NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) – William “Walkin’ Willie” Perkins was given a final farewell by friends in Nebraska City as his funeral procession left downtown and headed to southwest Iowa for his burial. The Lincoln Journal Star says Perkins was 79 when he died Nov. 27 at a Lincoln hospital. He’d been struck hit by a car on Nov. 6 in Nebraska City. Friends say Perkins got the nickname because he used to walk 16 miles from Hamburg, Iowa, to Nebraska City to work or pick up his mail.

Perkins became a downtown fixture, visiting friends in stores and offices, when he moved to Nebraska City 10 years ago.  Gude Funeral Homes had encouraged people to turn out Friday to watch as the procession turned down Central Avenue. He was buried in Riverton, Iowa.