Remember Me [with smiles and laughter]

Poem

Remember me with smiles and laughter,
For that's the way I'll remember you all.
If you can only remember me with tears,
Then don't remember me at all.

-- Michael Landon--

About

In the TV series Little House on the Prairie, this poem was written by Julia Sanderson and read by Reverend Alden at Julia’s funeral. Julia had died from lymph node cancer.

The episode, titled Remember Me (Part I) originally aired November 5, 1975 and was episode 7 in Season 2. Remember Me Parts I & II received two Emmy nominations.

The part of Julia was played by Patricia Neal. The poem “Remember Me” was written by the show’s writer, director and star Michael Landon. Years later, in July 1991 it was read at Landon’s funeral by Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls Wilder, the daughter of Landon’s character Charles Ingalls.

The Little House on the Prairie show is based on the Little House book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The poem itself was not written by Wilder.

Author

Michael Landon (born Eugene Maurice Orowitz) lived from 1959-1991 and was also known for his roles as Little Joe Cartwright in the TV show Bonanza and Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven. He was born in Queens, New York. He died of pancreatic cancer. He changed his name when he went into acting, selecting it from a phone book.

Other Remember Me Funeral Poems

• Remember Me [To the living, I am gone]
  • By Margaret Mead
• Remember Me [Do not shed tears when I have gone but smile because I have lived]
  • By David Harkins
  • As read by Queen Elizabeth at the Queen Mother’s funeral
  • Different versions – She is gone: “You can shed tears that she is gone / or you can smile because she has lived”
• Remember Me [speak of me as you always have done]
  • By Anthony Dowson
• Remember [me when I have gone away]
  • By Christina Rossetti