Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan

Coordinates: 34°15′32″N 118°49′14″W / 34.25899°N 118.82043°W / 34.25899; -118.82043
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Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan
Rotunda of the United States Capitol.
DateJune 9–11, 2004 (state funeral)
June 5–July 3, 2004 (mourning period)
LocationCapitol Rotunda, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates34°15′32″N 118°49′14″W / 34.25899°N 118.82043°W / 34.25899; -118.82043
ParticipantsGerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
Members of the 108th United States Congress
Margaret Thatcher
Mikhail Gorbachev
Brian Mulroney
This article is part of
a series about
Ronald Reagan
Personal life
Speeches
33rd Governor of California
40th President of the United States
Tenure
Policies
Judicial appointments
Presidential campaigns
Legacy

Ronald Reagan's signature
Seal of the President of the United States

During the week's events Nancy Reagan was escorted in public by U.S. Army Major General Galen B. Jackman.

On June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died after having Alzheimer's disease for over a decade. Reagan was the first former U.S. president to die in 10 years since Richard Nixon in 1994. At the age of 93 years, 120 days, Reagan was the longest-lived U.S. president in history at the time of his death, a record which was surpassed by Gerald Ford on November 12, 2006. His seven-day state funeral followed. After Reagan's death, his body was taken from his Bel Air home to the Kingsley and Gates Funeral Home in Santa Monica, California, to prepare the body for burial. On June 7, Reagan's casket was transported by hearse and displayed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, then flown to Washington, D.C., on June 9 for a service, public viewing and tributes at the U.S. Capitol.

After lying in state for 34 hours in the Capitol rotunda, a state funeral service was conducted at the Washington National Cathedral on June 11, the day when President George W. Bush declared a national day of mourning. Later that day, after the service, Reagan's casket was transported back to California for interment at the Reagan Presidential Library. The state funeral was executed by the Military District of Washington (MDW). Reagan was the first former U.S. president to die in the 21st century.

Death

On the morning of June 5, 2004, there were reports that Reagan's health had significantly deteriorated, following nine years of

Bel-Air district of Los Angeles, at 1:09 PM PDT
, at the age of 93.

President George W. Bush was in Paris when Reagan died and acknowledged the death in a press conference.[3]

This is a sad hour in the life of America. A great American life has come to an end. I have just spoken to Nancy Reagan. On behalf of our whole nation, Laura and I offered her and the Reagan family our prayers and our condolences. Ronald Reagan won America's respect with his greatness, and won its love with his goodness. He had the confidence that comes with conviction, the strength that comes with character, the grace that comes with humility, and the humor that comes with wisdom. He leaves behind a nation he restored and a world he helped save. During the years of President Reagan, America laid to rest an era of division and self-doubt. And because of his leadership, the world laid to rest an era of fear and tyranny. Now, in laying our leader to rest, we say thank you. He always told us that for America, the best was yet to come. We comfort ourselves in the knowledge that this is true for him, too. His work is done, and now a shining city awaits him. May God bless Ronald Reagan.[4]

— President George W. Bush, June 5, 2004

Bush's competitor for the 2004 presidential election, the Democratic nominee John Kerry, also commented on Reagan's death, saying "He was our oldest president . . . but he made America young again."[5]

Various

National Day of Mourning."[6]

Some of the early international tributes to Reagan included those of Queen Elizabeth II, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former Soviet Union Leader Mikhail Gorbachev (also attending the funeral), British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Canadian Prime Ministers Brian Mulroney and Paul Martin, and French President Jacques Chirac.[8] Martin advised Governor General Adrienne Clarkson to order all flags across Canada and at all Canadian diplomatic missions in the United States flown to half-staff on the 11th as well, in sympathy with the U.S.'s National Day of Mourning. In Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder ordered German flags flown at half-staff above government buildings on the 11th as well.[9]

Tributes and condolences were left at U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, as well as at places around the country significant to Reagan's life, including his presidential library, his birthplace in Tampico, Illinois, the funeral home where his body was taken after he died, and the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house in Eureka, Illinois. The electronic signs at the Massachusetts Turnpike flashed the message "God Speed President Reagan."[5]

After Reagan's death, campaigning for the ongoing 2004 United States elections was considered disrespectful during a time of mourning, and was suspended.[10] The 2004 Canadian federal election was also to be held; Prime Minister and Liberal Party Leader Martin; Opposition Leader and Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, and New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton suspended their campaigns, citing respect for Reagan.[11]

Funeral events

Reagan Library

Nancy Reagan leans her head on her husband's casket at his presidential library.

