Office. I dont know if he would have done it otherwise. My mother provided the courage e denetted. She protected him. Both possessed great individual talents. But as a they are more than a sum of the just because he was the one usually taking center stage. Individually they may have gone far, but together they could and did go anywhere. My father was inclined to believe that everyone was basically good and that certainly anyone who worked for him was pure of heart and could never be nursing a private agenda. My mother didnt share that inclination. She didnt have that luxury. In my mothers world, you were either helpful to her husband or you were not. I think we all know what side of the equation you would want to be on. She was not the easiest person to deal with. She could be difficult, she could be demanding, she could be a bit excessive. Usually only so my father didnt have to be. You didnt want to get on my moms mad side. If you did that, you would be the recipient of a fantastic. Just ask john river. And joan couldnt get them to release the body. She was acquainted with my mother but they werent great friends yet. Nevertheless, she bucked up her courage and called the white house and got my mother on the phone. Joans became my mothers buddy for the rest of her life. I see faces of many friends here today, people who have known and loved my mother for years. But most of my mothers buddies are gone now. She is among the last of her old gang, her generation, and now she is truly with them. If my mother had one great talent, i think it was that she knew how to love, and she loved one man more than the world. In her later years, she asked whether i felt she would see him again in the hereafter. I was never a huge believer in the afterlife, but i assured her that wherever he is, she would be there, too. Today my mother lies to rest on this hilltop with its far rif reaching views, next to. She will be able to keep an eye on things. Just saying. How long will it be before tails begin to emerge the petite chanel plaid spirit roaming the. Most importantly, the ones she loved until the end of her days. Watch the sun drop on over the hillsment my father will tell her the lights below were her jewels. The lights are turned ahead, and thats where theyll always be, resting in each others arms, only each others arms, until the end of time. Remain standing, let us pray. God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our sister nancy. We thank you for giving her to us. Her family and friends to know and to love as companions on our earthly pilgrimage. Receive her in death as did you in life so we may continue our countenance on earth. For those who have gone before, amen. Would you please be seated. Today we are exactly where we ought to be, standing with this family and one another before the mystery of life and death. Say in our prayers and farewell to nancy davis reagan. The great 20th century rabbi, abraham hesha was once asked, what is the most important thing a religious person can do . His answer was given in one word remember. That is precisely what we do this day. This is what we do as religious people every time we gather. We hear again and again the stories of encountering god, ancient and cherished, stories that point to god as an affable mystery yet still revealed to our mortal humanity. We remember gods savoring love for the human family. And the giver of every good gift is present to us. I speak to you for only one purpose, to gather all the remembrances you have just heard, those that you carry in your hearts, those of the people of our nation and the world, and to remind you of where to place them all before the living god, who gave nancy life from the first and who now receives it back again. Who is this god . This is the one who raised up israel out of bondage in egypt, fulfilling ancient promise, and who raised egypt from the dead into resurrection life. The god whose presence this day we commend the life and soul of nancy is a god of justice who wants to lift up the poor, the vulnerable, and all on the margins of life. A god of love who wants you to know that in every circumstance of life that you are beloved, precious, sacred, just because you are you. This is a god who loves fiercely, who traffics in life and death, and is encountered in every dimension in life beautiful and complex. Nancy knew of this. She knew it because she lived it. In november of 2014, i was invited to meet mrs. Reagan at her home. There were four of us, mrs. Reagan and two of her dear friends, Robert Higdon and peggy newman. We entered her bedroom where mrs. Reagan, dressed comfortably and with a quiet elegance, was partly reclined on her bed. We were there more than an hour. I mostly listened as the three of them told stories from the white house years and beyond, some dramatic, some hilarious, and others that caused us to fall into a companionable silence. Turning to photographs at her bedside table, i asked about several of them, and she spoke of events and places over long years. Finally i picked up the one closest to her. It was worn and increased, overrunning its slightly weathered simple plastic frame. What about this one, mrs. Reagan . She held it in silence. Then turning to me, she said, this one is my favorite. The photo was of president reagan who had begun his descent into alzheimers. He, too, was most rell kle moy reclined, their faces very near to one another, nose to nose, eyes to eyes. It showed a deep and tender intimacy even through the fog of his illness. Of all the photos, this was her favorite. She kept looking at it, seemingly transported to another place. I said, mrs. Reagan, thats a picture of you living out the promises of your marriage and fidelity and love. After a brief silence she said, yes, it is, and handed it back to be placed on the table nearest to her. Poet Henry Van Dyke has written, time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice. But for those who love, time is eternity. Nancy reagan glimpsed that truth. She and her beloved ronnie shared a great love, a very great love that is legendary and could instruct us all. And now she knows that eternity is about so much more than time. For it is about fulfillment