Ford's Burial: Photo Spread

He helped heal a nation decades ago, and on January 3rd, Gerald R. Ford brought the nation together once again as he was laid to rest in Grand Rapids, MI. In this final installment in our Gerald Ford series, we're bringing you a series of photographs taken in the city on that day, a eyewitness account of history. With this post, we're not only saying goodbye to this particular series of post, but we're saying goodbye to President Ford as well, by showcasing some of the ceremonies that helped commemorate his life and service.

A view of the motorcade after it had passed by,
en route to Grace Episcopal Church for the final funeral.

Servicemen and women march up alongside the museum grounds,
ready to take their place in advance of the arrival ceremony.

The military stands as attention as the hearse arrives.

Dignitaries and friends of Ford walk around the back of the museum to the tomb site.
(If you click on the image to view it full-size, you can make out the face of current
Vice-President Dick Cheney, and the backside of Donald Rumsfeld's head.)

The Ford family waits for the flag-draped coffin to be taken out of the hearse.

Hidden in the shadows, the Ford family waits as the American flag,
raised to half-mast, towers above them.

The casket is carried down to Ford's final resting place.

Officers representing each branch of the Armed Services
carry the casket along the museum grounds.

A wider view of the ceremony.

Betty Ford is escorted along to the tomb site.

Spectators look off into the distance, hoping to see some
of the proceedings a few yards away.

Smoke rises as the cannons are fired.

The F15 airplanes come flying across the Grand River.

They're closer, now...

Jets go flying by overhead.

And again!

A shot of the one plane that broke away, flying straight up into the sky,
symbolizing a comrade dying and being sent up into the heavens.

The planes continue to fly down the Grand River, past the museum.

A view of the museum from across the river. This is taken at about
the time that they were folding the flag.

And... that's it. Thanks for your patience as I made this site a bit of a "shrine" to coverage of Gerald R. Ford, the only President that America has never elected, a man who never wanted to be President in the first place but who helped move the nation past Watergate, helped America celebrate it's bicentennial birthday, and lived the rest of his years in quiet dignity and peace.

Goodbye, Mr. President.