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Funerals of the Famous
January, 2002
 One of the newest additions to the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home at Dover is an incredible collection of funeral cards, folders and other memorabilia from funerals of ''the famous'' from around the world.
The collection is owned by John Herzig and has been several years in the making.
It includes nearly 200 funeral and memorial folders, photos, hand-written cards, funeral instructions and service details and much more from the funerals of celebrities, politicians, athletes and other historical figures.
The collection is housed in a beautiful cherry display cabinet and is a constant work in progress.
''I like rotating some of the folders and keeping the display fresh,'' said Herzig.
Some of the more unique items include: folders, photos and related documents from the deaths of presidents: Calvin Coolidge, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Harry S. Truman, James Garfield,Woodrow Wilson, William McKinley, & Richard Nixon, politicians and world leaders:Martin Luther King, Governor George Wallace, Sir Winston Churchill, Barry Goldwater, Robert F. Kennedy, Queen Victoria, Princess Diana, and the Duke of Windsor, celebrities: Mel Torme, Charles Schulz, Carroll O'Connor, Perry Como, Liberace, Joan Crawford,Henry Fonda and John Belushi, and from the world of sports: Joe Louis, Tom Landry, Jesse Owens, Roger Maris,Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Wilt Chamberlain, Knute Rockne,Satchell Paige and Harry Caray.It also includes original folders from the Challenger Astronauts memorial service and the funeral of the unknown soldier.
Of course this list just scratches the surface.
Asked which are his favorites, Herzig leans towards those with political and historical relevance.
''I don't have one personal favorite and, as a matter of fact, some of the neatest pieces in the collection are more than just folders or cards,'' noted Herzig. ''It is interesting to see things like the original type-written instructions for General George Patton's funeral, or a swatch of the original mourning fabric used for President Lincoln's funeral, or even the menus from President Eisenhower's funeral train.''
The collection is on display at Toland-Herzig's Dover location and can be seen during normal business hours, as well as any time the office is open for visitation or services.
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