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Clown laid to rest with highest honor from peers

Bellefontaine's Hi-Point Church of Christ Pastor Mike Sandlin leads eight pallbearers dressed in full clown regalia at the funeral of Norman Thompson, life member of Antioch Shrine Funster Clown Unit, at Fairview Cemetery in West Liberty on Friday, May 29. Staff photo by Marshall Gorby

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By Bridgette Outten, Staff Writer Updated 10:02 PM Friday, May 29, 2009

BELLEFONTAINE — Norman Thompson considered cheering people up his duty.

As a Shriner and member of the Antioch Shrine Funster Clown Unit for 15 years, Thompson took his work seriously.

The clown unit specializes in eliciting smiles from and comforting children who are burn victims or have orthopedic problems.

By all accounts, Thompson, also known as “Boppo,” was good at what he did with a great sense of humor and a ready smile.

Thompson, 79, died Monday, May 25.

He was buried Friday, May 29, with the highest honor a clown can receive: he was “carried to his resting spot by his fellow clowns,” said Mick (Willie the Clown) Lile, the Funsters’ director known informally as the boss clown.

“Our motto is ‘Clowns having fun helping kids,’ ” Lile said. “We work so they can play.”

In addition to Thompson’s work as a Funster, a 54-year member of the Free and Accepted Masons Mad River Lodge #161 in West Liberty and other service activities, he was a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather who loved to tinker with John Deere tractors.

Thompson worked as a boiler man at Monarch Tool and Die in Sidney. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris Jean, and two brothers.

Eight of Thompson’s fellow clowns in their full costumes acted as pallbearers at Thompson’s funeral.

“Oh, he’s definitely smiling right now,” said Gloria Thompson, Thompson’s daughter, at Friday’s service.

“He definitely would have gotten a kick out of all this,” agreed Gloria Thompson’s sister, Melody King.

The tribute is only done at clowns’ funerals at the request of the deceased and their families, Lile explained.

Though there were tears, Thompson was laid to rest as he had lived: with more cheer than despair. And with honor.

“It’s kind of bittersweet, yes it is,” Lile said. “It’s remembering what he’s done and if he can’t clown anymore, this is the way he’d want to go out.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0374 or boutten@coxohio.com.

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