The Ford Family

I was really touched when I had heard that members of the Ford family were making personal contact with public, quite a noble and unselfish act on their part to share these moments with common everyday citizens.
By all means I do hope you do go to D.C. to see the funeral.

 

I saw this as well and was quite impressed.

 

As one commentator said, you could sum up President Ford best by the word "decent." ​

We lost that, about three or four presidents ago... and I miss it.​

 

I live on the edge of DC (Silver Spring, MD) but did not go downtown. One could get into the cathedral only by ticket, and there is not much attraction for me about standing on a curb somewhere to look at cars whose tinted windows prevent you even from seeing who is inside. I watched the service on TV. As always, the cathedral music is wonderful, and the military musical units never disappoint. Denyce Graves is one of my very favorite singers. No contemporary music can touch my soul like, "For All the Saints" or "Eternal Father, Strong to Save".

As for the Ford family, one of the sons -- Michael -- is ordained as an Episcopal priest, but he serves in the administration of a Baptist university, Wake Forest. Website says, "Director of Student Services."

I agree that it was classy for them to spend time in the rotunda greeting the public. I also felt their close concern for their mother during what has had to be a very tiring ordeal .. not only the illness and death of her husband, but these multiple ceremonies.

Back to the service -- I was glad that the family's pastor, the rector of St. Margaret's in California, was asked to lead the service rather than the bishop or the cathedral dean, though both of them participated. I thought his sermon was weak, however, although it was clearcut about the importance of a commitment to Christ, not "religion-in-general".

 

It was an excellant service, though I didn't watch it all. Very dignified and also definately Christian in nature. Much more overtly Christian than the funerals of most public figures. (think James Brown by comparison. )