To be called a troll, by a troll, is not even insulting.
I don't like this. If I lost a loved one, I wouldn't want a freaking glass in between us. I might need to touch them. I might need to stay and cry for a while.
RIGHT?? I can understand for disabled or elderly. But if your able bodied thats just flat out lazy. Black thing maybe?
Bullet proof no less. Are they afraid someone might shoot and kill the body in the coffin?
CREAPY!!!!!!
I don't think it is such a bad idea
Since when is it the policy of this or any U.S. news outlet to publish the face(s) of people lying in their caskets? I find this to be very troubling. Where is this man's family in voicing either permission - or outrage?
<sarcasm> YEAH!!!!! Please, censor more for us. We can't handle the real World! </sarcasm>
I strongly suspect they checked with the guy's family first. Death is a natural part of life. Everyone reading this will die. I am sure it's not for everyone, but people are different and have different views on things. When my mother-in-law passed away several years ago I was present, and I must say it seemed as natural as watching my children being born. Yes, we were sad, but after months of watching her struggle with terminal cancer, we were all ready (including her).
I'm thinking they sign some type of release upfront, as they cannot control who drives through. Also maybe the reason for the bullet proof glass??
Guy seems pretty cool with it, so why aren't you?
The county was probably paying for the funeral, and this was a cost-cutting procedure.
Why the outrage? Every evening, the news outlets across America show the faces of victims of violence and of people who are killed (be it guns, knives, drunk driving, etc.). What is so wrong about the picture of a man lying in his casket since it is opened for viewing and I am sure his family and the funeral home both had to give permission.
Disgusting! Shows no respect for the deceased or their family!
Putting him in a car wash like drive thru shows no respect for the dead.
You should take that up with the families of the deceased. I'm sure they are the ones who decide to display their loved ones in this way.
Humans are weird.
The dead ones are okay. It's the humans that are still alive that you have to watch out for.
The smell of fuel exhaust and a corpse...wow, we have come to a WHOLE new level!
Its Compton,. Enough said.
No class.
Can you imagine the surprise for the person partying 'til 3am thinking he was pulling up to a Taco Bell drive thru?
The drive through is only open from 6-8PM.... That was clearly in view from the pic of the outside of the funeral home....but you knew that, right?
If you look at the drive thru hours, it says 6- 8 pm. The rest of the time, I assume that anyone could go inside and view the body in the traditional way. It's still a bit creepy tho.
I saw that sign too; yet the caption under the second picture suggests it's convenient for folks to stop by on their lunch hour.
This would be more convenient if they added a car wash
Then you MUST have the song "Car Wash" being looped the entire time.
NICE
GHETTO, JUST PLAIN OLE GHETTO. Ohh and a shame too.
Not just ghetto, almost half is barrio. Together, about 97%. Anyone surprised?
Are these the 97%-ers.
They have to protect the corpse from getting shot and killed a second time from gang bangers! Watch out I'm a gangsta, I'm a gangsta!
Live by the drive-by... die by the drive-through.
Only in America folks...only in America
Only in black America, Didnt you see where the other locations are?
Chris, Chicago, and I guess Noo-awlins. Coming soon to a ghetto near you.
That is funny! April.
only in america EH !
I don't know whether to laugh ... or cry.
Do they provide lighting after hours, during late evenings or at night? Hey everyone, let's go by and see Uncle Bob after we've seen American Idol. How convenient (also, very creepy). The Ultimate Drive-by.
Jesus H. Christ, only in America...
"WAS the hot-bed of gang violence?" Check your local news in Compton/L.A. and you'll see that most of this area is a hot-bed of gang violence.
Some people have a difficult time coming into the funeral home and being in the same room with the deceased.
This drive by viewing is an idea whose time has come.
No where else in this story does it mention, car wash or fast food. Please respect the dead of all races, colors and faiths.
heather, I wish they respected themselves, which would be a good place to start.
I just wish we could get a better life for the people who are affected by gang violence, which is the reason for this unique facility in the first place. I don't have an answer, but getting rid of guns is a good start.
The NRA will protect gang members rights to have more ammo than the cops and feds.
I thought you were talking about calling the welfare office.
The NRA also helps the rest of us protect ourselves from the gangs.
@ Sally/Tyler: Please delete Lynn2001. Comments are bogus advertising.
The NRA supports the LEGAL ownership of weapons. Strange how many folks do not understand the difference between legal, and illegal. Same with immigration.
Why is that surprising, our President doesn't recognize the words, illegal, or legal?
spike: You've missed the point. Why am I not surprised?