Undertaker featured in ‘Crazy/Normal’ documentary

FAIRFIELD — Telling the story of the life of an undertaker seems to be a niche for Bob Webster.

The owner of Webster Funeral Home on Homeward Way in Fairfield wrote a book a few years ago, “Does This Mean You’ll See Me Naked?” It has sold nearly 100,000 copies.

Webster will share the small screen in the documentary “Crazy/Normal” that focuses on two occupations, both of which plan for major events in a person’s life.

“This was very well done and it shows you how closely related two big, milestone events in life actually are — a wedding, a real happy event — and a death, a real sad event,” Webster said.

The producers of the documentary, California-based Star Price Productions, learned about Webster through his book.

Webster said the planned one-hour piece is being pitched to HBO and Showtime. Excerpts are not able to be published because the producer is in negotiations, he said.

Webster said he was given a 22-minute clip of the documentary, and it highlights the similarities between the duties of a wedding planner and an undertaker.

“There are so many mysteries, and this is still the great mystery — death,” Webster said. “We deny it, of course, in our society.”

Webster said he would only participate in the documentary if it showed the funeral business in a dignified way. He said it shows people not to be afraid.

“This is something we’re all going to face; it’s the most universal thing in life,” Webster said. “Whether we like it or not, we’re all going to face death in our family. You can choose to do a lot of things and make decisions. You can’t decide about not dying.”

He hoped that by showing what goes on behind the scenes, people might “feel better about it.”

“There’s a lot of care involved,” Webster said. “We’re real dedicated about doing this.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.

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