Death is no laughing matter, but it’s difficult not to utter a little chuckle when you read the endearing obituary that was written for Bonnie “The Goodtime” Duck.
William Linville and his granddaughter, Hailey Hickerson, had become good friends with the little bird during their regular trips to the park in Biloxi, Mississippi.
While Bonnie is typically a female name, they never actually had any idea of whether the duck was a male or female. The attractive little tuft of feathers on top of her head suggested that she was a female, but the duck was often seen beating up on a local male mallard that tried to edge in on her turf.
Regardless of Bonnie’s gender, the duck is now waddling through the waters of heaven. Hopefully, there is plenty of bread to be had in the afterlife, as that was how Linville and his granddaughter first befriended Bonnie. Linville and Hailey regularly hung out with Bonnie as they tossed little treats to the birds at the park – so when they realized that Bonnie had passed on to the great beyond, Linville felt moved to write her/him an obituary.
RELATED: Daughter Fulfills Dad’s Last Wish With Side-Splitting Obituary
“With a saddened heart I am reporting the passing of Bonnie ‘the goodtime duck’ of Hiller Park,” Linville wrote, according to the Sun Herald. “Bonnie was known by many bread throwers because of the fashionable feather bun worn on the top of her/his head. Bonnie was thought to be a female because of her high-fashion hairdos, but male mating tendencies describe him as being male.”
“During mating season, she, or he, would beat up on a mallard,” he added. “So I really don’t know what was going on. It wasn’t like Bonnie to do that.”
There were a bunch of other birds that were frequent fliers for Linville and Hailey’s bread trips. In addition to Bonnie, there was Pickles and his sidekick The Old Gray Goose. There was the pack of ugly ducklings who were buddies with Bonnie’s, as well as Copper – Bonnie’s best avian friend.
MORE: Hilarious Craigslist Ad Seeks ‘Generic Father Figure’ For Backyard BBQ
“Bonnie was retired, unable to fly, but a fast runner,” Linville wrote. “Bonnie was smart, always coming in close from behind to get that bread and avoid those agonizing seagulls.”
“We’ve been going out there probably eight years,” he said. “One year, we started noticing there was a different one. My granddaughter had started naming them. There was this one with a bun on its head, and she wears her hair in a bun, so we started looking for that duck every time. We’d call out for her, and she began recognizing her name. We’d holler, and she’d start running for the van.”
LOOK: Photo of “Pathway to Heaven” Offers Peace to Grieving Families
Since Bonnie passed away, Copper has been keeping company with some black ducks at the park. As for Linville and Hailey, they are content to pour out some bread crumbs in Bonnie’s memory.
“Bonnie will truly be missed by many. He/she was a good duck, and Hiller Park just isn’t the same without Bonnie,” Linville wrote. “Hopefully the good Lord has a rainbow bridge for ducks, with beautiful ponds and green meadows. We will always remember Bonnie.”
Waddle You Waiting For? Share This Sweet Story With Your Friends – Photo by William Linville