Theodore Donald Kerabatsos' Urn

The concept for “Donny’s Urn” started rattling around in my brain early 2015.  I definitely wanted to get my hands on a vintage Folger’s coffee can (or tin) to keep in Memento’s urn display as a novelty item. The scene from The Big Lewbowski where Walter Sobchak unleashes his rage at the funeral director at the price of their “most modestly priced receptacle” is a reminder of Memento Memorials’ mission: remembrance deserves more.

There is an implied possessive pronoun of “your” in that mission and an inclusion of all tastes and budgets.

We think a coffee tin is a perfectly acceptable place for cremated remains and does not detract from the honor or remembrance.

For those that would like something custom or of contemporary style that is made in America, we stand ready to serve.

Our Cradle line of urns is our first endeavor with scalable production – we can do a run of five and we can do a run of hundreds.  As a boutique style manufacturer, we cannot compete with $40 urns from China, but we plan on designing and bringing to market other urn lines that are truly “modestly priced” while still maintaining our commitment to bringing more craftsmanship, art, and design to remembrance.

Walter’s eulogy of Donny is so well written and acted.  The scene captures a symptom of many male relationship: knowing each other through something you do together but not actually really knowing each other well enough to say something pertinent at a memorial.

Donny was a good bowler,
and a good man.

 

He was one of us.

 

He was a man who loved the outdoors…and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and… up to… Pismo.

 

He died, like so many young men of his generation, he died before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives. And so would Donny. Donny, who loved bowling.

 

And so, Theodore Donald Karabotsos, in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well.

 

Good night, sweet prince.

Despite the emotional distance that The Dude and his crew maintain, he and Walter take a moment to embrace in Donny’s ashes that have covered The Dude.  Then they go bowling.