AN AMERICAN grandmother faced with the prospect of voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton instead chose to die, in the most dramatic reaction to the US election yet.

Mary Anne Noland, 68, passed away on Sunday after battling lung cancer.

Her obituary, published by The Richmond Times-Dispatch on Tuesday, kicked off with a bold statement.

“Faced with the prospect of voting for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Mary Anne Noland of Richmond chose, instead, to pass into the eternal love of God on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at the age of 68,” the death notice read.

The Virginia woman’s husband Jim Noland told NBC12 that one of her three sons wrote the obituary as a joke, a way for her family to continue her sense of humour, and not as a political jab.

He said his wife of 46 years, a wound care nurse and grandmother of 10, was strong, feisty and compassionate.

Mr Noland said his family is devastated at his beloved wife’s death, but hope the obituary captures her engaging and generous spirit.

Actual obituary in the Richmond Times Dispatch... pic.twitter.com/yDRnmBFEZy — Devon (@d_brem) May 17, 2016

The Richmond Times-Dispatch said it has published obituaries in the past that addressed politics, sport and even drinks of choice.

“This isn’t the first time a paid death notice has been used to send a personal message to the world,” the publication said in a statement.