Funeral services set to honor former President George H.W. Bush

Four-day tribute includes honor of lying in state

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans across the country will honor the late George H.W. Bush with four days of tributes starting Monday, Dec. 3.

Many of the events were decided upon by Bush himself. Every U.S. president, often within the first few days of their presidency, files a plan with the Joint Task Force- National Capital Region outlining how he wants his funeral to be conducted.

Among the former president’s requests: an aerial flyover of fighter jets in the missing man formation by the U.S. Air Force, to be interred at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, and not to have the presidential fanfare “Hail to the Chief” performed during the services.

The ceremonies will begin with a departure ceremony at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston at 10:30 a.m. Monday. Bush’s remains will be flown to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

From there, the former president’s casket will be taken to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. where it will lie in state from 5 p.m. Monday until 10 a.m. Wednesday. A guard of honor will be present at all times, and the public will be allowed into the Capitol to pay their respects from 7:30 p.m. Monday until 8:45 a.m. Wednesday.

There will be a departure ceremony for Bush at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday at 10 a.m., and his casket will arrive at the Washington National Cathedral at 11 a.m.

That’s when Bush’s funeral mass will begin, set to be attended by former presidents and politicians past and present. The service is expected to last 90 minutes.

Following the funeral, Bush will be flown back to Houston, Texas, where he will lie in repose at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church until 12:30 p.m. Thursday. In April, former first lady Barbara Bush’s funeral mass was held at St. Martin’s.

The former president’s casket will then be brought to Texas A&M University in College Station, which is home to the Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

Bush will be buried next to his wife and daughter Robin at 4:15 p.m. Thursday.

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