Here’s the fun part: you can play detective. Spot a familiar last name? You might find a connection you never knew about. I once discovered my neighbor’s dad was a magician who performed at children’s hospitals—and I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t clicked on his obituary. History is hiding in plain sight.
It’s also a wild ride through local history. You’ll see names of old businesses, favorite diners, and parks that no longer exist. A single obituary can transport you to Pasadena in the 1950s, when the main street was dirt and the air smelled like orange blossoms. Without a time machine—just a good internet connection.
So, Should You Start Reading Obituaries?
I’m not saying you need to check the Pasadena Citizen every morning. But next time you’re chilling on the couch, give it a click. You might find a story that makes you laugh, cry, or wonder, “Why didn’t I think of collecting those gnomes?”
And here’s a rhetorical question for you: What would your obituary say about you? Would it mention your love for late-night pizza or your secret talent for whistling? Reading other people’s lives can actually help you appreciate your own. It’s a gentle nudge to live loud enough that your own story will be worth writing down—even if it’s just in a small Texas newspaper, waiting for someone curious to find it.
So go ahead. Embrace the weird. The Pasadena Citizen obituaries are proof that everybody has a story, and sometimes the best ones are the ones you least expect. Happy reading, friend.
