Death and state funeral of Richard Nixon

presidential funeral

On April 22, 1994, Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, died after having a stroke four days earlier, at the age of 81. His state[1] funeral followed five days later at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in his hometown of Yorba Linda, California. His death was the first Presidential death in 21 years, since President Lyndon B. Johnson's death in 1973.[2]

Presidents Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford at the funeral
Nixon's funeral service

Background

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His body was flown to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Orange County, California, via SAM 27000, the presidential plane used as Air Force One while Nixon was in office.[3] His body was transported to the Nixon Library and laid in repose. A public memorial service was held on April 27, with world leaders from 85 countries and all five living Presidents of the United States, the first time that five U.S. presidents attended the funeral of another president.

Nixon's state funeral is unique among recent presidential state funerals in that he wanted his funeral not to be held in Washington, D.C..[4][5]

Nixon's wife, Pat, had died ten months earlier on June 22, 1993.

References

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  1. William Cummings (2018-12-03). "From George Washington to George H.W. Bush: The history of presidential funerals". USA Today. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  2. Perez-Pena, Richard (April 19, 1994). "Nixon 'Stable' After Stroke At His Home". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
  3. "Funeral Services of President Nixon". Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace Foundation. Archived from the original on 2009-12-19. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
  4. William Hamilton and Christine Spolar (April 28, 1994). "Richard Nixon's Long Journey Ends". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  5. Elisabeth Bumiller and Elizabeth Becker (June 8, 2004). "The 40th President: The Plans; Down to the Last Detail, a Reagan Style Funeral". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-12-12.