Flags in Wiarton, Ontario are flying at half-mast today.
A memorial service will be held today for Wiarton Willie, the weather-predicting albino groundhog.
The eight-year-old rodent died of an infection on July 11, 2006. Willie’s handler Holly Morrow said, “He had a good life.”
Each year on Groundhog Day, February 2nd, Wiarton Willie predicted whether or not Canadians would have an early spring.
6-ton statue of Wiarton Willie called "Willie Emerging"
The death of Willie's predecessor in 1999 caused the scandal known throughout Canada as “Williegate.” The groundhog in Willie’s casket was actually a stuffed imposter who had died years earlier! Apparently, the real Willie was too decomposed to be put on display.
This Wiarton Willie will be cremated. His ashes will be buried in a shrine next to the stone sculpture of Willie in Bluewater Park.
Infomaniac will keep you posted as to Willie’s successor.
Wiarton, Ontario
That's so very sad. RIP Wiarton Willie.
ReplyDeleteOh that is sad to hear. Now I also know abit about Groundhog day
ReplyDeleteSo the statue is called ´Willie Emerging´.
ReplyDeleteI know you wouldn´t dream of making that up.
RIP Willie.
Chelly & Charles: Sad, yes. But as his handler said, "He had a good life."
ReplyDeleteKaz: I'm not making it up! 'Willie Emerging' is really the name of the statue and it was designed by Dave Robinson.
Very sad indeed. I grew up about 20 minutes south of Wiarton and used to go every year to see him.
ReplyDeleteHe will be missed.
You can't see my little farming town on MJ's map but it would be written just above Hanover. (no one cares)
Pamer: I care. Was it Chesley? Elmwood?
ReplyDeleteGod bless Willie. The papers over here seem to have missed this story.
ReplyDeleteFrobi: Wiarton Willie's a Canadian icon. Like your Paddington Bear or your Peter Rabbit. Only Willie's a real groundhog, not a storybook character. I'm shocked that Willie's demise didn't hit the cover of The Times.
ReplyDeleteLove that statue.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you just mince him up and feed him to one of the neighbours dogs?
ReplyDeleteOr just flush him down to toilet and be done with it. It's be like a theme park water ride all the way to heaven, or something.
Poor wee thing. I bet it's glad it escaped the life it was having to live.
Yep...Chesley. I am beaucoup impressed. Is there anything this chick doesn't know?? Seriously.
ReplyDeleteI predict six more weeks of auditions to find a replacement.
ReplyDelete'Ol Willy cast a BIG shadow and that will not be easy to fill.
*ignores Piggy*
ReplyDeletePamer: I would confuse that place name with Chesney, the kid from Corrie. Is your mum named Cilla?
HE: Har. Nice one. Could they stage a reality show to find a replacement? 'Big Rodent.'
Well.
ReplyDeleteYou are just a bundle of trivia, aren't you?
Hmmm.
Thank you.
I will find a way to work this into a converstain over the next 24 hours-let me go back and re-read and make certain I know his name and location.
Do you mean Chesney, Cilla's son who snuffed it yesterday after choking on a fish bone? Les bought him the fish from a really cheap fish and chip shop that was just closing.
ReplyDeletePoor little sod.
That's the second death this month, following Shelley the pub manager's death last week. Charlie slaughtered her with a stale black pudding down by the river. Awful, it was.
*evil laugh*
~D: Wiarton Willie is the Canadian equivalent of Punxsutawney Phil. Only Phil's a regular groundhog and Willie's an albino.
ReplyDeletePiggy: I hope you're smothered by a rampaging blancmange.
ooooo there is a brampton on your map ,thats the same name as the village i live in
ReplyDeletepoor wee willie bless (sounds like im talking about piggy haa haa)
Midget Arse: We colonials named a lot of our cities and towns after yours. Couldn't come up with anything original.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're talking about Piggy's wee willie.
Little button...may he go to the big ground hog hole in the sky.
ReplyDeleteOhio's official Ground Hog of record is Buckeye Chuck. He is housed in a hutch outside radio station WMRN, on the northside of Marion Ohio - my hometown of record.
ReplyDeleteThe first Buckeye Chuck appeared in 1978. I was dating a girl (yes, it twue) who work at the radio station and she invited me over to visit Chuck. I felt bad for him in his hutch. But as she pointed out, he was living the good life, being fed food and safe from preditors and being run over.
But Wood Chuck is good eating...
COOKIE: I don't know whether I'm more shocked by your admission of eating wood chuck or by your dating a girl!
ReplyDelete