Village People Attend Victor Willis' Funeral in Full Costume

Victor Willis' Funeral Village People Say Bye to 'Macho Man' ... In Costume at Cemetery Published July 21, 2026 7:41 AM PDT | Updated July 21, 2026 8:36 AM PDT Victor Willis' funeral brought his Village People bandmates back together to say goodbye ... but instead of wearing black, the crew showed up dressed and ready to put on a show. A group of about 50 mourners gathered at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary in San Diego, California to honor Victor ... including five people who appear to be current members of the group. We obtained photos from the service ... showing the construction worker, James Kwong, the cowboy, Nicholas Manelick, the Native American, Javier Perez, the G.I., James Lee, and the leather man, J.J. Lippold, in costume. The crew sat in the front row as Victor was laid to rest. As you know ... Victor passed away last month after a "short but aggressive illness." Victor -- who dressed as the group's police officer -- was one of its founding members back in 1977 ... appearing in a few different iterations of the band over the years. He rejoined the band in 2017 ... appearing with the group regularly over the next decade -- including, controversially, at a pre-inauguration event for President Donald Trump back in 2025. 1/9/25 Trump says he'll think of Victor every time he hears "Y.M.C.A." POTUS also remembered Victor as a "great and happy guy." Victor was 74. Related articles Donald Trump Victor Willis Musicians Celebrity Death Exclusive Music