Wow. I didn't realize I would open up so many wounds. My apologies for that. Thank you all for sharing your stories.

I don't miss people much. Mom still around.

While I've not lost either of them, I'm not really gonna miss either of them once they pass. Cruel I know, but they have only ever been parents in the legal sense. I've had many differences and challenges with them,they kind of know I'm and atheist as I've only subtlety give out clues. They're not very rational and accepting people all things considered as they would antagonize me over the most petty of nonsense.

I don't really have anything of value to say to them, I just want to mind my own business without their narrow view squandering my enjoyment. Being a black sheep of the family, I've just kept to myself, but that in of itself has been enough for them to start pointless issues with me. After so many year, it's really hard to give a damn about certain things, so I've just taken the apathetic position on matters involving them. I know they wouldn't handle my atheism all that well so I keep quiet for now, but I know there will be a time where they will either have to deal with it, or risk losing me forever.

It's a tough feeling because I generally hate sociopaths, but I in turn feel like a sociopath when it comes to my own family. They've never done anything to truly garner greater affection, so they're as important to me as some random folk because I can just feel the judgmental aura radiating from them when it comes to matters of ideology.

More than anyone else, particularly any time im proud of my daughter.
Yes, they didn't care, religion wasn't particularly important so not at all.
Dad, stop drinking, one day youre going to fall asleep in bed with a cigarette lit. Dont do that.

I lost my father (specific COD unknown, but thought to be his heart) more than 20 years ago (1997) and my mother (COD lung cancer) more than 10 years ago (2007.) Of course I miss them both, but after this long it's not something I think about every day anymore.

They both knew I was atheist. It didn't seem to affect our relationship much, if at all. I think it affected Mom more than Dad. She seems to have thought it was just a "phase," so to speak. She once told me, "I'm not worried. You're smart. You'll figure it out." What she meant was that she was convinced that I would return to following Christianity.

I'm not sure what to think about Dad. Between the two of them, he was definitely more of a thinker. He attended church more often than did Mom, but he also did not seem particularly surprised when he became aware of my atheism. It was almost as though he understood. I think he might have been more agnostic than anything else, but couldn't really press it because Mom would freak out!! lol

What would I say to them today? I have no idea. After more than 20 years for Dad and more than 10 years for Mom, there would be a lot of news to share. Dad, who always had an opinion about current events, would want to know what was happening with the Green Bay Packers, the Wisconsin Badgers, the Milwaukee Brewers, the state government in Madison, the nations government, and me. He would likely ask, "How's your diabetes?" To which I would reply, "It's still there." He would also want to know about what I have been doing, where I've been working, what have I accomplished, etc.

Mom would be more concerned about family members. She would want me to bring her up to speed on my sisters, which would be difficult because that is where the divide has occurred. I don't speak to them much, and they don't speak to me much. The last time the four of us were all in the same place at the same time was when my niece married her girlfriend back in 2013. Before that, it was Mom's funeral. All three of my sisters chit-chat with each other frequently, but then again they are all active in their respective churches. This is particularly true of my elder sister, sibling #2 (I am sibling #3.) Her husband and their daughter are both Moravian ministers.

As far as I know, I am the only atheist in my extended family. I do have one cousin who I think might be, but he is not open about it.

Lost my mum just shy of 2 years ago. She'd been saying she didn't want to live any longer for a while, and April 2016, she got her wish. We used to argue a lot, and I have to accept that my life's a lot easier without her in it. Christmas Day no longer gets ruined for my son for starters (the last year she was alive, we stayed over at hers as usual. My son was allowed to unwrap his presents, but not to open any of them.)

Lost my dad, mostly, around 2003. He's still alive, but brain damage caused by a stroke sent him into a massive psychosis that medication barely takes the edge off. He now believes that his leg is going to explode, that he's poisoning the world with his germs, and that every bad thing that happens on the news is his fault. He spends most of his time silent, or stuck in a loop of repeating the same phrase over and over again. It's painful to watch, especially when the brief glimpse of the real him surfaces every once in a while, to remind everyone that he's still in there and suffering.

Neither of them brought me up as religious. My dad is officially Church of England (which is how I was Christened) but while we don't discuss the topic of religion, I'm pretty sure he's a non-believer. My mum was a lapsed Catholic, rediscovering her faith as she started to worry about her own mortality. But by the time it kicked in properly, both of us were too old to be indoctrinated. For all her nastiness, I could have rational theological arguments with my mother, and she'd never outright tell me that I was wrong. Though coming out as gay and transgender had her throwing all of her toys out of the pram. I still have her vile, threatening text messages on my phone.

I only see my father a couple times a year, but I would certainly miss him. He is one of the smartest people I know, and still reads a few books every week at 80 years old. (He looks to be in his 60s) He knows I am an atheist, but it does not affect our relationship in any way. I gave him The God Delusion for Christmas one year. I don't think his Catholic wife appreciated it, but she didn't say anything. He just said, "Thanks." lol

I haven't talked to my mother in around 5 years? I will not miss her. She is a cold and selfish woman. I doubt she knows much about me, or my children, to be honest. I struggle with what will happen when she dies. I think I would only go to her funeral for appearances, but that is so lame. I guess I'll figure it out when it happens.

I never met my birth parents. My adoptive mom died when I was 18-years-old. My adoptive dad is not in my life. I became an adult without parents. I was sad when my only mom died.

My mother's body is still walking around, but my mother has disappeared after more than a decade of drowning in dementia-like personality changes.

