Funeral of Bill Auld

Today Jean and I went to the little town of Dollar to attend Bill's funeral.

There was a slight touch of autumn, but the sun appeared and Dollar looked its best, nestling under the Ochil Hills.

Perhaps 150 persons attended the Funeral Service. Everything was done decently and in order, but with an underlying feeling of celebration in spite of the sadness.

Roy spoke about Bill as a Father. He clearly depicted the talented man whom we all know; yet a man who remained close to his small town and a multitude of ordinary people.

John Wells with commendable brevity indicated the importance of Bill as a literary giant. Renato Corsetti chose simple moving words to describe Bill as a man who was proud to be an Esperantist. The translation was done by Brian Moon, who afterwards added a few words concerning Bill's role in the Academy of Esperanto.

The coffin left the church to a plaintive Jacobite melody on the bagpipes.

Bill was buried in the kirkyard a few metres from the Kirk door. Scots was used for the reading of a Psalm.

We went to a hotel across the road for a dram and a plate of broth. Conversations continually returned to the humble genius.

Bill is at rest in the shadow of the Ochils; but his works and personality remain to inspire us all.