Dead Texas A&M Roach Gets Shrine, Cremation

A cockroach which lay dead in a Texas A&M University stairwell for weeks received a fond farewell including a shrine and cremation.

Rosie the Roach

A series of photos on Imgur recounts the story of Rosie Roach, a dead cockroach at Texas A&M which lay dead in the anthropology building’s stairwell for at least two weeks.

In the first image, dated December 3, someone decided to create a pink headstone and mat with pink stars for the deceased insect. “Some enterprising person has now made her a little shrine,” the caption states.

By the next morning, a Band Aid, roach clips, and flowers were added to the monument. A sign featuring the image of a roach and the words “Never Forget” was added later, along with coins and notes. By the end of the day, a Hershey’s kiss, a cigarette, and a lollipop were also placed alongside the departed roach.

A funeral pyre was constructed on the third day, in which Rosie was placed in a coffin flanked by plastic trees and bottle caps.

As days wore on, the shrine continued to grow, with the addition of candles, notes, cash, and stuffed animals. A sign read “Rosie the Roach will be with us until Tuesday, December 14th when a celebration of her life will be conducted. Food and drinks will be served in the main office during the afternoon.”

On December 17, Rosie was cremated.

The comment which probably summed up the entire Rosie incident best stated, “The things people do to procrastinate studying for finals.”

See the entire image series on the Imgur slideshow below.

There has been a dead cockroach in the anthropology building’s stairwell for at least two weeks. Some enterprising person has now made her a little shrine.