World

Dead man's wife and girlfriend place competing obituaries side-by-side in US newspaper

The wife and girlfriend of a deceased New Jersey man have placed competing obituaries side-by-side in their local paper because they could not agree on how to phrase the 55-year-old's death notice.

The notices, for Bill Black of Egg Harbor Township, appeared next to each other in the Friday edition of the Press of Atlantic City – a daily newspaper in New Jersey.

The competing obituaries were placed side-by-side in Friday's edition of the Press of Atlantic City.
The competing obituaries were placed side-by-side in Friday's edition of the Press of Atlantic City. Photo: Twitter

They have also been published online.

One of the notices says Mr Black is survived by a "loving wife" and son after passing away on August 2 surrounded by family.

However the second obituary makes no mention of a wife and instead says he is survived by a son, siblings and a "long-tome [sic] girlfriend".

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The second obituary says Mr Black died from lung cancer "due to fibreglass exposure".

A staff member at Greenidge Funeral Homes, the business conducting Mr Black's funeral, told The Philly Voice the two notices appeared because of a disagreement over the obituary's wording.

"The wife wanted it one way, and the girlfriend wanted it another way," he said.

Mr Black's funeral will be held on Sunday.