Texas bids farewell to George H.W. Bush with country music, funeral train
Thousands waved and cheered along the route as funeral train 4141 바카라 게임 웹사이트 for the 41st president 바카라 게임 웹사이트 carried George H.W. Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s remains toward their final resting place in Texas on Thursday, his last journey as a week of national remembrance took on a decidedly personal feel in an emotional home state farewell.
Some people laid coins along the tracks that wound through small town Texas so a 420,000-pound locomotive pulling the nation바카라 게임 웹사이트s first funeral in nearly half a century could crunch them into souvenirs. Others snapped pictures or crowded for views so close that police helicopters overhead had to warn them back.
The scenes reminiscent of a bygone era were a far cry from a serious and more somber tone at an earlier funeral service at a Houston church, where Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s former secretary of state and confidant for decades, James Baker, addressed him as 바카라 게임 웹사이트jefe,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Spanish for 바카라 게임 웹사이트boss.바카라 게임 웹사이트 At times choking back tears, Baker praised Bush as 바카라 게임 웹사이트a beautiful human being바카라 게임 웹사이트 who had 바카라 게임 웹사이트the courage of a warrior. But when the time came for prudence, he maintained the greater courage of a peacemaker.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Baker also provided a contrast with today바카라 게임 웹사이트s divisive political rhetoric, saying that Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s 바카라 게임 웹사이트wish for a kinder, gentler nation was not a cynical political slogan. It came honest and unguarded from his soul.바카라 게임 웹사이트
바카라 게임 웹사이트The world became a better place because George Bush occupied the White House for four years,바카라 게임 웹사이트 said Baker.
Following the funeral, as the motorcade carrying Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s remains sped down a closed highway from the church to the train station, construction workers on all levels of an unfinished building paused to watch, while a man sitting on a Ferris wheel near the aquarium in downtown Houston waved.
Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s remains were later loaded onto a special train in a car fitted with clear sides so people could catch a glimpse of the casket as it rumbled by. The train traveled about 70 miles in two-plus hours 바카라 게임 웹사이트 the first presidential funeral train journey since Dwight D. Eisenhower바카라 게임 웹사이트s remains went from Washington to his native Kansas 49 years ago 바카라 게임 웹사이트 to the family plot on the presidential library grounds at Texas A&M University. Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s final resting place is alongside his wife, Barbara, and Robin Bush, the daughter they lost to leukemia at age 3.
In the town of Cypress, 55-year-old Doug Allen left eight coins on the tracks before the train passed 바카라 게임 웹사이트 three quarters, three dimes and two pennies. The train left the coins flattened and slightly discolored.
바카라 게임 웹사이트It바카라 게임 웹사이트s something we바카라 게임 웹사이트ll always keep,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Allen said.
Andy Gordon, 38, took his 6-year-old daughter, Addison, out of school so she and her 3-year-old sister, Ashtyn, could see the train pass in Pinehurst, Texas.
바카라 게임 웹사이트Hopefully, my children will remember the significance and the meaning of today,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Gordon said. Addison was carrying two small American flags in her hand.
At the funeral service in St. Martin바카라 게임 웹사이트s Episcopal Church, where Bush and his family regularly worshipped in Houston, the choir sang 바카라 게임 웹사이트This is My Country,바카라 게임 웹사이트 which was also sung at Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s presidential inauguration in 1989. Those gathered also heard a prayer stressing the importance of service and selflessness that the president himself offered for the country at the start of his term.
There were rousing renditions of the 바카라 게임 웹사이트Battle Hymn of the Republic바카라 게임 웹사이트 and 바카라 게임 웹사이트Onward Christian Soldiers,바카라 게임 웹사이트 and also some of Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s country favorites. The Oak Ridge Boys recalled performing for him for decades 바카라 게임 웹사이트 sometimes at the White House 바카라 게임 웹사이트 and joked that Bush 바카라 게임 웹사이트fancied himself to be a good bass singer. He was not.바카라 게임 웹사이트 They then sang 바카라 게임 웹사이트Amazing Grace,바카라 게임 웹사이트 and Reba McEntire offered a musical version of 바카라 게임 웹사이트The Lord바카라 게임 웹사이트s Prayer.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Thursday바카라 게임 웹사이트s flavor was distinctly Texas, unlike days of previous Washington celebrations that had more of a national feel. In place of most federal dignitaries were top Houston athletes including the NFL Texans바카라 게임 웹사이트 defensive end J.J. Watt 바카라 게임 웹사이트 displaying Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s love for sports 바카라 게임 웹사이트 and Chuck Norris, who played TV바카라 게임 웹사이트s 바카라 게임 웹사이트Walker, Texas Ranger.바카라 게임 웹사이트
Grandson George P. Bush, the only member of the political dynasty still holding elected office, as Texas land commissioner, used a eulogy to praise the man the younger generations called 바카라 게임 웹사이트gampy.바카라 게임 웹사이트
바카라 게임 웹사이트He left a simple, yet profound legacy to his children, to his grandchildren and to his country: service,바카라 게임 웹사이트 George P. Bush said.
The church바카라 게임 웹사이트s pastor, Rev. Russell Levenson Jr., recalled the Bushes often attending services and offering to give up their seats to others on days when the church was particularly crowded.
바카라 게임 웹사이트He was ready for heaven and heaven was ready for him,바카라 게임 웹사이트 Levenson said of Bush바카라 게임 웹사이트s declining in health in recent years. He also suggested that when the former president died, he met his wife of 73 years in heaven and Barbara Bush playfully demanded 바카라 게임 웹사이트What took you so long?바카라 게임 웹사이트