2006–07 funeral of the 38th U.S. president
On December 26, 2006, Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States and the 40th vice president, died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California at 6:45 p.m. local time (02:45, December 27, UTC). At 8:49 p.m. local time, his wife of 58 years, Betty Ford, issued a statement announcing his death. The causes of death listed on the death certificate were arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease and diffuse arteriosclerosis.
At the age of 93 years and 165 days, Ford was the longest-lived U.S. president in history at the time of his death, a record which has since been surpassed by George H. W. Bush and Jimmy Carter.
Ford was the second president to die during the presidency of George W. Bush and the second to die in the twenty-first century, the first being Ronald Reagan.
Tributes from world leaders.
Upon Ford's death, President George W. Bush said in a written statement:
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;Laura and I are greatly saddened by the passing of former President Gerald R. Ford. President Ford was a great American who gave many years of dedicated service to our country. On August 9, 1974, after a long career in the House of Representatives and service as Vice President, he assumed the Presidency in an hour of national turmoil and division. With his quiet integrity, common sense, and kind instincts, President Ford helped heal our land and restore public confidence in the Presidency. The American people will always admire Gerald Ford's devotion to duty, his personal character, and the honorable conduct of his administration. We mourn the loss of such a leader, and our 38th President will always have a special place in our Nation's memory. On behalf of all Americans, Laura and I offer our deepest sympathies to Betty Ford and all of President Ford's family. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them in the hours and days ahead.
There were also tributes from other Americans, including the living former American presidents: Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, as well as Ford's former Chief of Staff, Vice President Dick Cheney and former First Lady Nancy Reagan.
Foreign leaders who paid tribute included Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Czech President Václav Klaus and German President Horst Köhler. Harper advised Governor General Michaëlle Jean to order all flags across Canada flown to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on January 2, 2007, in sympathy with the national day of mourning in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, the Union Flag at Buckingham Palace was flown at half-staff on December 28.
Funeral arrangements.
Gregory Willard, President Ford's personal attorney and former White House aide, was responsible for the overall planning and conduct of the state funeral as president and Mrs. Ford and the Ford family's designated personal representative. The Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region (JFHQ-NCR)/Military District of Washington (MDW), which oversees the military and ceremonial portions of state funerals, assisted President Ford and the Ford family in development of the funeral plans.
Army Major General Guy C. Swan III, Commanding General of the MDW (CG MDW) and JFHQ-NCR, was Betty Ford's official escort throughout the State Funeral. Michael Wagener, Chief of State Funeral Plans, was the MDW civilian liaison for the Ford family. Mr. Wagner provided advice to president and Mrs. Ford and the Ford family in planning the state funeral and accompanied the family throughout the state funeral.
The schedule for the state funeral was announced at a press briefing on December 27 in Palm Desert, California. The briefing was conducted by Gregory Willard, and also attended by Barbara Owens, spokesperson for the MDW, and by the Riverside County Sheriff. A personal statement from Betty Ford was read by Willard, and he announced details and answered media questions regarding the state funeral.
President and Mrs. Ford and their family previously chose to have the state funeral and related services conducted in three phases (Palm Desert, California; Washington, DC; Grand Rapids, Michigan), with interment in a previously selected hillside tomb next to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The services and ceremonies were conducted from December 29 through January 3.
Columnist Peggy Noonan summarized the nation's heartfelt farewell, "Ford's was the most human of presidential funerals. Maybe because the Fords wanted so little done, so insisted on modesty, all that was done was genuine and sincere, and ... perfect."
The state funeral took place at the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, December 30, 2006, with further funeral services on January 2 at Washington National Cathedral and on January 3 at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids. In addition, private services were conducted with Mrs. Ford and the family at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, California, and at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mrs. Ford and her family also received approximately 300 invited guests at a December 29 visitation at St. Margaret's Church.
Ford's casket was flown to Washington and then on to Grand Rapids aboard the VC-25A Presidential Aircraft (29000), which normally serves as Air Force One. The hearse used to carry President Ford's casket flew the American Flag and had the Presidential Seal affixed to the sides.
Upon Ford's death, the nation's flags were ordered flown at half staff for 30 days. President George W. Bush declared a national day of mourning for President Ford on Tuesday, January 2, 2007, to mark the funeral service.
There were twenty honorary pallbearers for the services and ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and thirteen honorary pallbearers in Grand Rapids.
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn accompanied Mrs. Ford and the Ford family aboard the presidential aircraft from Washington, DC to Grand Rapids. Vice President and Mrs. Dick Cheney and former Ford White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense and Mrs. Donald Rumsfeld joined the Ford family in Grand Rapids for the funeral service at Grace Episcopal Church and for the subsequent interment. At the conclusion of the interment service, Vice President Cheney presented the folded American flag from the casket to Mrs. Ford.
Several elements of the state funeral paid tribute to Ford's service in the Navy during World War II. They included a member of the Navy bearing the presidential flag, the Navy Hymn, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save", a Navy rifle team firing three volleys, and a Navy bugler blowing "Taps", a boatswain's mate sounding "Pipe The Side" at the World War II Memorial, the Chaplain of the Navy reading the Prayers during the Funeral Service at the National Cathedral, and female naval officers who were graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy gathering at the ceremonial pause at the World War II Memorial to pay tribute to President Ford's being the first president to appoint women to the Naval Academy.
