Last living Wizard of Oz Munchkin dies at 98

The last surviving Munchkin from The Wizard of Oz has died at the age of 98.

Jerry Maren, who played a member of The Lollipop Guild in the hit film, passed away at a San Diego nursing care facility.

A funeral for the star took place on Saturday at Forest Lawn in Hollywood, reported TMZ.

Maren played one of the iconic Munchkins in the film, which has become iconic in the queer community.

In fact, a superfan of legendary actress Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in the motion picture, dished out over $15,000 to be buried beside her, only to be told her body has been moved.

The fan spent $15,500 to be buried in a spot near the actress, but later learned Garland’s body was to be moved to California because her resting place didn’t have enough space for the rest of the family.

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The Wizard of Oz star was buried in the Ferncliff Mausoleum in New York after she died in 1969 at the age of 47.

Garland’s daughter, Cabaret star Liza Minnelli, had her mother moved to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where there is enough room for her and her two siblings Lorna Luft, and Joey Luft to be buried together.

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Although rumours circulated that Maren had passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2016, it was soon discovered the star was being taken care of by relatives in Southern California.

At the age of 96 he had bowed out of all public appearances, reported TMZ.

A close friend of the star, Steve Cox, reported that Maren was fit and well, but had bowed out of public appearances.

Ruth Robinson Duccini, the last of the original female Munchkins from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, died in 2014, leaving Maren as the last remaining star.

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