GOIN' OUT IN STYLE

Bill Standley loved his Harley, so why not ride it on his trip outta here?  The story can be found here, most of which follows: 

Bill Standley spent many of his years travelling across America atop his 1967 Electra Glide despite eventually settling down in Mechanicsburg, Ohio.

Described as something of a colourful personality, Mr Standley was determined to take the bike with him when he departed, enlisting the help of sons Pete and Roy to create the 9ft-by-11ft plexiglass box.

According to his daughter, Dorothy Brown, the idea for the unique funeral came about 18 years ago when they were discussing what he would do with this bike when he died.

She said: ‘He said “what am I supposed to do? I’ve got two sons, but only one bike”. My sister just off-handedly said “oh dad, just be buried with it”.

‘I think it was about two weeks after that it really hit him – what a great idea. We all still thought he was kidding. Eighteen years later, guess what?’

The rider began his mission to create the genius casket six years ago by buying three burial plots next to his wife Lorna.

He was described by his daughter Dorothy as being a ‘twist of colour on the tweed surface of life’ and a ‘wanderlust’.

A bit of a nomad in his early years, he left his US home at 13 to work as a cattle ranch hand and rodeo rider in the west of the country.

Mr Standley was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last year and succumbed to lung cancer on Sunday.
One funeral attendee said: ‘Some people walk through the pearly gates, some people ride.’