Washington – President Bush took time out from hurricane relief efforts on Wednesday to lead a last tribute for Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who was fondly remembered at a private funeral and buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
The two-hour service was held at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, site of President Kennedy’s 1963 funeral.
Rehnquist, said Bush, approached his 33 years on the Supreme Court as he did everything he encountered in life.
“We remember the integrity and the sense of duty that he brought to every task before him,” said Bush, who has nominated John Roberts to replace Rehnquist.
Bush initially tapped Roberts, a Washington federal appeals judge, to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The president nominated Roberts for the top spot on Monday after Rehnquist, 80, died Saturday night of thyroid cancer.
Though left feeble by the disease, Rehnquist had managed to continue his court duties, including administering the oath of office to Bush in January.
“Many will never forget the sight of this man, weakened by illness, rise to his full height and say in a strong voice, ‘Raise your right hand, Mr. President, and repeat after me,”‘ Bush said.
Hundreds of people attended the private funeral. The crowd included family members, friends, colleagues and Rehnquist’s former law clerks, including Roberts, Vice President Dick Cheney and Cabinet members.
O’Connor, who first met Rehnquist at Stanford Law School in 1946 when he was a busboy in her dormitory, said he was “clearly the brightest student in our class.”
On the court, O’Connor said, he knew how to work his colleagues.
“The really expert riders of horses let the horse know immediately who is in control, but then they guide the horse with loose reins and very seldom use the spurs,” said O’Connor, who grew up on a ranch.
“So it was with our chief. He guided us with loose reins and used the spurs only rarely to get us up to speed with our work,” she said.