She always accepted me and still does...but I've noticed that she's become more outwardly religious and I'm concerned it may be a side-effect her aging. She's definitely losing her mind, and becoming a different person, so with increased religiosity I can definitely foresee a day when she can no longer tolerate my irreligion.

The man who sired me (as far as I know) is still walking around--but he was never a father to me.

My dad and I were good friends. He was very smart. Very kind. Very atheist.

On November 6th or so he fell and hit his head on a bathroom towel rack. On November 8th his wife was working the polls. Dad had showered and was getting dressed to go to a regular doctor visit and then to go vote for Hillary Clinton. He was home alone. His brain had been swelling for two days, he undoubtedly felt tired, fell into a coma, and was rushed to the hospital around 9:00 PM, and the breathing machine was turned off very early the next morning.

The reason I included that part is that besides missing him like crazy, I do take just a bit of comfort in the fact that he never had to witness the worst and most disappointing presidential election of our lives. I even added something about that in his obituary. No doubt all the conservatives in his small Idaho town didn't appreciate it.

My mom and I do not currently have a relationship. Yes, she knows I am atheist. I heard recently from my brother that one of my mom's greatest regrets is that she "didn't raise us with religion." Oh, well.

I never sore eye to eye with my dad. I don't really miss him though he wasn't too bad. I lost my sister last year too but she was better off dead than living like she was. I miss my dogs more. you can only choose your friends but not your family. my mum is still alive.

I lost my mother when I was 17 (Sept. '97)
I lost my father when I was 34 (Nov. 2014)
I can't say that I miss them because they were freed from their ailments.
My childhood was hell. Constant fighting between my parents. My father hated my brother (He was 6 years older than me. Passed away in May 2010)
We never got to the reason why he hated my brother. I'm assuming it's because in his eyes he was a disappointment. Hell, we both werei n my opinion. But there was no way he would admit that. Plus, he hated my brother because he was the first born and that meant the end of his single life and the dreams that he had...

After my mother passed away. The hostility got worse. One day, he physically attacked my brother and I snapped. I stepped between them and grabbed my father by the throat and threw him through a wooden kitchen chair.
He laid on the ground yelling at me and all I could do was stare him down. He didn't get up until after we left, which was shortly after. I guess that's one thing that I can say that I inherited from him. His rage. Although his was alcohol fueled. Mine is just raw. But I've kept mine in check for 37 years with the exception if that one slip up.

In 2005, I made peace with him. I wanted to put the past in the past. Which was difficult because he still disapproved of the shit my brother was doing.
He was now Christian because his new wife was.
He would ask me if I believe in God and every time I said that it was nonsense, he expressed his concern for me and my brother.
When my brother passed, I watched him play the sympathy card. I just let it slide because at that time, I was mentally exhausted for other reasons. (2010 was a living hell for me)

When my father passed away, I got the call from my step mother. She was the one who found him... Shortly after, my dad's best friend called me who was like an uncle to me to make sure that I was OK. No one else from that family contacted me and because of that... I eliminated all of them from my life. That's why I say that I don't have any family. My immediate family is deceased and those who are related by extension... Mean nothing to me.

Mom passed in 97 and Dad in15. My parents were almost 40 when I was born and the 5th of 6 children. My Dad allowed my Mom to force me into religious training until I was confirmed at which time I was allowed to make my own choice. I never believed and quit church except for weddings and funerals. My Mom knew my feelings and didn't nag me so it was never an issue between us. I miss my Mom but I said everything I had to her before she passed, my Dad and I were not close.

I lpst my pops when I was 15 and we were very close, I miss him everyday more than words could say. He was a catholc but he knew I was Athiest had been since I was 10 thpugh now I've been Agnostic since I was 17. He never cared though and supported menever forcing his beliefs on me. He said everyone should find their own way and this only made our bond closer. If I could physically talk to him today I would tell him "thankyou for being there for me and helping me become who I am today I love you and will never fprget the lessons you taught me, I can only hope to become half the man you were."

I miss them like you'd miss a hole in the head, they were both mentally unwell and abusive and I let home at fifteen. I love that I know who I love and who hasn't a loving bone in their body so I can thank them for teaching me that I don't have to suffer abuse from anyone and also teaching me how to learn to love. My friend said 'they died to save us all'.

I'm an orphan now. When alive never discussed. Irrelevant for me and presumably them also. My mother's death had no effect. We used to write each month and occasionally converse on the phone. She died a few years ago aged 94 in a magnificent death - her aorta fully opened whilst waiting for a lift. My father died about 30 years ago and sadly his death affected me more in that I always felt closer to him than my mother. The affect was however that his death had no effect which disconcerted me. The manner of his death was not pleasant, pneumonia through hospital negligence. The way I learnt of his impending death I can only describe as telepathic.

I lost my mother when I was 12. Mom was a devout Christian and she'd be disappointed that none of her three boys are religious.

My father died when I was 30 and I had not known him for most of my life anyway.

Parents split when I was 6, saw him once or twice for a year then mom took us to Florida. Didnt see him again til I was 18. Had a falling out a few years later and didnt have contact until I was 28

My brother had died the year before with things unresolved between us so Dad and I were working on our issues but I have no idea how he would have felt.

My father is dead, the only thing I missed about him was the opportunity to deck him before he died. My mother is hanging in there, could go 10 more years or less than 2 I used to believe we were close until I found all the things she did behind my back. When speaking to my mother I keep asking er to be truthful, she doesn't even deny the fact that she lies.
To my father if he came back from the dead, "eat shit and die" would be a starter. My father never believed re religion I am certain, though now he is dead the family claims otherwise, my mother is a religious nut who won't accept I don't believe but hates me for it just the same.