Bill Jamieson, 1954–2011
In “Lines from Eulogies That Make One Curious to Learn More About the Deceased,” Part Two:
In 1999, Jamieson bought the abandoned Niagara Falls Museum after drinking opium tea. Inside lay his biggest find, a discovery that placed him in the international spotlight: the mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses I.
It’s always tragic when someone rad passes away before the first episodes of their reality tv show get a chance to air, but especially tragic when their funeral sounds like a better time than any party you’ve ever had:
His memorial on Tuesday evening looked like an event staged by Tim Burton — guests wearing fascinators, feathers, large hats and elaborate makeup were greeted at the entrance by a bust of Jamieson’s face, lying atop a velvet pillow with a dripping red candle nearby. The service brought together both the art world’s elite and a bizarre ragtag crew; guests included Royal Ontario Museum Egyptologist Gayle Gibson, the Explorers Club of Canada’s former president Joseph Frey, and musicians, motorcyclists and tattoo artists.
Shine on, you crazy diamond.