AI Summary
5 min read“I have a stamp now that says return to sender because of how often it happens,” says Madison Reyes, explaining that she still gets mail addressed to the previous owner of her house — a woman named Ruth who is dead. That mundane frustration sent her down a rabbit hole into one of the strangest government offices America ever created: the Dead Letter Office. This episode of OBITCHUARY weaves together that historical curiosity with listener-submitted “am I the asshole” dilemmas, a grisly true-crime case, and a handful of obituaries both heartfelt and absurd. The throughline is death in its many forms — sudden, tragic, comic, bureaucratic, and even postal.
The Dead Letter Office and a Postal Service for the Dead
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:13) **Welcome & Weekend Recap** - Spencer and Madison catch up after spending the weekend together, discussing thrifting, introducing a friend to *Grey Gardens*, and a memorable estate sale.
- 2 (07:42) **House Hunters Rant & Home Renovation Pet Peeves** - The hosts vent about a *House Hunters* episode and lament people ruining the historic charm of old houses with trendy renovations.
- 3 (15:51) **AITA: Late Husband's Dog** - Spencer reads a Reddit AITA post from a widow whose stepdaughter wants to take her late husband's dog.
- 4 (18:48) **AITA: Blaming Grandma for Son's Death** - The hosts discuss a heavy AITA post about a grandmother who enabled her son's alcoholism, leading to his death.
- 5 (22:23) **Listener Story: Funeral Crasher Dad** - A listener named Hailey writes in with a story about her father crashing her aunt's funeral in a chaotic, unforgettable way.
- 6 (27:24) **Side Bitch: Oxalic Acid Mistake** - Madison reads a 1917 obituary about a 21-year-old painter who died after mistaking oxalic acid for Epsom salts.
- 7 (30:52) **Coffin Spinner: The Dead Letter Office** - Madison dives into the history of the U.S. Postal Service's "Dead Letter Office," a government office for undeliverable mail.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
This week Madison is taking us on a trip to the post office to teach us about DEAD LETTERS! Next, Spencer has a horrifying cult liter-esque story that will send chills down your spine! We’ve got an obituary that was….destructive, one written by a sweet Geoff and so much more including, of course, some dumb.ass.criminalllllllls!
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Sources:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/lois-lenz-obituary?id=59406317
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1005582537/
https://people.com/mich-man-lived-with-girlfriend-corpse-months-12019262
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1299479204/
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