and completion and so important for nancy, reunion, as she is joined with her beloved ronnie. So lastly, as we give thanks for the life of nancy reagan, i want to speak of an even greater love. It is one we know as christians in the life, death and resurrection of jesus christ climaxing at that first easter. Each gospel tells of it differentlily, ironically, un f a veracity of truth unparalleled in all religious life. It sent disciples into fearful hiding and finally brought strong women to his tomb in the dark of that first easter dawn. There god had acted, a cosmosaltering explosion of divine life and light was released, surging at gods command, breaking the threeday canopy of silence. There jesus rises from death to new life, and all creation rises with him in a newly beheld radiance without analogy. In the risen christ, death is defeated, vanquished forever. God raised jesus that you and i might share in his resurrection. It is true, we are raised with him, as is nancy, who now stands on another shore and in a Greater Light with that multitude of saints that no more took a number. In a last visit with mrs. Reagan, i asked at the end to be alone with her. We spoke for a few moments and then we prayed, giving thanks for life, for the loves that god had brought to us, and for strength and grace in the days ahead. We all read things, but i have made a life out of trying to read human hearts. And those last moments with nancy, she was at peace. Its as if we were already leaning into heaven. And now she has, fallen asleep and awakened in the heart of god. Now she knows intimately of what the 17th century anglican priest and poet john dunn wrote in these closing words, bring us, oh lord god, in our last awakening into the household and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwelling house where there shall be no darkness or dazzling, but one equal light, no noise or silence, but one equal music, no fears nor hopes. Equal possession, no ends or beginnings, but one equal eternity. In the habitation of glory and dominion, a World Without end, amen. Nancy, dear nancy, may you gaze upon our lord face to face. May angels surround you and saints welcome you in peace, and may your heart and soul now ring out in joy to the living god in whose presence you are held forever. Amen. And now let us all join together in prayer in which our lord taught us saying, our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thi kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom, pouthe po and the glory. In peace we pray to you, lord god, al mighty god in the mystical presence of church and paradise by earth, by light and peace, amen. Grant all who was bap tiesed to rise to sin and rise through newness of life that through the gate of death, we may pass to him through our joyful resurrection. Who walk as yet by faith that thy holy spirit may lead us in holy righteousness in all of our days. Grant thy faithful people that we may be cleansed of all who serve us, confidence in our fatherly care that casting all our grief on thee, they may know the cancellation of thy love. Give courage and faith to those who are bereaved, that they may have strength to meet the days ahead in the comfort of a reasonable and holy hope, in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love. Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand to believe and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection of life everlasting. Grant us grace of nancy, receive her in your arms of mercy and remember her of people. She may go from strength to strength in the light of Perfect Service in thy heavenly kingdom. Grant us all who died in the hope of resurrection to have our consternation and bliss in the eternal and everlasting glory, and with all thy saints to receive the crown of life which thou does promise to share in the victory of our son jesus christ who liveth and reineth with thee, one god forever and ever. Will you please rise for the commendation. Give rest, oh christ, to thy servant with thy saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing but life everlasting. Thou art only the creator of mankind and we are mortals formed of the earth and of the earth shall we return, for thou is ordained and dust thou art and only to dust should thou return. Yet even at the grave we make our song allehuah. Where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing but life. Into thy hands, oh merciful savior, we commend our child and servant nancy. Acknowledge we humbly beseech thee, a lamb of my known flock, a symbol of my redeeming, receive her into the arms of thy mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace and into the Glorious Company of the saints in light. Amen. The blessing of god almighty, the son and the holy spirit be upon you and all beloved to you this day and forevermore, amen. All that the father cometh to me, i will not cast out. He who raiseth up jesus from the dad will raise up our spirit that dwelleth within us. My spirit rejoiceth, my flesh shall rest in hope. Thou shalt show me the path in life. In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand, there is pleasure forevermore. Ensure in certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our lord jesus christ, we commend to almighty god our sister nancy, and we commit her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The lord bless her and keep her, the lord make his face to shine upon her and be gracious unto her, the lord lift her and give her peace. Amen. Rest eternal grant to her oh lord and let light perpetual shine upon her. May her soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed through the mercy of god rest in peace. Amen. Now may the god of peace who brought again from the dead our lord jesus christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight and the blessing of god al migmight the father, the son and holy spirit be upon you and all but loving to you this day and forevermore, amen. God bless america land that i love stand beside her and guide her through the life from the light from above from the mountains to the prairie to the oceans white with foam god bless america, my Home Sweet Home announcer ladies and gentlemen, all