Larger-than-life Bill Jones is having a busy time telling everyone he is not dead.
Friends, neighbours, a pensioners’ group and his cricket club all went into mourning when they read of his passing in a local paper.
But, amazingly, they had got the wrong person.
The pensioner is telling everyone he is still alive after the paper printed the obit for an OAP from the same area and the same name - and both with a wife called Pam.
Bill, 85, has been forced to take calls all week and spend time telling everyone he isn’t dead after the strikingly similar obituary appeared.
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It read: “JONES William (Bill) Passed away peacefully at home on 4th April 2021 aged 87 years. Devoted husband of Pam.”
The obit also listed him as loving grandfather and said due to Covid restrictions a private funeral would take place on Tuesday, April 27.
The notice didn’t list a town - and the man who died was actually another Bill who lived 15 miles away.
But because living Bill Jones is of a similar age, is a grandfather and had a wife called Pam - many assumed he was dead.
Alive Bill was once a councillor so was known by a lot of people - so rumours quickly spread he had passed away.
Bill said the misunderstanding has seen him fielding calls all week after unfounded word of his demise were spread.
He said: “I feel sorry for the family of the other Bill Jones who has died but the whole town seems to think it was me.
“I’ve been walking around and seeing people in the street and it is like they have seen a ghost.”
Bill, who has lived in Tiverton, Devon, his entire life, said the similarities were so stark even people close to him had fallen for it.
He said: “The confusion was caused as I am also Bill Jones and my wife was also Pam.
"So everyone naturally thought it was me.
"I have found the whole mix-up quite hilarious.
"I just keep telling people ‘don’t worry, I am still here.’
"The only difference was he was 87 and I am 85 but most people didn’t know my exact age.”
