Entertainment

Read His Touching Self-Penned Obituary

by Rachel Semigran

In the wake of the tragic loss of the celebrated actor, James Rebhorn's self-penned obituary has just been published. Rebhorn, best known for his roles in Homeland, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Independence Day, and The Good Wife along with a critically-acclaimed history on the stage. Rebhorn passed away at the age of 65 on Friday, March 21 from melanoma.

The obituary was posted by Rebhorn’s church, St. Paul Lutheran in Jersey City, New Jersey, to which the parish noted, “James Robert Rebhorn, a longtime member of St. Paul’s, died in the Lord, at home with his family, on March 21. At St. Paul’s, he will be remembered not so much for his many screen and stage accomplishments as for his firm faith, his strong leadership, his care for others, and his unfailing good humor.”

The loss of Rebhorn is clearly felt very deeply by his friends, family, community, and throughout the entertainment industry.

You can read the entire obituary on St. Paul’s website. Here’s just an example of the of humble, kind, and beautiful words Rebhorn wrote of his life and the people who filled it,

He is survived by his sister, Janice Barbara Galbraith, of Myrtle Beach, SC. She was his friend, his confidant, and, more often than either of them would like to admit, his bridge over troubled waters.

He is also survived by his wife, Rebecca Fulton Linn, and his two daughters, Emma Rebecca Rebhorn and Hannah Linn Rebhorn. They anchored his life and gave him the freedom to live it. Without them, always at the center of his being, his life would have been little more than a vapor. Rebecca loved him with all his flaws, and in her the concept of ceaseless love could find no better example.

His children made him immensely proud. Their dedication to improving our species and making the world a better place gave him hope for the future. They deal with grief differently, and they should each manage it as they see fit. He hopes, however, that they will grieve his passing only as long as necessary. They have much good work to do, and they should get busy doing it. Time is flying by. His son-in-law, Ben, also survives him. Jim loved Ben, who was as a son to Jim, especially through these last months.