guests are invited to pay their respects at the interment site and then join for a luncheon reception in the air force i pavilion. Thank you. Theres a break in the rain coming off the coast for just this moment. The birds chirping in the background, the burial place of our 40th president now becomes the burial place of his wife. The joint military honor guard will watch over mrs. Reagan. Also present is the commander of the u. S. S uss Ronald Reagan. Many will remark that ronnie, as he gets older and older looks more like his dad, and patti looks more like her mom. It was a very gracious service. Nancy reagan was well remembered. All aspects of her life, mixture of humor and sadness but an accurate picture. And not one, but two, of the eulogists both made the same point, that there would be no president ial library, there would likely not have been a reagan presidency without nancy davis and the life of Ronald Reagan. George will. Mrs. Obama now leaving the gravesite. So many prominent visitors, mourners, so many famous faces in the crowd. The family has been gracious enough to remain behind. Hillary clinton, mrs. Carter now. It is such a small and finite club, the people who have held and known power, the president s, first ladies, sons and daughters who have lived in the white house. Those who have been around it, those who have been members of the inner circle. At the end of the day, its a small fraternity. Steve forbes, ted olson, brian mulroon mulrooney. A light rain beginning to fall again. It was Brian Mulrooney who injected something very important, as we just heard the strains of danny boy. It was president reagans irishness and it was a big part of his life and their union, obviously. Im joined here in new york by lawrence lemur who has written about the reagans. Lawrence, im curious to hear your thoughts having watched this along with me here. Well, nancy planned this funeral. She was in a political moment. If she didnt want us to know she planned it, we wouldnt know it. Shes telling us this is who i am, this is how i want to be remembered. I know this material well. There was not one dishonest moment among all these many words. When patti and ron got up and talked about their mother, they didnt hide the conflict in their relationship. They spoke honestly about it. Ultimately, this is not about the president you see, its about love, its about this incredible love. I know what i will do when i go home this evening. I will kiss and hug my wife, and i will tell her i love her, and that will be my way of honoring the memory of nancy reagan. Beautifully put. Michael beschloss, the president ial historian, has joined us once again. Michael, your thoughts. One thought, brian, was it was almost exactly on time. As you know, nancy reagan during the presidency, if the ceremony dragged on, the person who planned it would be the first to hear about it from her. One thing i thought, brian, i thought of this lonely little girl, father who abandoned the family, a mother who loved her but was off performing in different cities. She really made this triumph of her life, this wonderful marriage, huge historical contributions and this happy day. I think you really have to take your hat off for her and get a sense of the measure of what an impressive person she really was. Michael, i looked at my watch as the honor guard exited the tent, and by my count, at that very moment they were to the minute exactly on schedule. And lawrence raises a good point. Nothing happens by accident at these services. The truth is, for president s and first ladies, they the plans are meticulous and they are held close until the moment comes, and this was very personal, there was a great emphasis on love. Lucy Baines Johnson talking to ron reagan. Speaking of the finite group of people, michael, you can speak to this. The fraternity of people who have known what its like to wake up and go to sleep in that structure on pennsylvania avenue, at least as pennsylvania avenue used to be. They have something in common that no one on the outside can never understand, and the impact of that, you can just see because nancy reagan, for instance, her husband ran against gerald ford. She developed a relationship with betty ford. All these people had all these political conflicts, but in the end they do really try to help one another. Peggy noonan there, John Huntsman who tried very hard to be a member of that fraternity, but failed in his own run for president , former ambassador. How good of Mother Nature to hold off on the light rain until the end. But we were just looking at the weather radar for simi valley, california, and sadly, there is a big angry mass of precipitation coming in off the shore. Good and bad location. It is a sweeping view of the valley below, quite an altitude, but when the weather decides to whip up that hillside, it can make its presence known. Longtime correspondent Kelly Odonnell was watching along with us. Kelly . Reporter brian, im particularly struck by one of the details that im told mrs. Reagan wanted to see happen most. I spoke with executive director of the Reagan Foundation who had worked with her on many of the things we have seen in todays program, but he said her top priority was that she wanted to be laid to rest as close as possible to her husband, within inches. And i am struck by watching the placement of her casket. It is actually sitting over the space where president reagans marker is typically quite visible. And i was told that after all of this ceremony is over and when she is actually interred, they will be within inches of each other. And that was described as being the most important part of what she herself had planned, to be as close to her husband in death as she was in life. Brian . And, kelly, as you may know, she enjoyed being up there, obviously, because she was surrounded by the reminders, the mementos, the timeline, the tritus of her husbands presidency. She loved taking visitors out to the burial site, especially in early evening, looking out as, the way she put it, the way herrhe her ronnie looked out at the valley below. They september a relatively small apartment there on the grounds so that when she was there, she cou