Punxsutawney Phil's Pal Passes

[Golddollar]

I just got back from Punxsutawney, PA where I attended the funeral service for my friend and Inner Circle Member William C. "Bill" Deeley. Maybe the name is not familiar, but the face is unmistakable as for many years he was the handler for Punxsutawney Phil and became the face of the Groundhog Day ceremony as he presented Phil to the assembled multitude and the widespread electronic viewers. Bill was the owner/operator of a funeral home in Punxsutawney and a pillar of the community, being involved in many endeavors besides the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. I got to tell how I met Bill when I went to the Groundhog Day ceremony for the first time in 1989 and the story about how when he went to get Phil out of the stump Phil was not to be seen and was attempting to tunnel out of the stump. I got to see old friends from the Inner Circle and Bill's brother was very happy that I came up and told the story about how Bill managed to foil Phil's escape attempt.

 

[robvious]

R.I.P. "Bill"

 

[soFlaNative]

Sorry about your friend, he definitely had a one-of-a-kind gig.

 

[woodsltc]

Sad to hear of your friends passing. Certainly an interesting pastime he enjoyed. R.I.P. and God Bless.

Don

 

[SMSgt]

Maybe he just saw his own shadow.
RIP.

 

[BAM-BAM]

GD do you remember Chip Erhard from Grove City [one of my freshman roommates] in Colonial. A History major and in ROTC. His dad owned the Punxy radio station and was a Top Hat guy for many years.

 

[Golddollar]

GD do you remember Chip Erhard from Grove City [one of my freshman roommates] in Colonial. A History major and in ROTC. His dad owned the Punxy radio station and was a Top Hat guy for many years.

Yes, I knew the whole family. Chip's dad told me that he used all of his media contacts to get widespread media coverage for the Groundhog Day ceremony back then. I remember being able to listen to a live broadcast of the Groundhog Day ceremony back in the 1980s when I was living outside of Philadelphia.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Sorry for the loss of your friend, Golddollar.