On June 7, Reagan's body was removed from the funeral home and driven in a 20-mile-per-hour (32 km/h)[12] motorcade, by hearse, to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.[13]

Reagan's remains were presented in a Marsellus Masterpiece model purchased from a funeral home in

honor guard representing all branches of the United States Armed Forces[15] into the lobby of the library to lie in repose.[16] There, a brief family service was conducted by the Reverend Dr. Michael H. Wenning, former pastor of Bel Air Church, where Reagan worshipped.[17] When the prayer service concluded, Nancy Reagan and her family approached the casket, where Nancy laid her head on it.[17] After the family left, the doors of the presidential library opened, and the public began filing in at a rate of 2,000 an hour throughout the night. In all, about 108,000 people visited the presidential library to see the casket.[18]

Departure to Washington

On June 9, Reagan's casket was removed from the presidential library and driven in a motorcade to

Boeing 747-200s, which usually serves the president as Air Force One, arrived to transport the casket to Washington. Thousands of people gathered to witness the plane's departure. Just before she boarded the VC-25A Presidential Aircraft, Nancy Reagan waved to the crowd with her military escort at her side. The plane lifted off at about 9:40 am PST.[21]

Events in Washington

caisson with President Reagan's casket on Constitution Avenue, marching to the Capitol
The riderless horse, Sergeant York, with Reagan's own riding boots reversed in the stirrups
The Bushes pay their respects to Reagan.

In Washington, D.C., members of Congress, and much of the public, paid tribute to Reagan immediately after his death and throughout his funeral.

Funeral procession

Events in the capital began when Reagan's casket arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. It was removed from the plane, driven by hearse in a procession through the Maryland and Virginia suburbs and the nation's capital, across the Arlington Memorial Bridge, and onto Constitution Avenue.[22]

Just before the plane arrived at Andrews AFB, the U.S. Capitol was evacuated for a brief period, when a plane carrying Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher was reported off course and created a scare by entering restricted airspace; the transponder on Fletcher's plane malfunctioned, leading officials at Reagan National Airport to report an unauthorized aircraft entering restricted airspace. Two U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters were dispatched to investigate, and Fletcher's plane was escorted to its destination by two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The plane, a 33-year-old Beechcraft King Air, was the oldest of its model still in operation. An investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that the crew of Fletcher's plane maintained radio contact with air traffic officials and received clearance to enter the restricted air space. The investigation determined that miscommunication by air traffic controllers sparked the panic. Though the incident did not affect further funeral events, in the aftermath the FAA adopted policies to prevent future errors of a similar nature.[23]

Near the

4th Street and Constitution Avenue, where 21 F-15's from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, flew over in missing man formation
.

Capitol Hill

The caisson stopped when it arrived at Capitol Hill; military units removed it, and "

The Battle Hymn of the Republic".[25][26]

When the casket reached the top of the steps, Nancy Reagan and her military escort met it. As the casket passed them, Nancy momentarily pulled away from her escort, reached out, and touched the casket.[26] They followed it inside to the rotunda.

The casket was placed under the rotunda, where it lay in state on

Members of Congress, members of the United States Supreme Court, and the diplomatic corps;[28] the Reverend Daniel Coughlin, Chaplain of the House of Representatives, gave the invocation.[29] Eulogies were then delivered by Senate President pro tempore Ted Stevens, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Vice President Dick Cheney.[29]

After the eulogies, the three speakers each laid a wreath at the casket, and the Senate Chaplain, Pastor Barry Black, gave the benediction.[29] Cheney escorted Nancy Reagan to the casket, where she said her goodbyes.[29] The dignitaries in the room paid their respects during the next half-hour. In a rare instance, the doors of the Capitol were then opened to the public, who stood in lines stretching many blocks to view the casket.[27]

Public viewing

The general public stood in long lines waiting for a turn to pay their respects to the president. About 5,000 per hour passed the casket, after waiting up to seven hours. In all, 104,684 paid their respects when Reagan lay in state.[30][31]

After returning to Washington following the G8 summit in Sea Island, Georgia, President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visited the rotunda to pay their respects.[32] Many world leaders did the same, including interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer, former Polish president Lech Wałęsa, Gorbachev, and Thatcher, Reagan's good friend and associate.[32]

While Reagan's casket lay in state, Nancy Reagan and her family took up temporary residence in Blair House, the official residence of guests of the president of the United States.[32] There, she was greeted by additional dignitaries and public figures. During a visit from Thatcher, the former Prime Minister wrote in the Blair House condolence book, "To Ronnie, Well done, thou good and faithful servant."[32]

State funeral service

Reagan's casket is carried into the Washington National Cathedral, June 11.
Yasuhiro Nakasone (far left), Mikhail Gorbachev (second from left), Brian Mulroney (center), and Margaret Thatcher (right) attend the service.
President Bush delivers a eulogy.

