DEAR MISS MANNERS: Twice in the past month, I've been sent emails with lists of recipients that include people who have recently died -- one an invitation to lunch, and another to advise that a high school classmate had died.
In both cases, it was clear from the email's content that the sender knew that the recipients were dead. I was especially horrified to see that the one regarding the classmate who died was sent to the dead classmate (along with around 100 other people).
Is sending email to a dead person to advise the person that he has died appropriate? Would it be more appropriate to cc: the deceased in the event that the surviving family might see and appreciate the email? Would it be appropriate for me to contact the sender(s) and suggest that this is in poor taste?
GENTLE READER: Indeed, Miss Manners agrees that the dead should be allowed the courtesy of resting in peace without being bombarded with emails.
It would be rude of you to correct the sender's manners, so we shall have to call it an oversight, as if it were not an unforgivable one, considering the content of the missive. Then you would simply write suggesting that under the circumstances, these people's names should be removed from the list.