It still doesn’t feel real. Ozzy Osbourne, the man who bit the head off a bat and somehow outlived nearly every one of his peers, is actually gone. He died on July 22, 2025, at the age of 76, leaving a hole in the world of heavy metal that no one else can fill. Honestly, we all kinda thought he was immortal. But as the dust has settled and we look back at the Ozzy Osbourne funeral service, it’s clear that his goodbye was exactly like his life: loud, chaotic, deeply emotional, and surprisingly funny.
He didn't want a "mope-fest." Those were his words. Years before he passed, Ozzy told the Times of London that he’d rather have people listening to a medley of Justin Bieber and Susan Boyle than sitting around crying in a dark room. Luckily, Sharon and the kids didn't go the Bieber route. Instead, they gave the Prince of Darkness a send-off that felt more like a backstage VIP party at Ozzfest than a traditional burial.
The Birmingham Procession: A City Stops for Its Son
Before the private stuff happened, the family did something pretty incredible for the fans. On July 30, 2025, a massive public funeral procession rolled through the heart of Birmingham. You’ve seen the photos, right? Thousands of people lining Broad Street, many in battle vests and Black Sabbath shirts, just standing there in the rain to watch the hearse go by.
It wasn't quiet. The local brass band, Bostin Brass, was there playing. They weren't playing hymns. They were blasting out metal riffs.
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The procession made a specific stop at the Black Sabbath Bridge. You know the one—it has the famous bench with the cutouts of the original four members. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, and Aimee got out of the cars to lay flowers there. It was one of the few moments where the "celebrity" mask slipped. Sharon looked absolutely devastated. She’d been with the guy for 43 years, through the rehabs, the plane crashes, the reality TV madness, and the Parkinson’s. Seeing her lay those flowers while fans cheered "Ozzy! Ozzy!" was a gut-punch.
Inside the Private Ozzy Osbourne Funeral Service
The actual burial and service took place the following day, July 31, at the family’s massive 250-acre estate in Buckinghamshire. This was the "invite-only" part, and the guest list was basically the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame come to life.
We’re talking:
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- Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward (The original Sabbath brothers).
- Zakk Wylde (Who reportedly arrived with his guitar and didn't put it down).
- Rob Zombie and James Hetfield.
- Elton John, a long-time friend of the family.
The most "Ozzy" part of the whole thing? The flowers. In the middle of this beautiful, somber estate, right by the lake, there was a massive floral arrangement that just read: "OZZY F---ING OSBOURNE." Jack Osbourne later admitted on SiriusXM that he orchestrated most of the logistics. He said his dad "f---ing hated funerals," so the goal was to keep it light. There was a stage set up by the water. There was music. There was even a rumor—which Jack basically confirmed—that Ozzy wanted a recording played from inside the coffin of him knocking and asking for a "second opinion" on his death. Whether they actually played the clip or not, that's the energy that was there.
The Last Words and the Final Months
People keep asking what happened at the very end. Sharon recently opened up about his final hours. It wasn't some dramatic movie scene. Ozzy had a restless night at their home in Jordans. His last words to Sharon were simple: "Kiss me" and "Hug me tight." He died later that morning from a heart attack, complicated by his long battle with Parkinson's and the toll of several recent spinal surgeries.
Just two weeks before he died, he had performed his final show, "Back to the Beginning," at Villa Park. He was in a lot of pain. He almost cancelled it ten times. But he went out there and gave the fans one last "Iron Man." Looking back, it feels like he was just holding on long enough to say goodbye to Birmingham.
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The Legacy That Refuses to Stay Buried
Even though the Ozzy Osbourne funeral service is over, the man is still everywhere. The "Working Class Hero" exhibition in Birmingham has been extended all the way to September 2026 because the demand is so high. People are still traveling from all over the world to leave toy bats and bottles of Jack Daniel's at his memorial.
There’s also a documentary coming out later this year on Paramount+ called Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now. It’s supposed to show the raw, unedited footage of his final year—the struggles with his health and the rehearsals for that last Villa Park show.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re a fan looking to pay your respects, you don't have to fly to England. Here’s how you can actually honor the legacy:
- Support the Charities: The family asked that instead of flowers, people donate to Cure Parkinson’s or the Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
- Visit the Memorial Digitally: There is a permanent livestream of the Black Sabbath bench in Birmingham where you can see the tributes left by fans in real-time.
- Spin the Vinyl: Honestly, the best way to remember Ozzy isn't by mourning. It's by cranking Blizzard of Ozz at a volume that annoys your neighbors.
Ozzy lived ten lives in the span of one. He was the villain, the clown, the family man, and the god of metal. His funeral wasn't the end of the story; it was just the final encore. And as Jack said recently, the family keeps dreaming about him—not as a ghost, but as a guy who's finally out of pain and laughing his head off at the absurdity of it all.
Next Steps: If you want to see the specific messages left by fans, you can check out the Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition page or look for the official "Tribute Wall" that was unveiled on what would have been his 77th birthday.