Death and State Funeral of Gerald Ford - Funeral Arrangements

Funeral Arrangements

A detailed compilation of the State Funeral services and ceremonies and the Congressional tributes to President Ford was prepared by the U.S. Congress in May, 2008 and is available online at: or at

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. A MDW civilian liaison for the Ford family 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 Wednesday afternoon December 27 in Palm Desert, California. The briefing was conducted by Gregory Willard. The briefing was also attended by Barbara Owens, spokesperson for MDW, and by the Riverside County Sheriff. A personal statement from Mrs. Betty Ford was read by Mr. 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 crypt next to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The services and ceremonies were conducted from December 29 through January 3. A large number of tributes and symbolic remembrances during the three phases highlighted President Ford's career of public service and his unique place in American history.

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 service 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.

As a mark of honor, 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 the death of Ford, the nation's flags were ordered flown at half staff for 30 days after the death. 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.

• Martin J. Allen, Jr., Chairman Emeritus, Gerald R. Ford Foundation;
• James A. Baker III, former Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury; President Ford’s Under Secretary of Commerce and Presidential Campaign National Chairman;
• Robert E. Barrett, President Ford’s White House Army Aide;
• James Cannon, President Ford’s White House Domestic Policy Advisor; author, Time And Chance: Gerald Ford’s Appointment With History;
• Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, American Express Company;
• Richard B. Cheney, Vice President of the United States; former Secretary of Defense; President Ford’s White House Chief of Staff;
• Mary Sue Coleman, President, University of Michigan;
• William T. Coleman, Jr., President Ford’s Secretary of Transportation;
• Richard M. DeVos, Co-founder of Amway Corporation;
• Robert J. Dole, Former U.S. Senator; 1996 Republican presidential candidate; President Ford’s Vice Presidential running mate;
• Richard A. Ford, Brother of President Ford;
• David G. Frey, Philanthropist and bank executive with JPMorgan Chase Bank;
• Pepi Gramshammer, Member of original founders group – Vail, Colorado; former member, Austrian National Ski Team;
• Alan Greenspan, Former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Chairman, President Ford’s Council of Economic Advisors;
• Robert T. Hartmann, White House Counsellor to President Ford;
• Carla A. Hills, President Ford’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
• Robert L. Hooker, Philanthropist and retired business executive;
• Henry A. Kissinger, President Ford’s Secretary of State and National Security Advisor;
• John O. Marsh, White House Counsellor to President Ford;
• Frederick G. H. Meijer, Chairman Emeritus, Meijer, Inc.;
• Jack Nicklaus, Professional Golfer; Chairman, Nicklaus Design;
• Paul H. O'Neill, Former Secretary of the Treasury; Deputy Director, President Ford’s Office of Management and Budget;
• Leon W. Parma, President, Parma Management Co., Inc.;
• Donald H. Rumsfeld, President Ford’s White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense;
• Brent Scowcroft, President Ford’s National Security Advisor;
• Peter Secchia, Retired Businessman;
• L. William Seidman, President Ford’s White House Assistant for Economic Policy;
• Steve Van Andel, Chairman, Alticor Inc.;
• Sanford I. Weill, Chairman Emeritus, Citigroup Inc.;
• Frank G. Zarb, Administrator of President Ford’s Federal Energy Administration;
• Glenn “Bo” Schembechler (In memoriam), former Head Football Coach, University of Michigan.

Richard DeVos, Richard Ford, and Martin J. Allen, Jr. were honorary pallbearers in both Washington and Grand Rapids and traveled with the Ford family aboard the Presidential Aircraft from Washington to 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 Dick Cheney and former Ford White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense 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 American flag to Betty 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 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 signing of the legislation to admit women to the Naval Academy.