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All the United States Pennsylvania Irwin Grave of George Swanson

Grave of George Swanson

True to his word, George Swanson is buried in his white 1984 Corvette.

Irwin, Pennsylvania

Added By
Thomas Harper
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The Corvette is buried with George Swanson   thomasharper / Atlas Obscura User
The Corvette is buried with George Swanson   thomasharper / Atlas Obscura User
Mr. Swanson bought multiple plots for the Corvette   Thomas Harper (Atlas Obscura User)
The Swanson grave is in Brush Creek Cemetery   Image capture Sep 2013
A 1984 Corvette - white, just like George’s   Abdullah AlBargan
George in his ‘Vette alongside his first wife (Geraldine), with a spot for Caroline   Trending Compilations
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About

George Swanson loved his 1984 Corvette so much, he made a promise with his wife that he be buried in it. In the historic Brush Creek Cemetery near Irwin, Pennsylvania, Caroline Swanson made sure that promise was kept.

On May 25, 1994, George, a local beer distributor and World War II veteran, was laid to rest in his beloved white muscle car. The urn with his ashes was placed in the driver’s seat, his favorite song—Engelbert Humperdinck's "Release Me"—was cued up on the cassette player, and a crane lowered down the man and his machine for its final spin.

To make burial possible for a car the size of an ’84 ‘Vette, George had bought up multiple adjoining plots at Brush Creek. And keeping the health and safety of his future neighbors in mind, he and Caroline made sure that all the fluids would be drained from the car before interment.

George is buried along with his first wife, Geraldine (whose grandchildren gave her a lovely send-off too), and there is a space for Caroline when the time comes. On the simple Swanson family headstone, the engraving of a Corvette is the only sign that there is the ultimate car lover buried underneath.

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Cars Gravestones Monuments Graves

Know Before You Go

Irwin is about 20 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, not far off I-76. The entrance to Brush Creek Cemetery (Altar Road) is off Brush Creek Road. From the cemetery entrance gate, bear left and the road will run past headstones with hedges behind them. Stay on the main road and look for the Corvette on a headstone.

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Added By

thomasharper

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Extreme Road Trip

  • Extreme Road Trip

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January 6, 2017

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Sources
  • http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pennsylvania-man-buried-with-his-beloved-corvette
  • http://mentalfloss.com/article/58362/12-strange-funerals-and-funeral-traditions
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD1ByRzAsh4
Grave of George Swanson
Brush Creek Cemetery
127 Altar Lane
Irwin, Pennsylvania
United States
40.320807, -79.658017
Get Directions

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Photo of Irwin

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