Web site attracks millions of grave-seekers.

Byline: Chris Cobbs

Jim Tipton may have the oddest living room in the world. In fact, it's misleading to refer to it as a living room at all, because it's a monument to dying.

The decorative pieces include an upright granite headstone engraved with a large question mark, along with an antique bottle of embalming fluid and an 1884-vintage coffin screwdriver.

A macabre setting, for sure. But it's also perfect for a man whose obsession with the deceased is his life's work and the driving force behind Findagrave.com, a magnet for millions of Web surfers with a morbid streak.

The 6-year-old site lures more than 20,000 daily visitors with a virtual guide to the hereafter, complete with maps, photos and biographies covering everyone from recently dead movie stars Jack Lemmon and Carroll O'Connor to obscure individuals centuries gone.

In June, Findagrave added 74,733 new burial records, bringing the overall total to 2,689,960 names in 31,630 cemeteries. About 2.5 million of the total consists of nonfamous individuals.

Virtual grave-seekers can search by …