Ashes to Hot Dogs: Woody Guthrie’s Final Repose

May 16, 2015 by

Nora, Joady , Woody and Arlo Guthrie -Coney Island 1951/ courtesy of Woody Guthrie Publications

After Woody Guthrie passed away in 1967, his family committed his ashes to the ocean at the beach in Coney Island. Nora Guthrie shared her feelings and reflections about that day with Brooklyn Roads.

“It was a pretty unusual day as we all improvised our way through the experience,” Guthrie said. “Not being brought up in any particular religion, we really didn’t have a plan, a regime.  So, we brought my father’s ashes out to Coney Island, to the spot on the beach where we always spent our days. We wanted to throw the ashes in the ocean there, without any further ceremony.”

“It was a pretty windy day and we had a lot of trouble with the can of ashes, as it kept floating back to the shore after a few attempts,” Guthrie went on. “It could have been a Seinfeld tragic-comedy!  Anyway, we finally succeeded and not really knowing if we were supposed to say anything, sing something, or have a moment of silence, my brother Joady finally asked my mom what we were supposed to do. What with all the powerful feelings, and memories, she must have been experiencing at that moment, as we looked to her for some guidance and direction, all she could do was tearfully suggest, ‘Woody would want us to go to Nathan’s.’ So, that’s what we did. We sat on the pavement, with our backs up against the wall, and quietly ate our hot dogs, fries and root beers, just as we always had done with my dad.”

“Since then, it’s always remained a somewhat spiritual experience for me to go to Nathan’s! I love that place.   That’s another thing I learned that day. WE fill each or every moment, each or every object, with our love. And even a hot dog can become a powerful symbol, and memory, of great love.”