Paul Mackenzie, who delighted and charmed crowds at Hoquiam’s Loggers Playday with his wise-cracking clown character and prat falls for more than a half-century, died Sunday morning. He was 78.

Mackenzie took his logging show clown shtick all over the world, but often said the Hoquiam gig was his favorite. The feeling was mutual with Hoquiam crowds. Even though his routine varied little from year to year, he kept the Olympic Stadium crowd enthralled, and in stitches.

Despite his difficult battle with lung cancer, he insisted he and his wife, Kolly, travel from their home in Keremeos, British Columbia, for his 52nd consecutive appearance at Loggers Playday Sept. 9. His health had deteriorated enough that he was urged to stay seated for the national anthem, but Mackenzie waved off the people around him and stood on his own.

Joe DuGay has been with Loggers Playday from Day One. He said Mackenzie showed up at the second annual event and never missed one after that.

“He called me after he got back from this last Loggers Playday and said it was the greatest time he’d ever had,” said DuGay. “His attitude was so great right to the end. He said he was coming again next year.”

“He used to do around 100 shows a year,” said DuGay. “About 10 years ago, he quit doing his local show, but still came down here every year.” Loggers Playday had been Mackenzie’s only annual event since then.

“He actually lost a finger here in the ’80s,” said DuGay.

Don Bell has been one of the emcees at Loggers Playday for 21 years and quickly acknowledged his gratitude for Mackenzie’s guidance.

“Paul

taught me so much,” he said. “He taught me how to emcee a logging show.”

Bell said he is grateful his 10-year-old daughter got to know Mackenzie. “She just thought he was the greatest thing ever,” he said.

When he saw Mackenzie in this year’s parade, with the convertible’s top down despite the rain, “I was overcome with emotion. People were walking up to the car, telling him they were thinking about him and thanking him for all the years he’s been a part of Loggers Playday.”

The pain of the loss is still very sharp for Bell and DuGay — “like a kick in the stomach,” said Bell. “He wasn’t just a clown, he was a big part of the family.”

No funeral or service has been announced. Bell and DuGay said they will get the Playday team together soon to discuss how best to memorialize him. “We’ll definitely do something special for him next year,” said Bell.