"If I did die it would shock people, but it wouldn't surprise anybody." -Matthew Perry

Godspeed to paradise, Matthew Perry, who sits a top of the Family Death Pool, dying October 30, 2023 at the age of 54 and makes Leah Zoladkiewicz the undisputed winner of the 2023 Family Death Pool. Leah will have an extra $255.00 for holiday spending with the highest Death Pool purse in our history!

In talking about the highs and lows of 2023 death pool watching, the Lehman girls had some tense, messy moments throughout the year with their neck and neck picks:

Ava Lehman- Pope Benedict XVI, aged 95 years
Mya Lehman-Bob Barker, aged 99 years 

As a reminder, 2024 picks must be submitted with dues by noon on Thanksgiving day. If you cannot attend in person, be sure to get your picks to a contact person. Last, if not attending in person, and not keeping your pick from last year, submit multiple selections in case your #1 choice is taken earlier in the draft.

Winners Circle

                                                                                                                                                                                  2024 Rules -The rules are simple and here they are:

1. The person must be a celebrity "now" and not become a celebrity because of their death.
2. The celebrity cannot be a death row inmate, even in states that don't execute death row inmates (e.g., California).
3. The you cannot kill anyone on your list.
4. The celebrity cannot be dead before you post your picks.
5. The celebrity must be human (no animals).
6. The celebrity cannot already be diagnosed with a terminal illness.  

ü  Clarification in 2018:  Aids will be recognized as a terminal illness. You cannot pick someone diagnosed with Aids. If you already have a pick with Aids, they're grandfathered in.  You can keep them. 

ü  2023 ruling:  Dementia was recognized as a ‘life limiting or terminal’ illness and continued support of recognizing the diagnosis of Aids as a terminal illness.

7. Points are awarded by subtracting the age of the dead celebrity from 100 (50 year old gets you 50 points, 80 year old gets you 20 points, etc.).
8. All selections and entry fees must be submitted by noon on Thanksgiving Day.
9. NEW in 2018:  In the event of a roll-over and you don't have a bet for the previous year entry fee will include current and previous year and you only get 1 pick.
10. NEW in 2018:  You must be able to verbalize your pick. So you cannot make a bet for an unborn baby or someone in a coma.
11. NEW in 2018:  You must be paid up to win.
12. NEW in 2018:  Current owners of the pick have 'right of first refusal' to keep that pick, even if someone dies.
13. NEW in 2023:  Andrew Veum (RIP) gets to keep his last pick of Richard Simmons indefinitely.  Exemption to rule #10.