Fun-loving husband taken to his funeral on a double-decker bus after wife wanted to give him ‘one last laugh’

Jackie Palladino organised her husband a final farewell by transporting him to his funeral on a double-decker bus to give him ‘one last laugh.’ The 73-year-old organised the red London bus after her husband, Simon, died suddenly at the age of 69.

Jackie decided he would have to catch a bus to his own funeral and organised for his coffin to arrive at the crematorium on board a double-decker. With the help of Co-Op Funeralcare, Simon was transported to the service in a custom-made original London Transport hearse.

Jackie, of Rugby in Warwickshire, said: “Simon always had a brilliant sense of humour.

“I knew that he would have wanted his funeral to be light-hearted and would have laughed at the thought of being taken to the service on a double-decker. It’s far from traditional and so I worried that it might not be possible.

“But our family and the team at Co-op Funeralcare helped to ensure everything came together, and the day was just wonderful.”

The double-decker bus, specifically modified for funeral use, was sourced by Jackie’s daughter-in-law, Rita, after Simon died in April from heart disease. Having been a keen fisherman, Simon had a picture coffin depicting lakeside imagery before being transported to the ceremony in May on the lower deck.

Funeral arranger Mike Wheeldon said he had never organised a send-off like it before. He said: “It was certainly a unique funeral to put together and a first for me - I’ve seen horses and motorcycles before, but never a double decker bus.

“That really is the beauty of arranging such a special occasion for families, everything is personal, and you’re given the chance to organise some extraordinary services.

“We so often believe that funerals need to be sombre occasions that include a traditional black hearse with a wooden coffin, but, more so in recent times, people are starting to move away from tradition and opt for something that is more in line with their loved one’s personality.

“Choosing something a little different can also make the occasion more light-hearted, not as daunting and help many through the grieving process. Simon’s funeral did exactly that, it was testament to his great sense of humour and gave everyone exactly what they needed – a good laugh.”