Kathy Benjamin
School
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, University Of Kent At Canterbury
Expertise
The British Royal Family, The History Of Funerals, Agatha Christie's Poirot Stories
- Kathy's articles have been discussed on "The View" and "Chelsea Lately."
- As well as four non-fiction books, Kathy has also penned an as-yet-unpublished sci-fi novel about an alien discotheque at Area 51 and a pilot script about American grad students abroad.
- While in England for graduate school, Kathy attended classes every week in Canterbury Cathedral, which was just as amazing as it sounds.
Experience
A full-time professional writer since 2009, Kathy's work can be found on many websites including Cracked.com and Mental Floss. She joined Grunge as a writer in 2017 and began editing for Static Media in 2019. She is the author of four non-fiction books about death: "Funerals to Die For: The Craziest, Creepiest, and Most Bizarre Funeral Traditions and Practices Ever" (Adams Media, 2013), "It's Your Funeral! Plan the Celebration of a Lifetime — Before It's Too Late" (Quirk Books, 2021), "Texas Mass Graves: Burial Grounds of Atrocity, Massacre and Battle" (The History Press, 2022), and a forthcoming book with The History Press on women undertakers of Texas from 1880-1930.
Education
Kathy has a B.A. in History from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a Postgraduate Diploma in Medieval and Tudor Studies from the University of Kent at Canterbury.
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Stories By Kathy Benjamin
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Many have managed to escape their old life after a pretend death, but not all succeed. Here are some people who actually got caught after faking their deaths.
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Whether looking back on their lives or forward to a future that wouldn't be, here are the final interviews of some of country music's biggest stars.
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Many men that had relationships with Marilyn Monroe tended to speak about her at length. Here's what Monroe's exes said about her after her death.
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Some royals have gone out with last words that are ironic, tragic, or otherwise notable. Here are a few of history's most intriguing royal outro lines.
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Any final last words? Let these examples be either cautionary tales or inspiration. These are the last words these politicians said before death.
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Even when a candidate is behind bars, plenty of people will still vote for them. Here are times in history when candidates ran for office from prison.
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While many politicians are so powerful they never have to answer for their crimes, others do face consequences. Here are the world leaders who've been arrested.
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Reaching sainthood is an impressive accomplishment - even more so when the honor is bestowed upon children. Here are the youngest saints in the Catholic Church.
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Whether they were assassinated, executed, or died from illness, the deaths of these women who were married to dictators were all awful.
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Sometimes, a saint's remarkable life followed them to the grave. Here are some of the bizarre things these saints were buried with or next to.
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It should come as no surprise that when many presidents found themselves with a little downtime, they often had unusual or quirky hobbies.
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Whether they make a will or not, someone inherits a rapper's fortune once they are dead. Here's who inherited these rappers' fortunes when they died.
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The heirs to big fortunes tend to get a bit litigious once the one who had been holding the purse strings dies. These are the wildest inheritance disputes ever.
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Thanks to all the bodyguards who surround them pretty much constantly, it is very difficult to kidnap a royal. But that doesn't stop some criminals from trying.
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To find true fame as a dead body, something really unique has to happen. Here are chilling details about these famous corpses.
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Whether it was the last text message they ever sent or the last one a loved one received, here are the tragic text messages famous people sent before dying.
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No matter how they manage it, there can only be one person in the world who is the first consumer to get their hands on a new kind of technology.
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Many countries have released stamps that offended their own citizens or ruffled international feathers. These are the most controversial postage stamps ever.
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Though their supporters might think otherwise, presidents are human beings, flesh and bone, subject to stress and biology -- sometimes fatally.
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After the shock resignation of Liz Truss on October 20, 2022, the list of the shortest-serving U.K. prime ministers ever has gotten a big shakeup.
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There are plenty of environmental issues that cause dire but more localized problems. So it often is with rivers. Here are the most endangered rivers in the US.
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While some famous musicians were buried with keepsakes anyone could understand not wanting to leave behind, others decided to go a much more rock-star route.
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As parasports become more popular, not only are disabilities normalized, but the feats of some of the world's greatest athletes get well-deserved attention.
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Even if you've never stepped foot on a farm in your life, you've heard the name John Deere. So, just who was this John Deere guy? Let's find out.
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When a young person with their whole life ahead of them dies suddenly, the blow can be unbearable. Here are NBA players who died before turning 40.
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The Latting Observatory was taller than anything built in New York City before 1853. But what happened to it? And why do so few people even know it existed?
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Whether it's what they wore, items placed in their coffins, or even the coffins themselves, here are some of the things American presidents were buried with.