That's why Billy Standley of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, was buried today with his 1967 Electra Glide cruiser. When he passed away from lung cancer on Sunday at the age of 82, his plans had already been in place for several years.
To be clear, the motorcycle isn't just buried next to him—Standley's plans were much more extensive than that. His two sons built a transparent casket large enough to require an extra-large cemetery plot, and large enough to showcase Stanley astride the machine, in all his glory.
A Chronicle Telegram report detailed his reasoning for the elaborate funeral:
"Standley’s family said he’d been talking about it for years and liked to take people to the garage to show off the unusual casket his two sons had built for him. He told people he didn’t just want to ride off to heaven, he wanted the world to see him do it in the big see-through box."
His body is held in rider-ready position with multiple straps and a back brace. Additionally, the funeral was held outdoors, allowing mourners to see Standley put to rest.
The funeral idea may have been non-traditional, but it's the way the enthusiast wanted to go. And his determination finally paid off today, when he finally took his final ride.
