Stoneman Willie Wikipedia, Wiki, Real Name, Funeral, Alive, Identify, Wiki, Parade
Stoneman Willie Wikipedia, Wiki, Real Name, Funeral, Alive, Identify, Wiki, Parade – In a heartwarming and unusual story, the people of Reading, Pennsylvania, are saying their final goodbyes to a mummy who has been a beloved and mysterious figure in their community for over a century. This previously unidentified man, affectionately known as “Stoneman Willie,” had his body preserved in an embalming experiment 128 years ago. For all these years, he has been on display at Auman’s Funeral Home in Reading.
Now, after more than a century of being on display, the funeral home has finally identified the mystery man and decided to give him a proper burial and gravestone. The funeral home plans to reveal his true name during the burial ceremony.
Kyle Blankenbiller, the director of Auman’s Funeral Home, expressed mixed feelings about saying goodbye to Stoneman Willie, saying, “We don’t like to see him leave. It’ll be strange here without him in the building. But the consensus has been within the community — and among our staff, as well — that this gentleman just deserves to finally rest in peace and just have his day.”
The Tale of Stoneman Willie
Stoneman Willie, as he was affectionately called by the people of Reading, arrived in the town from Philadelphia in 1895. He had a reputation for being a troublemaker, known for boozing, picking pockets, and committing petty theft. Soon after his arrival in Reading, he was arrested for public drunkenness and was sent to the Berks County Prison.
Unfortunately, Stoneman Willie’s story took a tragic turn when he passed away in prison due to kidney failure, brought on by acute alcohol withdrawal. Adding to the mystery, he had given prison authorities a fake name, making it difficult to identify him properly.
Enter Theo Auman, the funeral home’s first director, who saw an opportunity to test a new embalming technique he had come across in a Philadelphia bookstore. He decided to apply this experimental embalming method to Willie’s body as a way to preserve it until his family could be located.
However, when no one claimed the remains, the state ordered Auman to bury the body as an unidentified John Doe. Auman successfully petitioned to keep the body at the funeral home to continue monitoring the progress of the experimental embalming technique.
Over the years, Stoneman Willie became something of a local legend in Reading. He was displayed in a private room at the funeral home, and people would often visit him on school trips. Charles J. Adams II, a local historian who will be eulogizing Willie at his funeral, remarked, “He became a legend, which is fine. I’m very much into legends. But he was a man. He had a mother and a father, friends and relatives we know nothing about. So I think that’s the important thing for the eulogy of what we know as Stoneman Willie.”
Uncovering the Mystery
For a long time, historians and the funeral home staff had suspicions about Willie’s true identity. Kyle Blankenbiller, who started working at Auman’s Funeral Home ten years ago, made it his mission to uncover the truth. Through old-fashioned detective work, he managed to narrow down the possibilities but was unable to locate any living relatives of Stoneman Willie.
Blankenbiller has decided to keep Willie’s real name a secret until his funeral day. On that day, Stoneman Willie will finally be laid to rest in the nearby community of Exeter Township, with his true name inscribed on his gravestone.
A Community’s Farewell
Until the day of the funeral, Stoneman Willie’s body will remain on display at the funeral home, allowing residents to pay their final respects. His casket was even part of a parade through the streets of Reading during a celebration marking the town’s 275th anniversary.
Many residents of Reading have expressed their support for this unique and heartfelt farewell to Stoneman Willie. Randy Taylor, a Reading resident, said, “I think it’s good that he finally gets his respect and gets buried with dignity. I think it’s a very good Reading story. I love it.”
Keeping the Legacy Alive
Auman’s Funeral Home plans to honor Stoneman Willie’s memory with annual fundraisers commemorating the anniversary of his burial. One idea they are considering is a yearly 5K run from the funeral home to his gravesite. All proceeds from this event would be dedicated to homeless outreach in the city of Reading, a fitting tribute to a man who lived a transient life without a home of his own.
Conclusion
The story of Stoneman Willie, a man who lived a troubled life and became a local legend in death, reminds us of the importance of compassion, community, and the value of every individual’s story. His journey from obscurity to a beloved figure in Reading is a testament to the power of local history and the human connection that transcends time. As Reading comes together to bid him a final farewell, it serves as a heartwarming example of how a community can come together to honor one of its own, even after more than a century of mystery and anonymity. Stoneman Willie may finally be at peace, but his story will live on in the hearts of those who knew him as a friend and a legend.
Who is Stoneman Willie, and why is he significant?
Stoneman Willie was a previously unidentified man who died in 1895 and had his body preserved in an embalming experiment. He became a beloved figure in Reading, Pennsylvania, where his mummy was on display at a local funeral home for over a century.
Why was Stoneman Willie’s true identity a mystery for so long?
Stoneman Willie had given prison authorities a fake name when he was arrested, making it challenging to identify him. This mystery persisted for more than a century.
How did Stoneman Willie end up on display at Auman’s Funeral Home?
Theo Auman, the funeral home’s first director, used Willie’s body to test a new embalming technique he found in a Philadelphia bookstore. When no one claimed the remains, the state initially ordered Auman to bury him, but he successfully petitioned to keep the body for further study.
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what a beautiful story and out come that still today he is remembered and treated with respect and given a proper burial and will always be remembered to all history and that he was treated as human being and not just an experiment….may he finally be resting in peace and God Bless all that made this possible in his memory and the love people have shown for him..