Pagans Gathered to Remember Eron the Wizard

By Alison Lesley --
04 Jun 2015 --

Celebrated figure in the Wiccan community, Eron the Wizard passed away. Many honored him at his Pagan funeral.

Many dressed as fairies, witches, druids, and elves gathered in Cornwall, England on May 28^th for the funeral of “Eron, the Wizard of Tintagel.” Eron, whose real name was Ian Wilson, once was a builder from Gloucester. He died of cancer at age 63.

Eron’s daughter, Rebecca Spencer, said that her father’s cancer diagnosis in 2008 gave him “the courage to follow his dream” of leading a pagan lifestyle. So he moved to Tintagel, the fictional birthplace of the King Arthur, grew his hair long and, as a practicing wizard, carried a staff. Spencer said that he “looked like Merlin.” In his last years, Eron traveled in his trademark yellow Suburu—which was decorated with symbols of witchcraft—urging the people of the United Kingdom to believe in magic, Spencer said.

Eron’s last wish was to have his life celebrated in a fashion consistent with the way of Wicca, the modern pagan, witchcraft religion. His body was carried into the funeral in a coffin, and torch bearers were then positioned at each of the four corners of the coffin, representing the four elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water).

High Priestess Julia Stoiber, who was also a close friend of Eron, traveled from Austria to perform the pagan ceremony. Stoiber started the ceremony with the “casting of a circle”, which creates a space for all in attendance to say goodbye. The high priestess noted that even though Eron has gone “up to the pagan heaven, his body also goes back into the ground, so he becomes the trees and the ground. His soul goes back into the earth.” Pagans do not believe that the funeral is a final goodbye. They believe they will see Eron again when it is their time to pass.

A Subaru Impreza convoy, featuring his own, followed the hearse in honor of their fallen friend. “He just loved cars and women, they were his passion in life, as well as being a wizard,” Spencer said.

After the wake in Tintagel, Eron was buried in Dursley, Gloucestershire.