After 34 hours of lying in state, the doors of the Capitol were closed to the public and Nancy Reagan was escorted in, where she had a moment alone with the casket. A military honor guard entered and carried it down the west steps of the Capitol to a 21-gun salute where Nancy, holding her hand over her heart, met it.[33] After it was placed in a hearse, the motorcade departed on the five-mile-trip (8 km) to the Washington National Cathedral, where the state funeral service was to be held; crowds lined the route of the cortege as the hearse made its way.[33]

Dignitaries

About 4,000 people gathered at the cathedral for the service, including President and Mrs. Bush, former presidents George H. W. and Barbara Bush, Gerald and Betty Ford, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. Members of Congress and past and present governors were also present.[34]

Foreign dignitaries attended as well, coming from 167 nations. The dignitaries included more than 40 past and present heads of state and government, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. Leading the dignitaries were former President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney, and the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles (representing Queen Elizabeth II).[34]

Other notable world leaders included: Canadian

President of the Control Yuan Fredrick Chien and Representative Chen Chien-jen attended the funeral.[39]

The funeral for Reagan was the largest in the United States since that of John F. Kennedy in 1963.[9][40] President Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg, both attended.[41]

Cathedral events

The motorcade arrived at the Cathedral and Reagan's casket was removed. The bearers carrying it paused on the Cathedral steps, and an opening prayer was given by

plasma television screens. During the speech, Thatcher said, "We have lost a great president, a great American and a great man, and I have lost a dear friend."[42]

Following Thatcher's eulogy, Mulroney delivered his, ending with: "In the presence of his beloved and indispensable Nancy, his children, his family, his friends and all of the American people that he so deeply revered, I say au revoir today to a gifted leader and historic president and a gracious human being."[42]

Former President George H. W. Bush then spoke, his voice breaking at one point when describing Reagan;[42] Bush had been Reagan's Vice President from 1981 to 1989, and his successor as president. His son, President George W. Bush, was the last to give a eulogy, saying in part, "Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now, but we preferred it when he belonged to us... In his last years he saw through a glass darkly. Now he sees his Savior face to face. And we look for that fine day when we will see him again, all weariness gone, clear of mind, strong and sure and smiling again, and the sorrow of this parting gone forever."[42]

The Armed Forces Chorus (LTC John Clanton, Conductor) then sang "

Ave Maria" and "Amazing Grace" at the request of Nancy Reagan.[33] The Reverend Ted Eastman, former Bishop of Maryland
, delivered the benediction, flanked by Father Danforth and Bishop Chane.

Interment at the Reagan Library

The memorial service at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Nancy Reagan with Reagan's casket just before the interment
Nancy Reagan leaving the gravesite
Reagan's tomb

Return to California

After the service, the casket was driven to Andrews Air Force Base, passing crowds along its route.[45] The family and close friends boarded the VC 25-A Presidential Aircraft,[46] and as she had done previously, Nancy Reagan waved farewell to the crowds just before boarding the plane.

About five hours after the aircraft departed Andrews, it touched down at

Point Mugu, California. The public, including sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan, was there to witness the plane's arrival.[47]
Reagan's body was driven in a large motorcade through the streets of southern California.

Burial service

The service drew 700 invited guests, including former Reagan administration officials such as

Hollywood actors and other celebrities also attended, including Mr. Reagan's first wife, actress Jane Wyman, their granddaughter Margaret, Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston, Mickey Rooney, Dolores Hope (widow of Bob Hope), Merv Griffin, Tommy Lasorda, Wayne Gretzky, Scott Baio, Bo Derek, Tom Selleck, Pat Sajak, Wayne Newton, and the Sinatra family.[48][49] The three surviving Reagan children, Michael, Patti, and Ron, gave final eulogies at the interment ceremony.[50]

Eulogies finished, and the service over, the

plinth.[46] There, burial rites were given, followed by a last 21-gun salute;[48] members of the armed services fired three volleys and a bugler played "Taps".[48] At that time, four Navy F/A-18 fighter jets flew over in missing man formation,[46][48] and the flag that flew over the Capitol during President Reagan's 1981 inauguration was folded by the honor guard and was presented to Nancy Reagan by Captain James Symonds, the commanding officer of the USS Ronald Reagan.[47]

After Nancy Reagan accepted the flag, she approached the casket and spent several minutes patting and stroking it.[46] She laid her head down on the casket, before breaking down and crying; The Washington Post described Nancy as having been "stoic through nearly a week of somber rituals" but she "surrendered to her grief after being handed the flag that had covered her husband's coffin."[45] While she cried, she kissed the casket and said "I love you".[48] Her children surrounded her, and attempted to console her.[48] Nancy then walked away with her military escort, clutching the folded flag. The military band began to play the Victorian hymn "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" as the Reagan children said their goodbyes. Funeral attendees had an opportunity to file past the coffin.

