Deathday?

Why does our society not have a specific term that refers to recognizing the anniversary of a person's death?

Anniversary generally refers to marriage. Birthday, of course, refers to just that. But we have no term expressing our commemoration of the day a person died.

Perhaps it is because death is sad, and we don't want to acknowledge our sadness over someone's death in a public way year after year, as we would celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.

Perhaps it is because death is fearful, and recognizing the passing of others on a yearly basis in a public way reminds us too much of our own mortality. But some other cultures do. The Mexican Day of the Dead is a very good example.

Perhaps it is simply the harsh, guttural alliteration of a term like "deathday."

To be sure, it is not a festive event to memorialize the day a loved one left this world. But it is fitting and respectful.

Today is the deathday of my friend and co-worker, A.R., in 2001. I want to always remember this day and all the days before that I knew her.