Friends of London's unofficial town crier hope to give him a boisterous send off
CBC
The funeral for Bill Paul, the unofficial London, Ont., town crier who brought joy to thousands of people over the years, is set for Friday and friends hope it will be a joyous, loud affair.
"Bring streamers! Noisemakers! Ride unicycles! Wear a funny hat! Ring your bells! Dance in the street! Let's celebrate this London icon in a truly memorable way," the Facebook event page for the funeral states.
"To honour Bill Paul's final wishes, join us in a joyous procession to honour his life! Wear costumes, bring instruments, as we say goodbye to Bill."
The funeral is set for Friday at 1 p.m. in the O'Neil Funeral Home parking lot on William Street. There are no gathering limits for outdoor funerals as long as COVID-19 protocols are followed.
"Please respect physical distancing, wear a mask if you can, and Bill was a great believer in being vaccinated, so it is never too late to get your shot," Paul's obituary reads.
After a brief ceremony, people will be given a chance to sign Paul's casket before a funeral procession makes its way to Mount Pleasant Cemetery on Riverside Road.
"It is often customary to pass by the home of a deceased on the way to the cemetery. For all intents and purposes, Victoria Park was Bill's real home," the obituary states.
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