The casket was lowered into the vault and closed at 3:00 am PDT the next day. The exterior of the horseshoe-shaped monument is inscribed with a quote Ronald Reagan delivered in 1991:[48]

I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.[51]

When Nancy Reagan died in 2016, she was entombed next to her late husband.

Attending guests

American politicians

Thousands of American politicians attended the funeral,[citation needed] including:

Foreign dignitaries

Such a large number of foreign dignitaries had not attended a United States President's

funeral of President John F. Kennedy
. There were nearly 250 international delegates coming from 167 countries presented at the service, which included more than 45 current or former world leaders and 30 governmental representatives.

Delegations in attendance included:

The following guests declined their invitation to the service:

Eminent persons and envoys from Hong Kong, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and others were also present, along with more than 200 diplomats and ambassadors.[citation needed]

Celebrities

Many celebrities attended the event, such as the Sinatra family, TV personality Merv Griffin, and Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak.

Music

Music played during the week-long events included four

Going Home", and "On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss" by David Holsinger.[43][46][48]
The US Marine Orchestra was conducted by Colonel Timothy Foley and the Armed Forces Chorus was conducted by Lieutenant Colonel John Clanton.

Security measures

The state funeral marked the first time that Washington had hosted a major event since September 11, 2001.[52] As a result, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the state funeral a National Special Security Event (NSSE).[53] Special precautions were taken, since many of the events were open to the public and there were multiple protectees.[53]

Attorney General

MPDC Charles H. Ramsey agreed, saying, "In a post-9/11 world, we have to be very concerned and aware of the potential for something to happen, not that we've received any information at all."[52][55] Ashcroft and other officials at DHS, the MPDC, and FBI said that the funeral was taking place amidst threats of a terrorist attack.[52]

Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 189 Americans.[56][57]

DHS was handling another NSSE at the same time: the

G8 Summit in Sea Island, Georgia
.

Public and media comments

The majority of those commemorating Reagan were supporters of his, although not all held the 40th president in high regard. In one noted example, Paul Mays, a retired engineer who never thought much of Reagan's politics, witnessed the motorcade leave the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base; he commented "This is history".[58] Frank Dubois, an American University professor, also was there for the motorcade, though of the laudatory praise he remarked, "[Reagan] hurt the environment; there was double-digit inflation. I just don't get it."[58]

The majority of media coverage of the event was deferential. Most major news organizations broadcast the various events live multiple times; during the week, the cable channel C-SPAN broadcast uninterrupted coverage of the funeral ceremonies. A few complained, however, that the television coverage was excessive and preempted coverage of other events. CBS News anchor Dan Rather was quoted as saying: "Even though everybody is respectful and wants to pay homage to the president, life does go on. There is other news, like the reality of Iraq. It got very short shrift this weekend."[59] Throughout the week, media experts reported that the national mourning, televised nearly non-stop on many television networks, provided Americans welcome respite from unhappy reports that American troops were being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, giving them a sense of good news they had been desperate for since the September 11 attacks.[60][61]

Reagan's obituaries also included a few criticisms. Richard Goldstein of The Village Voice criticized the funeral for its careful orchestration, writing: "Because the networks had so long to plan for this production... this was the most precisely mounted news event in modern times. Each gesture was minutely choreographed, every tear strategically placed."[62]

Additionally, some media outlets were criticized for lionizing Reagan without paying equal attention to more

controversial decisions made during his administration. Thomas Kunkel, dean of the University of Maryland, College Park's journalism college, wrote in A magazine that the coverage "would have you believe that Reagan was a cross between Abe Lincoln and Mother Teresa, with an overlay of Mister Rogers."[63] Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post's media columnist, said Reagan was "a far more controversial figure in his time than the largely gushing obits on television would suggest."[64]

Gallery

See also

References

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  61. ^ "CNN NEWSNIGHT AARON BROWN". CNN. June 11, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan.

Video coverage of the funeral

Newspaper and media coverage

Additional coverage and photos

Eyewitness accounts

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