Dawn Woolliscroft’s children were planning her 90th birthday party on March 20 when they got stuck on ideas.

“When my mom turned 75, we had the big formal party with family and friends from all over the world came and helped us celebrate her life,” said daughter Kittie Woolliscroft of LaGrange. “We weren’t sure what to do when she turned 90.”

Dawn Woolliscroft has been in New Orleans with daughter Veronica Taylor. She also spends time in Atlanta with son Tom Woolliscroft and in LaGrange.

Kittie Woolliscroft said, “We nicknamed my mom ‘Bean Bag’ because she goes back and forth between Veronica’s house, my house here in LaGrange and my brother’s. My sister and I had thought about doing a dinner party or just taking her out to eat. Then one day, Mom asked Veronica what the plan was for her birthday.”

The solution was a little offbeat.

“My kids were going back and forth, and we came up with the idea of doing a New Orleans jazz funeral party for my birthday. You know, with the band and a parade in the streets,” said Dawn Woolliscroft, who will be making LaGrange her permanent home at the end of this month.

Kittie Woolliscroft said: “You could have knocked us kids over with a feather with the idea of having a funeral for a birthday, but then I guess you should know our family - we all have the same sense of humor. We were not sure how people would react to it, but everyone was great.”

Her mother agreed.

“I thought sure, why not. Let’s do it. I love New Orleans, and my husband and I used to frequent Pat O’Brien’s,” Dawn Woolliscroft said.

The event was not a typical jazz funeral.

“A jazz funeral is usually sad on the trip to the cemetery and happy on the return, but we were all happy the whole way,” Kittie Woolliscroft said.

The procession in New Orleans drew attention because Dawn Woolliscroft is on oxygen and uses a motorized scooter for transportation. Signs on her scooter read “Heaven Bound. Get out of her way!”

“We had about 20 or so people in the funeral party along with the band. The women carried purple umbrellas, and the men carried white handkerchiefs with her initial,” Kittie Woolliscroft said.

“It was spring break time, and there were a lot of college students and several of the guys asked to have their picture taken with Mom. Folks were taking pictures, and they had no idea what was going on or who she was.”

Dawn Woolliscroft laughed and said, “They probably thought I was some sort of movie star or something.”

The idea of a funeral while one is alive appealed to onlookers.

“People would ask us what was going on, and we would tell them, and they were shocked. They would be like, ‘What?’ and then they thought about it, and were like, ‘That’s the way to go,’ ” Kittie Woolliscroft said.

Along with the procession, “we had an elegant four-course lunch and then we had people speak and give eulogies. Other people told great stories of how Mom had touched their lives. Memorial cards were available that included mom’s favorite prayer of St. Anthony and highlights of her life. Then we went to Pat O’Brien’s” bar.

The reason behind having a funeral party was simple enough for Dawn Woolliscroft.

“Life is too short to mourn,” she said. “Why tell all the stuff about a dead person at a funeral when you should have told them when that person was alive?”

Her daughter agreed.

“She felt like let everyone come to the party, because when the real time comes, they won’t have to drop their lives to come tell her goodbye.”

Having a funeral for a living person appeals to Dawn Woolliscroft.

“I have learned that in life, it is important to have a sense of humor,” she said. “Humor can get you through any time. I got my husband, the love of my life, because of my sense of humor.

“It is important to laugh and to share love with your family, friends and neighbors … while they are around to hear it and appreciate it.”

Asked what type of funeral she would expect her family to have for her, Woolliscroft giggled and said, “They said I couldn’t die now because I have had my funeral.”

She said her real funeral would be simple, “a cremation and my ashes are going to be spread in the ocean in Thailand because I loved that place.”

Until then, “I am just going to sit back and enjoy each day.”

Becky Holland may be reached at bholland@ lagrangenews.com and (706) 884-7311, Ext. 229.