6 key moments from the funeral for President George H.W. Bush
WASHINGTON (WISH) — The funeral for President George H.W. Bush was an emotional time for our country, but was not without lighter moments.
The remains of former President George H.W. Bush arrived Wednesday night at a Houston church, where he will lie in repose overnight. About 1,200 mourners are expected for a service at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church on Thursday morning. Delivering a eulogy will be James Baker, Bush’s former secretary of state and longtime confidant.
Here’s a look at six key moments from the day.
On the way to the National Cathedral, the procession took President Bush past the White House for the final time.
Before services began, former President George W. Bush perhaps set the tone for his father’s funeral, sharing a sweet moment with Michelle Obama. President Bush snuck the former first lady a piece of candy from his pocket, just like he did at the funeral for Sen. John McCain.
All of America’s living presidents sat near the front of the National Cathedral. From the left sat Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
Presidential historian Jon Meacham spoke at the funeral.
“To him, his life was no longer his own, there were always more missions to undertake, more lives to touch and more love to give,” Meachem said.
The service was not without humor. Meachem had attendees laughing with tales from the campaign trail, along with advice from comedian Dana Carvey on how to effectively impersonate the president.
“On the primary campaign trail in New Hampshire once, he grabbed the hand of a department store mannequin asking for votes. When he realized his mistake. He said you never know. Got to ask,” Meachem said. “You can hear the voice, can’t you? As Dana Carvey said, the key to a Bush 41 impersonation is Mr. Rogers trying to be John Wayne.”
Perhaps the most touching moment was the eulogy delivered by the president’s son, former President George W. Bush.
The son recalled the last words of the father.
“Last Friday when I was told he had minutes to live, I called him,” his son said. “The guy answered the phone, said ‘I think he can hear you but he hasn’t said anything for most of the day.’ I said, ‘Dad, I love you, you’ve been a wonderful father.’ And the last words he would ever say on Earth were, ‘I love you, too.’”