WWII 'Kissing Sailor' Laid To Rest Friday

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. -- Decades after unintentionally becoming the subject of one of the most iconic photos of the 20th Century, George Mendonsa was laid to rest Friday.

On August 14, 1945, Mendonsa celebrated V-J Day on the streets of New York City by planting a kiss on Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistance in a nurse's uniform. The pair were complete strangers, and Friedman said later that "it wasn't a romantic event."

Read More: Kissing Sailor In Iconic V-J Day Photo Dies

Mendonsa passed away Monday at the age of 95, just two days before his 96th birthday.

A funeral mass was held for Mendonsa Friday morning at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Church in Newport, followed by a Christian burial at St. Columba Cemetery in Middletown.

After the war, Mendonsa became a commercial fisherman like his father and continued to work until he was 82. He died Monday after falling and suffering a seizure in the assisted living facility where he lived with with wife of 70 years, Rita.

"George was bigger than life and will always be remembered for his kindness and generosity," Mendonsa's obituary read.

Related: '#MeToo' Spray-Painted Onto Kissing Sailor Statue In Florida