Around 11 years ago, my father died. 11 years ago. Around two years ago, my mother passed away. They did not live in Montana; they lived about 1500 miles away.

For some reason, every few weeks, I receive mail addressed to my mother or my father at my address. Even after writing on some return card or application that the person they were addressing their mail to was long-ago deceased, the mail continues today. I’ve even written “DEAD” on the cards and returned them. The offers continue.

I never filed a change of address to get my parents’ mail forwarded to me. My two sisters live in the area where my parents lived, and they were listed on most documents and handled all the arrangements after my parents died.

Yesterday, my father received a “Medicare Advantage Health Plan with Prescription Drug Coverage” from Humana, Inc., which is based out of Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Patrick O’Toole, CSA, Vice President, writes to my dad that “It’s easy to enroll” and that he can “Get the facts” by calling them.

Well, Mr. O’Toole, if you can get my dad to enroll in your plan, then you are a better man than I. I would bet that my dad won’t be calling you, either.

My deceased mother received an offer for hearing aids the other day. I wrote on the card, “She doesn’t need a hearing aid because she is dead!!!” We’ll see if they send more offers.

I know some people would not make jokes about something like this. It might even bring up bad memories or create sadness in their lives and that’s too bad. In today’s world, some people might even file a lawsuit against those sending the mail.

These companies must purchase this information possibly from funeral homes or through state death records – maybe even our Federal Government sells the information to make a buck – you know to help pay the bills. Somebody is not getting a good deal.

Nevertheless, it’s really ridiculous to send mail to dead people. Come to think of it, if most of their offers are addressed to the dead, business may not be too good.