President Gerald R. Ford
July 14, 1913 - December 26, 2006
Mrs.
Betty Ford issued the following statement from her home in Rancho
Mirage, California:"My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald R. Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, has passed away at 93 years of age. His was a life filled with love of God, his family, and his country."
Friday 29 Dec. 2006 Funeral events begin when the casket is
transferred to St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert.
A private prayer service will be held for the family. This
will be followed by visitation for invited friends.
There will be a public viewing begins about 4:20 p.m. PST.
Saturday 30 Dec. 2006, the casket will be taken from St. Margaret's
at 9 a.m. PST to Palm Springs International Airport. The casket and
family will depart at 10 a.m. PST for Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
On arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, a motorcade will take the
casket to Washington, D.C., stopping briefly for a ceremony at the
World War II Memorial, before reaching the Capitol for a state
funeral in the rotunda.
A period of lying in state will begin after the funeral. Public
viewing will continue on Sunday and New Year's Day.
On 2 Jan. 2007, the casket will be moved to outside the chamber of
the U.S. Senate for a period of repose and then will be taken to the
National Cathedral for a funeral.
The casket will then be taken to Andrews Air Force Base and flown to
Grand Rapids, Mich., where it will be taken to the Gerald R. Ford
Presidential Museum for a service and public viewing.
On 3 Jan.2007, the casket will be taken to Grace Church in Grand
Rapids for an afternoon funeral service. It will then be returned to
the presidential museum for interment on the north grounds.
The Rev. Dr. Robert G. Certain, Rector, St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, CA, will be officiating and preaching at the private services at St. Margaret's Church. He will also officiate and preach in Washington and Grand Rapids, as well as presiding over the President’s interment. Father Certain will travel with the Ford family on one of the planes used by the POTUS known as Special Air Mission 29000 to Washington and on to Grand Rapids. After the interment of President Ford he will return to the valley with the Ford family.
Homilies
Washington National Cathedral, January 2, 2007
Grace
Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids, MI, January 3, 2007
The following links are provided for additional information and pictures.
How Lieutenant Ford Saved His Ship; Article from New York Times
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html
http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/default.asp
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16364558/
 |
|
© 2006 by Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Palm Desert CA" All rights
reserved. Please contact the church for permission to use any of
this material