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Doris Day: 'No Funeral, No Memorial' and No Grave, According to Her Manager in People

By Rodolfo Vieira

May 15, 2019

05:07 P.M.

The world recently lost Doris Day, one of the most cherished names in the entertainment and music businesses, but she won't have a funeral due to a personal request.

According to Bob Bashara, Day's close friend and manager, she might have asked not to have a funeral, a memorial or even a grave marker because she was shy.

Bashara explained that the actress and singer didn't like to think about death either and often avoided the topic at all costs. "She had difficulty accepting death," he said.

Actress and Singer Doris Day in 1966 | Photo: Getty Images

AVOIDING DEATH

Day drew her last breath on Monday, May 13, 2019, at the age of 97, and due to her advanced age, it was common for Bashara to ask her about the future, such as what would happen to her dogs after she died.

"She never let her celebrity affect her and who she was."

American actress and singer Doris Day with a dog in 1968 | Photo: Getty Images

Since she couldn't bear to think about her beloved furry companions suffering, she would often tell Bashara that he should take care of them, as she wanted them to be looked after.

The late star had always been a passionate animal lover but she couldn't handle being with her animals if they had to be put down. Death was too much of a taboo subject for Day.

Flowers placed on Doris Day's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame following the news of her death | Photo: Getty Images

AN EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY

Raised as a Catholic, the talented actress believed in God and that her voice had been a gift from the heavens, often saying "God gave me a voice and I just used it."

Doris Day at the 46th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles | Photo: Getty Images

Day was also known to be very humble, which was why she never really understood the love people had for her, a subject that came up several times in conversations with Bashara.

He said:

"She never let her celebrity affect her and who she was, and she was always the little girl from Cincinnati who was extraordinarily talented and went out in the world and did what she loved to do despite herself."

REMEMBERED BY THOSE SHE CARVED THE PATH FOR

Being such a big name in Hollywood, Day's passing caused a big impact on those who knew her, respected her and revered her, including celebrities such as Antonio Banderas and William Shatner.

"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, a fan of the golden days of television, also paid tribute to the late actress by sharing a video of her singing "Shaking the Blues Away" in the 1955 film "Love Me or Leave Me."