Fort Lauderdale, Florida (AP)—The Rev. Ivory W. Mizell commemorated his 64th birthday by watching his own funeral. “I think it was good. It was much better than I expected,” he said after Wednesday night’s service at the First Baptist Church of Piney Grove.

On the programs printed up for the service were these words: “This, my funeral service, is being held because I have no pleasure in words I cannot hear, flowers I cannot smell and friends I cannot see.”