Fans of the late George Romero are bidding farewell to the legendary horror director the best way they know how: by attending his public memorial in Toronto dressed as zombies.

Leanne MacRae covered herself and her two young daughters in zombie makeup to pay tribute to Romero's cinematic influence, including the groundbreaking 1968 film "Night of the Living Dead."

"The man was a legend in his time bringing the modern zombie into our lives," said the Georgetown, Ont., resident, alongside her six- and eight-year-old girls.

"He certainly made it so normal to see a zombie just chewing on someone's leg."

Romero died last week following a battle with lung cancer, according to a statement from his family.

The director is credited with making zombies mainstream with his cult classic "Night of the Living Dead," which was produced independently for US$100,000 and went on to become a staple of the genre. It spawned various sequels, including a 1990 remake.

Romero made other horror flicks, including "Monkey Shines'' and "Creepshow," though none were nearly as iconic.

The director moved to Toronto in 2004 where he shot many of his later films.

Movie theatres in Toronto have booked showings of Romero's films in the coming weeks, including an Aug. 6 screening of his last film, 2009's "Survival of the Dead," which will be attended by several members of the cast and crew.

Other tributes have popped up in recent days, including a billboard in Pittsburgh that features a zombie from his original "Living Dead" film with a teardrop running down her face.