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Final Farewell: Inside Ozzy Osbourne’s Funeral Arrangements After His Death At 76
Even though the Prince of Darkness is no longer with us, his potential funeral arrangements, which include coffin tricks and Beatles songs to a joke in his epitaph, demonstrate that he never lost his sense of humour.
On multiple occasions prior to his death on July 22, 2025, the iconic Black Sabbath leader Ozzy Osbourne expressed his wishes for the world to perceive his demise, but rarely in a sombre manner. He discussed his own mortality and potential funeral service topics with candour and humour in talks with the media and television that spanned over ten years.
In a special article published in The Times in 2011, the 76-year-old responded to enquiries from everyday citizens. One Kentish woman, Macy, enquired as to whether it was “morbid to plan your own funeral?”
When Peter Sellers requested a certain song for his service—which turned out to be a farce because everyone knew he detested that tune—she wanted to do something meaningful.
Ozzy answered with his characteristically blunt humor. “I honestly don’t care what they play at my funeral; they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes ’em happy — but I do want to make sure it’s a celebration, not a mope-fest,” he shared.
The cultural legend went on to say that he would like some jokes to be played at the service, such as someone banging from inside the coffin or perhaps playing a video in which he asks his doctor for a “second opinion” on his death.
To put it briefly, Ozzy never wanted anyone to think about the sorrow or unpleasant memories. He felt that organising your funeral was the “right thing,” especially for the sake of your surviving loved ones.
“It’s worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. So by any measure, most of us in this country — especially rock stars like me — are very lucky. That’s why I don’t want my funeral to be sad. I want it to be a time to say ‘thanks,'” he finished.
A few years later, he unveiled yet another potential memorial design. In 2016, NME conducted an interview with the rock star for an article about his life’s soundtrack.
The composition had a number of songs that Ozzy would choose for various events, such as “The Song I Can No Longer Listen To” and “The Best Band My Kids Introduced Me To.” In “The Song I Want Played at My Funeral,” he selected “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles.
“I really need a few more years to think this over, but probably something from ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ or ‘Revolver,'” he clarified, adding that he “definitely” doesn’t want his own hits played because he never listened to them, and a happy song wouldn’t work either.
In 2020, Ozzy and his wife, Sharon Osbourne, appeared on “Good Morning Britain,” where they discussed another potential funeral addition. Piers Morgan, the host, assured him that he would never be remembered as having “died an ordinary man.”
Morgan then asked, “But when you do finally leave this earth […] when that time comes, what would you like your epitaph to be? How would you like people to remember you?” Without hesitating, Ozzy answered, “Bats taste like [expletive].”
The family is devastated by Ozzy’s death, even though he may have made jokes about his funeral and epitaph. His sisters discussed the plans he had been making for the life he still wanted to live one day after his death was made public.
Gillian Hemming, 80, and Jean Powell, 85, were horrified to get a phone call informing them of the rock star’s passing. They are the only two of six siblings still alive, along with their brother Paul Osbourne.
They told The U.K. Mirror that they had seen Ozzy recently in Birmingham, where Black Sabbath held their farewell concert. The band had explored the city, and although Ozzy struggled with mobility, Jean shared that he was “still our John, still cracking the jokes.”
That’s why the news of his passing was so surprising. “He was frail but it still came as a shock,” Jean continued. “He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don’t know the details of his death, it’s still too early. It’s just so sad. I’m just thankful he died in England.”
They remembered how Ozzy Osbourne was astounded to see fans strolling down Lodge Road, the street where they used to live, on their approach to the Villa Park stadium, and how they had last seen him at the concert, where they were seated in an executive box.
“We didn’t really get a chance to chat much because it was such a chaotic visit. But in his last text to me he said he would be coming to Birmingham again,” she added.
Meanwhile, Gillian said that they were both proud of their brother and his success, especially because he stayed down-to-earth. “What the public saw of John was exactly what he was like in real life. It wasn’t an act,” she declared.
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