Village People members attend Victor Willis funeral in stage costumes
Photos published by TMZ show about 50 mourners gathered in San Diego as Victor Willis, the original Village People cop, was laid to rest.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Victor Willis was given a Village People sendoff in San Diego, with several band members attending his funeral in the group’s famous stage costumes, according to photos published by TMZ.
The service was held at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary, where TMZ reported that about 50 mourners gathered to honor Willis. The singer, best known as the police officer character in Village People, died last month at 74 after what was described as a short but aggressive illness.
Photos from the funeral showed five men identified by TMZ as appearing to be current Village People members seated in the front row while Willis was laid to rest.
The costumes were front and center
According to TMZ, the mourners in costume included James Kwong as the construction worker, Nicholas Manelick as the cowboy, Javier Perez as the Native American character, James Lee as the G.I. and J.J. Lippold as the leather man.
The group’s choice of attire made the farewell unmistakably tied to the act Willis helped create. Village People became one of pop music’s most recognizable costume groups, with each member performing as a distinct character.
Willis was one of the founding members of Village People in 1977, TMZ reported. He performed in different versions of the band over the years and later returned to the lineup in 2017.
After rejoining, Willis performed with the group regularly across the next decade, according to TMZ. That run included a 2025 pre-inauguration event for President Donald Trump, a booking that drew attention because of Trump’s long-running use of the band’s signature hit, “Y.M.C.A.”
Trump paid tribute after Willis’ death
Trump also marked Willis’ death publicly. TMZ reported that the president said he would think of Willis whenever he heard “Y.M.C.A.” and remembered him as a “great and happy guy.”
Fox News video previously showed Trump dancing as Village People performed during a victory rally in January 2025, according to TMZ’s posting of the clip.
Willis’ place in the group’s history was central to the funeral images. The front-row costumes represented the characters that made Village People famous, while the absence at the center was the police officer role Willis originated.
No additional details about the funeral program or speakers were reported by TMZ.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.