Jar of ashes nothing to fight about

Now I agree some things in life are worth fighting for ? or fighting over. Standing up for what you believe in, America, apple pie, your family, the love of a good woman and respect would be at the top of my list.

But there?s one thing I know that?s not worth the trouble, a jar full of ashes. Yes, I said ashes.

Baseball Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett passed away in March after suffering a stroke. His body was cremated, and now it seems his loved ones are fighting over his remains, a jar of ashes.

The feud is between Puckett?s children and his fiancee, Jodi Olson. Now I can understand his children wanting to have their father?s remains, but for the woman who he hadn?t married yet to get involved in a lawsuit, or even a discussion about it with his children, is unbelievable.

I just don?t see where she would have the right to his remains.

The way I see it, she should have no say so in it whatsoever. If he wanted his ashes to go to his soon-to-be wife, he would have stated so in his will. And apparently, the will didn?t cover who would get to keep the jar.

As of right now, his remains are being kept at a local funeral home in Scottsdale, Ariz., until the two sides come to an agreement. I wonder if they?re charging a storage fee.

Maybe I?m not thinking this through too clearly, but would I really want somebody?s ashes if I wasn?t married to them? I know I wouldn?t make an issue out of it if I was in the same situation, unless I had an alternative motive in mind.

And isn?t that being a little unreasonable and inconsiderate to his children?

It sounds like to me somebody, namely ?the fiancee,? is thinking e-Bay somewhere down the road.

In this day and age of people paying through the nose for any kind of sports memorabilia or celebrity merchandise they can find, would you be surprised to see Puckett?s earthly remains up there on the auction block alongside Nolan Ryan?s jockstrap or Barry Bonds? used syringes? I sure wouldn?t.

In fact, throw in an autographed baseball card to go with those ashes, and I?d bet you could pocket a nice little nest egg.

Maybe they should divide the ashes and spilt them down the middle.

It?s a good thing this lady wasn?t going to marry Ted Williams, or she would be fighting over his frozen ashes.

What if he wasn?t cremated and had been buried? Would she be offering to pay for the funeral and headstone, or leave it to his children to pay for? Would she want the body to be buried in her back yard? I don?t think so.

If she really loved Puckett, wouldn?t she want his children to have their dad?s remains?

Both sides have attorneys, and a petition will be filed if the matter hasn?t been worked out by next week.

Let me say this: If my family or anyone fights over my remains after I?m gone, make sure someone gives them a mental evaluation.

I know I have taken a few cheap shots and made light of this, on what some would see as a emotional sensitive issue.

But folks, this is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard of. It ranks right up there with the Williams family fighting over their father?s frozen body parts.