Two years ago we lost the renowned singer and actress Doris. Day, who established himself as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars during the Golden Age, has died aged 97.
Between 1947 and 1967, she released over 650 songs, appeared in nearly 30 films, and won several awards for her work in both music and film, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The beloved singer and actress passed away in 2019, but her close friend recently revealed that she was opposed to the funeral being marked with a headstone or ceremony. Doris Day is incredibly talented, has a great affection for animals, and is incredibly humble.
During her 50-year career, Doris gained popularity and admiration for her work in films. After starring in movies like Pillow Talk, Love Me or Leave Me, and The Man Who Knew Too Much, she became a household name.
This 97-year-old woman had only one child from her four marriages. Day’s son by her first husband, Terry Mulcher, died of melanoma in 2004.
In addition to becoming known for her film roles, Day was also a well-known animal rights advocate. She was a truly kind lady who fought for voiceless animals.
Doris was also a Grammy Award-winning singer.
The Grammy Hall of Fame featured her songs Sentimental Journey, Secret Love, and Que Sera Sera, and her animal welfare efforts culminated in the establishment of the Doris Day Animal Foundation.
Doris Day sadly passed away in 2019 at her home in Carmel Valley, California. Her charity, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, announced her death after learning she had pneumonia and said there would be no funeral rites, grave markings, or public memorials at the actress’ wishes.
Rather, her remains were burned and scattered.
Her manager Bob Bashara, a close friend, claimed she was struggling with her mortality and did not want to talk about the possibility of a funeral.
And her last wishes were not without reason.
“She was against death, and if her animals had to be euthanized, she couldn’t be with them. According to what he said in a 2019 interview with People, she was fighting death.
“I would say we have to take care of her dogs when she dies], and she said, ‘I don’t want to think about it,’ and she said, ‘Well, just take care of them,'” Bashara recalled.
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“She wanted to make sure they were taken care of, so when she wrote her will she had several. She didn’t like to talk about dogs dying.”
Day has been an ardent supporter of animal rights since the early 1970s, speaking out against the wearing of fur and founding the Doris Day Animal Foundation.
In 2020, she raised $3 million for the cause by auctioning off more than 1,000 of her belongings and even helped start the Texas Horse Rescue and Adoption Center, which helps abused and abandoned horses.
Raised Catholic, Day became a practicing Christian Scientist after marrying producer Martin Melcher.
When she first married trombonist Al Jorden, whom she met when she was sixteen, she gave birth to her only child, Terrence “Terry” Paul Jorden. After being adopted by Day’s third husband, film producer Martin Melcher, Jorden eventually changed his name to Terrence Paul Melcher.
Bashara told People that Day “moved away” from formal religion after Melcher’s death in 1968, but that she remained a “spiritual person.”
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“She claims she believed in God and believed God gave her a voice. She said: ‘God gave me a voice and I just used it.’
Day made two appearances on the television show after retiring from acting in the early 1970s. Subsequently, in 1985, she began hosting “Doris Day’s Best Friends,” a one-year chat show on the Christian Broadcasting Network.
While he’s still unclear on Day’s reasons for not wanting a funeral, her manager and friend Bashara adds, “I think it was because she was a very shy person.”
According to him, Day never realized why so many people adored her, even though she knew it from the messages she received from her fans.
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“She never let her celebrity and who she was, and she was always that little girl from Cincinnati who was extremely talented and went out into the world and did what she loved to do in spite of herself,” he says.
Her ashes were scattered after her cremation.
Her property was given to a good cause.
Doris Day’s passing in 2019 marked the end of an era for Hollywood and the entertainment industry as a whole. With a career spanning over five decades, she has left an indelible mark in music, film, and the world of animal rights activism. Despite her immense talent and fame, Day remained humble and grounded, often expressing her love of animals and her deep aversion to the subject of death.
Her decision to forgo traditional funeral rites and opt for a private cremation reflects her desire for privacy and simplicity in keeping with her unassuming nature. Day’s legacy extends far beyond her iconic screen roles; she was a compassionate advocate for animal welfare and used her platform to raise awareness and funds for various causes.
Ultimately, Day’s last wish was a testament to her authenticity and unwavering commitment to the things she held dear. With her ashes scattered and her estate given to charity, her memory lives on not only through timeless music and movies but also through the countless lives she touched with her kindness and generosity.