Doris Day Loved Animals and Hated Death~~~ No Funeral, No Marker No Service

 "She didn’t like death, and she couldn’t be with her animals if they had to be put down," her manager and close friend Bob Bashara told People, noting that Day battled to accept death.

There will be no funeral or memorial services held for Doris Day. There also will be no grave marker for the legendary Hollywood star who died Monday of pneumonia at age 97. These are the wishes stated in her will.
"She didn’t like death, and she couldn’t be with her animals if they had to be put down," her manager and close friend Bob Bashara told People, noting that Day battled to accept death.

   "I’d say we need to provide for her dogs [after she died], and she’d say, 'I don’t want to think about it' and she said, 'Well, you just take care of them,'" Bashara said. "She had several when her will was written, and she wanted to be sure they were taken care of. She didn’t like to talk about the dogs dying." 

A committed animal lover, Day encouraged those wanting to remember her to instead donate to the Doris Day Animal Foundation, according to the charity organization's website.  

The foundation came into being in the 1970s and was the basis upon which Day fought against animal testing. She went on to successfully implement spaying and neutering education and outreach programs across the U.S. while providing support to various other small animal rescue organizations nationwide, with a strong focus on senior pets. 

In the wake of her death, the charity organization said it would continue the work that Day so tirelessly gave to animal welfare. Meanwhile, Bashara explained that Day’s estate will be donated to charity, as stated in her will.

“The ultimate thing for it is to keep the foundation going," he told People.