Security measures.
The Department of Homeland Security designated the Washington phase of the state funeral as a National Special Security Event.
Events in California.
Ford's body was taken to Eisenhower Medical Center, where it remained until the start of state funeral services on December 29. That day, his casket was transported by motorcade from Eisenhower Hospital to St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, California. Mrs. Ford and the family proceeded to the porch of St. Margaret's from where they viewed the arrival ceremony. Mrs. Ford was accompanied on the porch by General Guy Swan, her children and their spouses. Opposite them on the porch were President and Mrs. Ford's seven grandchildren, and their spouses, and two of their four great-granddaughters. The arrival ceremony included musical honors by a Marine Band from Twentynine Palms Marine Base. The casket was carried into the church, where Mrs. Ford and family members attended a private prayer service inside. Following the prayer service, Mrs. Ford and the family had a period of private time alone in the church. Thereafter, long-time staff members of President Ford, including Ms. Penny Circle, Ms. Ann Cullen, Mr. Lee Simmons, and Mr. David Hume Kennerly, were escorted by Gregory Willard to pay their respects at the casket.
Beginning at 1:20 p.m., Mrs. Ford and the family received several hundred invited friends and guests until 3:10 p.m. After the visitation, Mrs. Ford and the family returned to the Ford residence in Rancho Mirage, California, and members of President and Mrs. Ford's U.S. Secret Service detail and their families, together with local law enforcement and government officials, were invited to pay their respects privately at the casket. The casket was then moved onto the altar at St. Margaret's, and a period of public repose commenced at 4:20 p.m. PST. The public repose continued until the following morning. Due to the extremely large crowds who wished to pay their respects to the former president, the public was directed to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, from where they were transported by shuttle buses to and from the public repose at St. Margaret's Church. Each person attending the repose was presented a special tribute card on behalf of Mrs. Ford and the family. During the repose, some family members returned to St. Margaret's and greeted and thanked several thousand of the guests for their tributes and condolences.
The public repose concluded at approximately 8:00 a.m. on December 30, 2006. At 8:45 a.m. Mrs. Ford and her family returned to St. Margaret's Church, where a Departure Ceremony was conducted. President Ford's casket was then transported by motorcade to Palm Springs International Airport, where large crowds had gathered to pay tribute to President Ford and say farewell. Following a departure ceremony at the airport that included musical honors and a 21-gun salute by a cannon battery from 3rd Battalion 11th Marines, the casket was loaded onto a Boeing VC-25 at approximately 9:55 a.m. The aircraft departed shortly thereafter en route to Washington, D.C.
Events in Washington.
The events in Washington, D.C. began on December 30, 2006, when Ford's body, flown aboard the Presidential VC-25A (SAM 29000), arrived at Andrews Air Force Base that evening. From there, it was driven by hearse in a simple procession, passing through Alexandria, Virginia, to pay tribute to where he lived when in the House, into the capital city, pausing by the National World War II Memorial to pay tribute to his service as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and onto Capitol Hill. At the World War II Memorial, Eagle Scouts stood along the street for a short distance, in honor of Ford's status as an Eagle Scout. In addition, Ford was piped aboard, a Navy tradition used to honor senior officers, including his position as Commander in Chief.
Female alumnae of U.S. military academies joined in an elongated salute in tribute to Ford. Ford signed legislation in 1976 allowing women to attend the military academies.
Ford's family honored his wishes to have details of his funeral made as simple as possible. As such, a hearse was utilized en route to the Capitol, rather than having the sometimes utilized horse-drawn caisson.
Capitol Hill events.
Upon arrival at the U.S. Capitol and in an unprecedented historical tribute to President Ford's distinction as the President who served the longest in the House of Representatives, his casket was carried up the east House Steps and then placed in repose just outside the main doors to the House Chamber. The casket remained there for a brief period of repose throughout which, in another unprecedented tribute to Ford, the doors to the House Chamber were opened and the House Chamber was lit during the period of Repose. The casket was then carried through Statuary Hall to the Rotunda to lie in state on Abraham Lincoln's catafalque.
The Rev. Daniel Coughlin, the House of Representatives' chaplain, gave the invocation. Eulogies were delivered by Senate President pro tempore Ted Stevens, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Vice President Dick Cheney. The service was briefly interrupted when one of the mourners, former U.S. Congressman William Broomfield, collapsed from exhaustion.
After the eulogies, the eulogists laid a wreath, Pastor Barry Black, Senate chaplain gave the benediction. The dignitaries, which included members of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, and members of the diplomatic corps and others, paid their respects during the next half hour.
Public viewing.
The doors were opened to the public after the dignitaries filed by. The Capitol Rotunda remained open until midnight EST.
Viewing continued through Sunday, December 31 and Monday, January 1. People visited the rotunda at a rate of 2,500 per hour. Members of the Ford family were on hand in the Rotunda to receive